Starting a business? Back in 2019, I had a decision to make: stay with a corporate job and all the safety I had grown to know over 25 years, or try something different and start my own business. The safe route was tempting. I had some great offers with people I liked, trusted, and respected. However, there was something burning inside me SCREAMING, “Noo!”

So, I took some time to dig deep, get uncomfortable, and pause to listen to what this force inside me really meant.

I remember camping in Bend, Oregon, walking with my golden retriever, Kota. It was a cool fall morning with no one else in sight. All of a sudden, I felt overwhelmed with gratitude for all the opportunities I had been given in my life: the support and coaching I had from my mom and dad, my mom pushing me to finish college, the successful career I grew with great colleagues.

At that moment, I realized I had been given a gift, and I knew I needed to give that back. When I thought about what I loved in my leadership roles, it all came back to coaching and seeing others succeed. Seeing others break through whatever barrier was holding them back and helping them see the greatness that I saw in them. I realized that my purpose was to help others reach their true potential just as my parents had done for me. I decided to just go for it and start TruPotential Group.

I could sugarcoat things and paint a rosy picture of what happened next, but I want to be honest. All of a sudden, the negative talk and doubts started to creep in: “What the heck are you thinking? You have some amazing opportunities with great companies! What makes you think you can start your own business? You were never a good student; you have no clue how to start your own business, and oh my gosh, how will you even make ends meet?!” I decided, “Forget it. Take the easier path that you know. You will never succeed. Why you ever let this dream in your head is another example that you cannot do this. You do not have a clue!”

But then I was hit hard with the painful memory of my father on his deathbed. In his final days he had visitors from all over the country. People traveled in to say goodbye and thank him for his friendship, mentorship, and leadership. I heard story after story of how he changed their lives. My dad seemed to die in peace with no regrets.

I challenged myself to imagine signing a letter of employment and going back to what I knew and was comfortable with. The thought brought me no joy. It actually brought on physical pain. So, I pushed to imagine myself on my deathbed. (not an easy thing to do, but I do recommend it to others)
When I did that, I knew that there was no other option but going full speed into starting my own business. There was no way I would choose to have regrets at the end!

Changing lanes has opened a whole new world for me, filled with courageous entrepreneurs sharing stories about their epic fails and comebacks. I’ve learned so much from them! Their common mantra? Life’s too short to play it safe. I agree! I see my dad smiling down on me, even on days that I crash and burn, and that helps me keep going.

I have been told I tend to be overly optimistic, but I see it differently. I believe in every situation there is something to learn. I choose to learn and grow and not dwell on anything negative.

Let me tell you, running your own show is a wild ride!! You’ll need to learn stuff on the fly and deal with curveballs every day. But these challenges? They’re yours, and they make the victories all the sweeter. Living on my own terms, aiming to wrap up this crazy ride with a big, satisfied grin on my face – that’s what it’s all about.

I’m laying out 50 real lessons from my leap into owning my own business. The good, the bad, and the painful! This road has been bumpy and filled with potholes, but I know I made the right decision, and I’m grateful to all those that have helped me navigate this new road.

When I began, my first call was to Erin Parsons. She called me back as I was finishing a mountain bike ride. I was in a moment of self-doubt. I saw her name and had to pick up. I told her my plan, and she said, “Let’s go girl!! I have an opportunity for you!”

Erin was the first person that believed in TruPotential Group and gave me an opportunity. I share this to emphasize the importance of surrounding yourself with people that have already had the courage to start their own business. Erin had been there, done that, and was a pivotal part of me finding the courage to reinvent myself at an age when many are focused on just getting to retirement.

I find myself filled with great pride when I say I am a business owner now. Thank you to all that have helped me on my journey! There are too many to thank! You know who you are, and I THANK YOU!

1. Believe in Yourself: Trusting in my potential was the first step in my entrepreneurial journey.

2. Stay True: I’ve learned that being authentic is key to building real connections and staying aligned with my vision.

3. My Mom is usually right!

4. Appreciate criticism: You cannot grow if you do not accept feedback.

5. It is hard: If you know your “why” and have a purpose, those hard days become a challenge to overcome to reach the goal. Some days are still hard, but you know it will be worth it when you achieve the goal!

6. Watch for signs: Be present enough to watch for signs, they are out there. But you cannot see, hear or feel the signs if you are always moving.

7. Balance Instinct and Logic: I rely on my intuition, but I’ve found it’s crucial to pair it with logical thinking. Although I will NEVER go against my “gut” feeling.

8. Someone knows what you don’t: Focus on Who Not How. If you get caught in how, you will never reach your true potential. Someone out there loves what you hate and hates what you love doing!

9. Choose Your Circle Wisely: Surrounding myself with supportive and inspiring people has made all the difference. Not everyone is going to support you, and that is okay!

10. Acceptance: I understand not everyone will be on board with my changes, and that’s okay.

11. Play to Your Strengths: I recognize my weaknesses and seek out those who fill those gaps. I no longer focus on what I am not good at. It is more fun to leverage my strengths!

12. Patience is Powerful: I’ve learned that building something impactful takes time and persistence.

13. Give to Receive: The deepest fulfillment I’ve found comes from positively impacting others’ lives.

14. Confront Fear: Embracing and overcoming fear is a part of this exciting journey.

15. Never Stop Questioning: Asking questions has been essential for my learning and connecting with others.

16. Learn from Favorites: I love asking about favorite books – it’s a gateway to a world of knowledge.

17. Morning Rituals: Starting my day with productive habits sets the tone for long-term success.

18. Speak Your Mind: I’ve learned the importance of communicating my thoughts bravely, yet respectfully. I have learned not everyone will like me, and that is okay.

19. Manage Your Emotions: Realizing I can’t control others’ feelings, only my reactions, has been vital and hard!

20. Hold Off on Judgments: I try to pause before judging, as it can block meaningful connections.

21. Support All: I remember that even the seemingly strongest among us need support and understanding.

22. Trust Your Feelings: If something feels off, I’ve learned it’s important to explore why and trust if it feels off, it probably is.

23. Aim High: Living a better life for me means expecting more from myself.

24. Dogs are the best medicine: A 20 minute walk with George energizes me, clears my head and reminds me that life is too short, have FUN, play and take naps!

25. The Courage to Ask: I’ve realized that the worst I can hear is “no,” but it’s always worth the risk.

26. The Power of ‘No’ and ‘Yes’: I’ve learned these words are complete responses in themselves.

27. Know Your Value: I never compromise on my value and refuse to settle for less.

28. Treasure Time: Understanding life’s brevity, I make the most of every moment.

29. Welcome Change: If I’m unhappy, I remind myself that change is in my hands.

30. The Calm of Meditation: It has been key in gaining clarity and reducing my stress.

31. Seeking Help is Strong: I’ve learned that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

32. Embrace Failure: I see failure as a steppingstone to growth and understanding.

33. Listen More: Active listening has led to deeper connections and understandings.

34. Health First: My well-being always takes precedence.

35. Self-Care is Essential: I’ve found that taking care of myself allows me to be there for others.

36. Understanding People-Pleasing: Recognizing why I do it and its impact has been enlightening.

37. Compliments Matter: If I admire someone, I make sure to tell them.

38. The Power of a Smile: I never underestimate the impact a simple smile can have.

39. Know and Live Your Values: You cannot live your values if you do not take the time to understand your values and why they are your values to live by!

40. Tackle Small Issues: Addressing them early prevents them from becoming larger problems.

41. The Importance of Thanks: I’ve seen how a small gesture of appreciation can go a long way.

42. Emotional Control: I view emotions as a muscle that strengthens with practice.

43. Where Focus Goes, Energy Flows: I concentrate on what’s positive and growth-oriented.

45. Keep Pushing: Even on tough days, I remind myself of the importance of persistence.

46. Gratitude: Focusing on what I have, rather than what I lack, breeds positivity.

47. Unplug and Reconnect: Spending time in nature, away from distractions, rejuvenates my mind.

48. Face Tough Conversations: Ignoring problems doesn’t make them go away, so I face them head-on.

49. Share Knowledge: I love spreading what I learn through books, podcasts, and conversations.

50. Grow Together: I make it a point to surround myself with individuals who are growth-minded.

51. Elevate Your Standards: I believe my life reflects the standards I set for myself, so I aim high.

Part of leadership is to have clarity and conviction around what is important. Your people are counting on you to set the priorities so they can execute towards business growth. Working on the wrong priorities is not only wasteful, but threatening to company profitability, and possibly survivability.

Getting clear about what matters and what needs to be discarded is opportunistic during this time of year as the business cycle flips into the new year. It’s a time where there is often a slow down with the holidays. Furthermore, new budgets are opening and annual reviews make performance a focal point. As a leader, here are three tips you can readily use to drive clear vision in the coming year:

1. Get rid of what no longer matters.

The first thing is to make a list of all the things you can think of, big and small, that should be abandoned altogether. This clears the decks and makes room for new opportunities. You can stop thinking about or putting money into initiatives that have run out of their usefulness. Servicing mediocre, much less obsolete, projects drains resources, mindshare and attention. As a leader, your goal is to allocate your team, budget and effort towards the very best opportunities. The timeliness and relevance of those opportunities changes over time. Reset ruthlessly by making space for what matters now by ridding yourself of yesterday’s commitments.

2. Research emerging trends.

Spend time reading, making phone calls and attending seminars to understand what is making money in your industry. Let your curiosity and exploration go far and wide. Budget the time to simply absorb the patterns that are emerging and happening in your industry. What are your competitors and the thought leaders in your space finding success within? What problems are customers struggling with? Where are investment dollars flowing into? Calling your colleagues and asking, “What are you seeing as opportunities?” can open up conversations and insights. Get the data from a wide information gathering campaign.

3. Commit to 3. 

Write out 3 big payoffs for your organization in the next year. Ask yourself, “What moves the needle big time?” Quantify what those priorities would mean if you worked on those in the next year. How much more revenue would you gain? How much more market share would you gain? Let those ideas sit for a few days and ask, “Are there any better priorities?” If nothing comes to mind, commit and make a plan to get the increase.

You need space and time to think clearer and bigger. That is your job if you are in leadership. You have to pick the right work and communicate this with conviction to your team. Then get your team to build the plan to get those goals.

This is a practice that is continuous year over year. Focus on the right things and don’t let anything distract you. The urgent will always be there to pester you for attention, but that temptation can never take you off your job of winning with clarity!

We had the honor of hearing author and speaker, David Cook speak on Greatness last week in Dallas.

His talk was titled, Selfless Exceptionalism. Cook captivated the room as he shared stories of peak performance athletes and how they handled high pressure situations when their lifelong goals were on the line – a pole vaulter who competed at the Olympic trials with 36 stitches(!!!), a pro-golfer who nailed the challenging hole to win the tournament, and an NCAA Volleyball coach who chose to speak belief over a key (but unpredictable) player during their championship game instead of pick the safer route with another player.

We were inspired by each of these stories of humans who rose to the occasion by embracing pressure to reach their goals, but who were also choosing sacrifice and “the other” over themselves. That is true greatness. Depth of character with the volition to win.

As I reflected on his speech (in addition to just admiring every aspect of his delivery!), I wanted to capture my own take-aways. Watch my video below:

Preparing For Greatness

When you must achieve a goal, so badly that you can taste it, ask yourself these two questions:

1. Are you painting a masterpiece in your mind, or are you painting a tragedy?

There are so many times that I’m focusing on interference that I can’t control. I’m focusing on all the noise. I’m focusing on all the things I don’t want to occur. How the heck do I think I’m going to achieve a goal if I am not visualizing and painting the masterpiece in my mind? Don’t paint tragedies! Be good to yourself, believe in yourself, trust yourself! If you want the goal that bad, visualize how to get there.

2. Are you embracing pressure?

I have to be honest, I’ve taken some risks lately. I’m really proud to have founded TruPotential Group. We’re growing our team out and there are so many terrific things happening. But, if I’m honest, I have not been putting myself in higher pressure situations. I need to do it more. And why? Because Game Day for me is every day. In business, Game Day for me is every single day. So how do I know how I’m going to respond to all the interference and unknowns unless I intentionally put myself in pressure situations and build that muscle?

So this week, and I am going to work on these two things, and I challenge all of you as well! I’m painting masterpieces in my mind. I’m being good to myself. I’m believing in the goals that I’m setting out for myself. I’m not painting a tragedy. And secondly, I’m putting myself in pressure situations. So, have fun with that, and you, too, can achieve greatness.

For more information on David Cook and his incredible book, Greatness, learn more and order here.