Let me ask you: does 15 years sound like a short time or a long time to you?
I can tell you that for me, the last 15 years have flown by. On September 21st 2009, I started a business that some of you know. I’ve shared the story many times before so I won’t again, but that business grew and we did quite well from it.
I took a leap of faith and I still believe that there’s no bigger challenge than starting your own business. It’s risky, you’re often underprepared, underfunded and inexperienced. But when you put in the effort and see the rewards of this, the security it brings and then the freedom that results from your own hard work is life-changing.
But here’s the thing: 15 years ago, I wasn’t an entrepreneur. I was just an excitable young guy with an idea and a decent work ethic. Sure, I had an education and some work experience, but let me tell you – none of that truly prepared me for the world of entrepreneurship.
When I finished uni I thought I was done learning, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. There’s often a business book in my hand or a podcast on in my ears and the truth is, the vast majority of what I know now, I learned on the job. We made mistakes – We made ALL the mistakes. And we paid for each of them, time and time again. But you know what else? We learned from them and this knowledge became invaluable.
My business had some significant wins too. Our clients kept coming back, well, because we treated their businesses like it was our own.
Now, I want to speak directly to those of you out there who are in business or want to be. Here’s the truth: you won’t have all the answers today. Sometimes, you won’t even know what questions to ask. But here’s the beautiful thing about business – it can be learned and you can make mistakes all day long without failing completely.
Of course, it won’t be easy, and it definitely won’t happen overnight. But I want you to think about something: 15 years from now, would you rather be looking back with regrets, or with the knowledge that you gave it your all?
And so I ask, what’s stopping you? Why are you holding yourself back and why are you not giving yourself the chance to live life without regrets, to do something great and to change the course of your life forever?
When I was in your shoes I sat down and worked out the worst case scenario. What would happen if I couldn’t earn enough from my business to feed my family? I’d work 2 jobs if I had to. When I realised that the worst scenario I could imagine was something I could overcome, I gained the confidence to start my journey into entrepreneurship.
But I appreciate the will to start a business is no longer enough. You need to find the time, the time to do the work you need to do and to learn the things you need to learn. So my advice is to start small. Find one client and look after them. Then when you’re ready find another.
Business and entrepreneurship changed my life in more ways than one. At just over 40, life is now about choosing the things that I want to do. I have always loved business and that’s why I continue to help others, but this time round I do it solely on my terms.
So, 15 years from now you could look back at the life-changing journey you’ve come on, or you won’t.
To all of you out there with a dream, an idea, or just a nagging feeling that you could be doing more – take action. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and trust me, the results from your effort are totally worth it.
If you found this article and video helpful, don’t forget to like and subscribe to the Move at Pace Youtube Channel. I’m meant to put some pitch for business in the content, but I didn’t. If you want to work with me, you definitely know how.
Good luck on your journey, no matter what stage you’re at.