Hey Friends, happy Monday!
This weeks title is pretty self-explanatory. By now, you should know that I love an inspirational quote (if you didn’t, now you do). But sometimes, I’ll be reading the business-related quotes with this exact facial expression:
so I’m here to debunk them. As always, this is all based on my personal experience running Femme Brand Co. but I’m sure you guys can relate. Here goes nothing…
1.“You have all the answers inside you. The more you trust yourself, the easier your life will flow.”
I have a lot of questions about this one, but my first and most burning is
Entrepreneurship has taught me that you don’t have all the answers. And you probably never will, that’s what other people are for. Thinking I had all the answers is the mentality that leads us into burnout and sometimes failure. Instead, entrepreneurship should be about building a strong team and network to task share and outsource. You don’t need to have all the answers, you just need to know who and where to ask.
2.“It’s the will, not the skill”
I understand the premise of this way of thinking. Will, desire and commitment to be your best will definitely get you far in your journey. However, cultivating your skills and continuously learning and refining will get you further. Both will and skill are essential factors in your success. Your determination will get you far but no level of drive can make up for tangible results. It’s the skill and the will.
3.“Get big quietly, so you don’t tip off potential competitors.” — Chris Dixon
Now, unless you’re building some crazy new technology that the world has never seen, I strongly believe in building your business in public. Your brand story, alongside your products/services, are the things that make you and your business unique. Your story will resonate more with your audience if you invite them to become part of your journey ( Maryann, founder of @FaraiLondon is a great example of this). Your journey is one thing your competitors can’t replicate - share it.
4.“If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life. - Marc Anthony
This one is CAP because I’ve BEEN working😭. Don’t get me wrong, you can and will absolutely love what you do. But when you decide to monetise, your passion becomes a job. The effort will start to feel like work. Some days you won’t be into it, and it will feel like a chore. And that’s okay. Even though you may love what you do, don’t expect to love or enjoy every moment. Sometimes you'll have to learn to persevere through the tough times. It doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong, that’s just business🤷🏽♀️.
5.“Play by the rules, but be ferocious.” – Phil Knight
What rules Phil?
Honestly, when it comes to business, there are no rules. I will always advocate for challenging the status quo and going against corporate norms because that’s when the real magic happens. Just because it’s always been done in a certain way, that doesn’t mean it’s the ‘right' way’ or the only way. Yes, keep it legal and ethical, but there are no rules. You have the freedom to run your business however you want to. Don’t let the corporate world tell you there are ways that it should be done.
The point of today’s newsletter isn’t to make you feel uninspired. It’s to remind you that just because your entrepreneurial journey may not feel like the inspirational quotes, you’re not doing it wrong. It’s okay to forge your own path and go against the grain. And I encourage you to share your story and your journey. Even though it may seem like you need to have all the answers, it’s okay to ask for help, because none of us really know what we’re doing anyway🤷🏽♀️.