Here's What I've Learned in 7 Years of Creative Entrepreneurship

As a creative business owner, reaching the 7-year mark is a milestone worth celebrating. There were many days and nights when I didn’t think I would make it this far. This is a testament to the dedication, hard work, and resilience required to build a successful business. To commemorate this occasion, I created a video sharing 7 valuable lessons I've learned throughout my journey as a creative business owner.

My hope is that this video is not just a reflection of my personal experiences but is a valuable resource for aspiring entrepreneurs and fellow creative professionals.

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What’s not mentioned in this video?

• The importance of continual learning and doing. I’m still learning and growing as a creator and business owner each day. If YouTube did something akin to Spotify Wrapped, my entire life would be exposed. I’ve also purchased a course from a creator and bought a subscription to Masterclass. I learn, I try something new, and then I reiterate. With AI being embedded into many of the software tools I use, and new software tools popping up daily, I still have a lot to learn about how I can incorporate this into my workflow. I love how many things are being built to help creators and entrepreneurs be successful and streamline their systems.

• The reason why I celebrate the “small wins” like business anniversaries. I used to think that I had to seize every opportunity that was in front of me. From big-name prospective clients to videos gaining traction on YouTube. I thought if I didn’t, that opportunity would never come again. And I was right, in the best way possible. Just because one opportunity isn’t right for me, that doesn’t mean that another one won’t be. We live in a world of abundance, and I now know every small step leads to big change.

• How building a supportive community can really make a difference in your business’s long-term sustainability. The creative community thrives on collaboration and support. It’s so much harder to keep going when you’re feeling lonely. If there’s a time when you feel you have no one to turn to who’s also going through the same things, or people who can point you in the right direction toward the resources you seek, it’s easy to get discouraged or experience decision fatigue. People make us better, and the right people challenge us to dream about what can be better.

• How I’m not always inspired or motivated to show up, but I do my best anyway. Running a creative business can be demanding, and sometimes we need a little inspiration to keep going. But the reality is, most days, it won’t come. You have to be disciplined in showing up, getting better, trying your best, and knowing when to rest (hey, that rhymed).

• All the tools and tips I have for growing the foundation of your business. Quite frankly, a master list of tools and tips is no substitute for personalized advice based on your unique situation. What works for me may not work for you, and that’s okay. I’m always happy to share my experience with certain software tools that I use in case someone else considering them will benefit, but I do think the mental frameworks I reference in the video are applicable to everyone. Let me know in the comments which lesson in the video you relate to most!Leave a comment

• The difficulty of navigating challenges as you grow. Ever heard the phrase, “New levels, new devils?” Well, that couldn’t be more true when building a business. What it took to go from 0-1, is completely different than what it’ll take to go from 1-10, or 10-100, or 100-1,000, and so on and so on. You get the drift. And this isn’t even taking into consideration that you may skip 1-10 or 10-100. Then what? How do you prepare for that success? That’s something I’m still exploring in my journey.

• Specific stories from my time as an entrepreneur. I wanted to keep this video as succinct as possible and leave space for those stories in the future. I’d love to hear your input on stories you’d like to hear, like that one time I messed up while working with CBS Sports or turned down a job at the White House. Haha I’m so happy I can laugh about those things now. 😅

And probably a bunch of other stuff I forgot.

I invite you to watch this video and join me in celebrating 7 years of creative entrepreneurship. I can’t wait to see what this next year or three has in store, and hopefully, to share those stories with you. Together, let's learn, grow, and inspire each other to reach new heights in our creative and entrepreneurial endeavors.

Please Hustle Responsibly,

🤙🏾✨

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