Why I Didn't Get On The Plane: 15 Tips for Starting Entrepreneurs

Don’t Get On The Plane

Fifteen years ago I was home in Canada on a short visit with my family when I suddenly had a choice to make. After years of working over seas in the hospitality industry, where I had enjoyed designing clothes as a personal passion, I found myself on home soil creating a custom tunic for my pregnant sister.  

A one off design that suddenly sparked something deeper.

My return flight was booked, I had a career that I loved waiting for me overseas, but I couldn’t shake the desire to see this thing through. A yearning to introduce the wellness industry to the figure flattering and functional uniform designs they deserved.

So I didn’t get on the plane. 

Instead, I took a leap of faith into my entrepreneurial journey and have never looked back.  Over the last fifteen years I have experienced some ups and downs, but this is what I’ve learned:

1. Always Trust Your Gut.  There will be times when it’s you against the world and you have to believe in what you feel. 
   
   
2. Surround Yourself With Like-Minded and Supportive People. The first step toward success is a positive attitude. You will encounter enough negative energy in the years to come, you don’t need that weighing you down as you grow.
   
   
3. Take A Risk (just maybe not too many!) If business was safe and easy then everyone would do it! Trust in yourself, your product or your service and jump in!
   
   
4. Do Something Different. Let your creativity shine! A unique and authentic idea is the key to standing out in any market.
   
   
5. Take The Good With The Bad. Your journey won’t always be smooth sailing, but there is something to be learned from every experience. Take it in, learn from it and grow.
   
   
6. Don’t Rush. Good ideas often take time.  Don’t expect overnight success, but also don’t be disappointed if it takes longer to achieve your goals. Every step in the right direction, big or small, matters.
   
   
7. Find Balance. As a wife and mother of three this was critical for me to establish early on. There needs to be a balance between life and career, neither has to suffer at the expense of the other, but find a way to build them both equally.
   
   
8. Network. You never know who you will meet – or how these relationships will grow over time! I once sat beside a gentleman on an airplane who turned out to be a hotelier and they have grown into one of our best clients!
   
   
9. Never Settle. Don’t accept anything less than perfect in your pursuit for success. Set the standard and hold yourself and your team accountable. 
   
   
10. Ask For Help. Be humble and accept assistance when you need it. There is no shame in needing a helping hand, whether from other entrepreneurs, industry professionals or your team to help your business grow.
    
    
11. Keep Learning. Read everything. Absorb information like a sponge whenever you can. Standard practices constantly grow and develop and you want to stay as up to date as possible. 
    
    
12. Do What You Care About. If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, it makes it that much easier to persevere. 
    
    
13. Hire Character. Your people are everything. Build a community of like-minded people who will drive your ideas forward.
    
    
14. Set Goals. Put everything on paper and hold yourself accountable. 
    
    
15. Live Well. Manage your energy, not your time. Eat well, get a good night’s sleep, drink lots of water. Your energy controls what you can do with your time. Make the most of it.