Entrepreneurs are the backbone of US business and innovation. Simply put, no one else does as much — or risks as much — to drive growth and opportunity. But that doesn’t mean that being an entrepreneur is easy. As even the most successful entrepreneurs can tell you, the road to success is paved with sweat, sleepless nights, and effort.
In fact, a number of America’s most famous — and most successful — entrepreneurs have highlighted this very fact when they’d been interviewed. But lucky for us, they’ve also shared some of the lessons they learned on the journey to the top.
Lessons in Perseverance
A number of entrepreneurs highlight resilience and stick-to-it-iveness as key factors in their success. Some, like Kate McKeon, founder of Prepwise, have pointed out that success as an entrepreneur depends on sticking it out through the often lonely process of setting yourself and your business up for success. Others, like tech and sports mogul Mark Cuban, have noted that a no-excuses approach was what allowed them to succeed.
In the words of Kristina Roth, CEO of Matisia Consultants:
“In my 20s, I learned the concept of delayed gratification and that you need to pay attention to important decision points in the tree of life, which will change your life one way or the other.”
Lessons in Perfectionism
When it comes to creating a successful business, success starts with a commitment to getting it right — from your company’s business model to the products or services your business delivers. For instance, Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa, co-CEOs of Warby Parker, built a thriving glasses business by striving at every moment to deliver the best that their company had to offer.
That approach also paid off for KISSmetrics co-founder Hiten Shah, who says that he and his partner built a winning business simply by focusing on what they knew best:
“My co-founder and I were perfectionists so we built the best thing we could without even understanding what our customers cared about.”
Lessons in Personal Vision
Trade-offs are a necessity when running a successful business. But several successful entrepreneurs stress that it’s important to make sure that your core vision is never compromised. American icons from Walt Disney to Steve Jobs have preached the need for having a vision and sticking to it through thick and thin.
One of the most compelling arguments for personal vision comes from, Greg Koch, CEO, and co-founder of Stone Brewing Company. Koch has created one of America’s most beloved craft breweries by sticking to this formula for success:
“It’s going to be our version of great, not someone else’s version. And those who agree with us, they’re going to love what we do… Our loyalty and our efforts should go and be for the people who do like what we do.”
At JAN-PRO, we understand the entrepreneurial spirit. After all, we’ve become a worldwide leader in commercial cleaning through the very same qualities that drive your business. To find out how our cleaners deliver exceptional cleaning at business-friendly pricing, call 866-355-1064 today.