Fear of Financial Failure Doesn’t Have to Be Your Biggest Obstacle

Man at his desk showing problems with bills. Concept of economic failure

The fear of financial failure is one of the most paralyzing anxieties entrepreneurs face. This fear encompasses a range of concerns, from losing personal investments to disappointing outside investors, accruing debt that seems insurmountable, and even the prospect of declaring bankruptcy. Yet, history shows that many successful entrepreneurs have faced financial ruin before achieving their…

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7 Leadership Lessons to Help Your Business Win

Colorful game pieces on game board

Over all my years starting, building, and running businesses, I’ve learned a lot. When something worked, I learned from it. If something didn’t work, I learned from that, too. From all that experience, I have put together a list of 7 leadership lessons for business people. They reflect my values, as well as how I…

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Don’t Let Fear of Failure Delay Your Startup

startup entrepreneurs under stress

Waiting for that elusive “perfect time” to start a business? Don’t let opportunities slip away or your fear of failure delay you. Many aspiring entrepreneurs fall into this trap, perpetually waiting for their stars to align. But here’s a reality check: there’s no magical moment. No Perfect Time The fear of failure holds them back.…

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2nd Time’s a Charm: Trying Again is the Winning Strategy

There is no shame in trying and failing. Life is like baseball. It is mostly failure with a few notable successes. Think about it: A baseball player batting 300 is considered wildly successful. That player fails to get a hit 70% of the time. Most sales jobs have a worse average. You are lucky to…

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These 5 Issues Can Bring Business to a Grinding Halt

There are numerous reasons that the business model can cough and splutter on the market. Indeed, 90% of businesses are estimated to fail within their first year. It’s important to assess why this is the case, what goes wrong and what you can do about it. By putting the right measures in place, you will…

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7 Alternatives to Quitting Your Startup Venture

When I heard a friend and business mentor say, “Your startup won’t fail if you don’t quit,” I realized that every entrepreneur should adopt “never give up” as their mantra. Rather than quitting, there are always alternatives, like pivoting the business model or merging with new partners for support. Either could improve the statistic that…

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Caution: 3 Main Reasons for Business Failures

Running out of money Lack of planning Growing too fast There are countless scare stories out there and it’s true, many businesses don’t make it in the long run, but according to the SBA, only 30% of new businesses fail during the first two years of being open, 50% during the first five years and…

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What Would You Do If Told to “Fail Fast”?

Here’s a question that should strike close to home. Professional investors like to quote this mantra to anyone who will listen. “Fail fast,” they say. But what if you believe so strongly in your budding enterprise that this seems to be the most ill-advised directive you’ve ever heard? So here are some rules that might…

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A Lesson About Home Depot, Nails, and Sales from Bernie Marcus

Before you can own your failure, you first have to know what you’re failing at. True knowledge is a start, not an end. It’s a question, not an answer. When Walmart’s Sam Walton or Home Depot’s Bernie Marcus sought meaningful and productive knowledge, they didn’t attend a seminar, assemble a committee, convene a board meeting,…

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The Importance of Setbacks

Too often, we get caught up in the rush of everyday life. The press of everyday activity, the constant intrusion and interruptions drive what we do. These become standard, we go on autopilot—even as a coping mechanism. Most important we stop paying attention, we stop being present. This doesn’t mean we aren’t accomplishing things. The…

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