When you're staring a venture as difficult as building a business, in some ways ignorance is bliss. Being unburdened by any real appreciation of the difficulties you’re getting yourself into can be a great boost to confidence, optimism and energy. But this principle obviously has its limits.
Young entrepreneurs may thrive on self-belief and brashness, but a bit of wisdom and a few lessons from the school of hard knocks are necessary to help transform enthusiasm into a credible venture. Which is why advice from those who have recently been in your place is so valuable. They aren't so far along in their careers that they've forgotten what it feels like to be a young person with start-up dream, so their advice is relevant and palatable. By learning from their mistakes you don’t have to make the same ones.
Luckily, thanks to the Internet, finding such an entrepreneur to generously offer their advice is far easier than it once was. For instance, on Under30CEO recently, 28-year old entrepreneur Brent Beshore, CEO of AdVentures, gifted those just starting out on the road he's recently traveled with eight truths he wishes he knew when he was 22. Among them:
If you find these tips fascinating, the remaining five lessons are also well worth a read. And Beshore isn’t the only person to have the impulse to help the next wave of career starters avoid his mistakes. There are whole books on the topic, as well as a plethora of blog posts. Or, better yet, tap into the pooled wisdom of your community by asking them what they wish they knew when they were your age.
What one piece of advice do you wish you could give your younger self?