The startup life isn't easy—just talk to anyone who's pursued the entrepreneurial path. But it's the challenges that make it all the more fulfilling. Just ask Maggie Barton, who co-founded the education program SPURstartup with her husband Jon. When that endeavor hit a snag, the two didn't lose their enterprising spirit. Instead, they kept at it and—cue that ol' proverb about necessity and invention—introduced the cuff roll, a handy accessory for creating the perfect, and long-lasting, rolled-up sleeve. (See it in action above.) We recently caught up with Maggie, who now heads up the umbrella company CuffedUp with Jon, and asked her to share top startup tips every would-be entrepreneur should know.
1. Your health (mental & physical) is your number one priority.
You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of building your business. Being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease right when I was launching CuffedUp was something I wasn’t prepared for, but it taught me how critical good health is to success.
2. Age doesn’t always translate into knowledge.
Just because you are young doesn’t mean someone knows more about the company you are trying to build. Sometimes, less experience gives you an edge because you’re not jaded and accepting of the status quo.
3. Time spent being indecisive is time wasted.
Try as many things as possible, as quickly as possible. People say, “fail a ton and fail quickly,” because you find out what works by first discovering what doesn’t work for you or your business.
4. Entrepreneurship is harder than anyone wants to admit.
Be prepared to deal with the lows that will inevitably come with starting a business. I created and launched the Founder’sJournal to help entrepreneurs through these moments, so you can track your daily wins and stay motivated through the rough patches.
5. Listen to feedback, but don’t take all of it.
Just because someone doesn’t love your idea does not mean it’s a bad one. If someone has negative feedback, find out why, because it could help you make your product better. But don’t spend time trying to please everyone – you will end up pleasing no one.
Bonus Life Hack
Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There are no shortcuts to success. The only way to get there is with hard work, creativity, and having a little sense of humor along the way.
