I hosted a lovely little gathering last night for the We2e women (a networking group for women entrepreneurs in the Boulder-Denver area.) I shared some of tips I’ve used over the years to stay inspired and motivated running my own business. (Juli, thank you for you last minute advice!!) The ladies requested this list in writing so here you go!

1. It’s amazing how things line up when you put your passionate intention out into the world. Trust that. Get clear about what you want (this often seems to be the hardest part) and put it out there!

2. Be crystal clear about your overall business goal/mission statement. Use only this as your measuring stick for success instead of allowing your industry or society’s definition of success to supplant your own.

3. Thoroughly believe in what you are doing or offering. People buy authenticity.

4. Set healthy boundaries with your clients and your business. (If you are having a hard time doing this hire a personal or business coach or ask friends for advice regarding specific trouble cases.)

5. Don’t look down or you’ll get spooked and loose your concentration. (Don’t compare yourself to other businesses or people. Stay true to what you do and who you want to be.)

6. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you and who you respect. Do not hesitate to ask for their ideas and help. Do NOT try to run your business in a social or emotional vacuum. Trust me, it’s not a good idea!

7. Your heart comes first. Business second. (As an artist, if my heart withers, so does the business. Recherché is literally a physical representation of my heart.)

8. “I’ve learned that living a simple life of your own volition is more difficult than living a complicated life because somebody else told you to…When you dare yourself to your own misery, you end up owning your own happiness.” (I really wish I had written down the author about 7 years ago when I read her article in some fashion magazine, probably Vogue.)

9. See every “mistake” as a learning opportunity. (When things go wrong or when your find out the hard way that your clients had unrealistic expectations of what your business will provide immediately make changes to your consultation process, your contract, the information on your website.)

10. Celebrate all your successes, big and small, along the way. (I wish I’d kept even just a box of all the editorial pieces, ads, wonderful notes clients sent, awards, recognitions, etc. from the last 10 years. I didn’t because I always tended to minimize the positive and focus on what I still had to do and what was not going perfectly well. I regret that now.) 

11. Reinvent your business to adapt to your market but also your heart. As a perfectionist the idea of reinvention is frustrating for me, but as an artist, it is crucial.

*Another fun idea that came out of the evening was to occasionally swap “business managers” with a friend or other entrepreneur. Often it is much easier to use your imaginary legal counsel, your manager, your financial advisor, whoever to justify your decision or policy. It is easier to make clear decisions for someone else than for yourself, so stop beating yourself up about how difficult it is and just ask for advice! Juli has written several difficult replies to problem clients for me and I for her.

Do you have other helpful tips for entrepreneurs? SHARE!! Comment on this blog post!