What I Learned in 2017

By

By Greg Star

These lessons, while might seem obvious to others, were all realized organically by me this year in dealing with all sorts of challenging situations.

  • It’s easy to stay positive in good times, but it takes skill and practice in tougher times.
  • Great things, big and small happen every day, but you have to try to look for them. The more you look for them, the more there are!
  • A good advertising sales person should know how to prospect. This should be the first question in screening a potential advertising sales hire. No expensive lead list software should be needed.
  • The more you speak it, the truer it becomes.
  • The more you visualize it, the truer it becomes
  • The better you feel the more positive energy you bring into the room. This energy is contagious, and influences the people around you. So take care of yourself, and take steps to start each day feeling good.
  • Swagger, confidence, optimism and sense of humor are essential to maintain under adversity. This was the biggest takeaway from books on Lincoln and Ben Franklin I read this year. They always kept their sense of humor and sunny disposition in the face of insurmountable challenges.
  • You can read all the books and hear all the advice, but sometimes you just need to make a mistake yourself to truly learn your lesson. Some mistakes need to happen to really change behavior.
  • Selling, networking, and working hard never ends. You never “make it”, and can sit back and relax. To run a business you need to embrace this, and have fun working, and make it fun for others that work with you.
  • No one really knows what they are doing- the key is having the confidence that you can to solve any problem coming your way.
  • Some things you can’t fix, some people you can’t fix, and in these scenarios, it’s better to cut the cord sooner rather than later.
  • If you feel a hire does not add to the culture, then they are most likely hurting the culture in ways you do not even realize.
  • Helping others, and creating experiences with others, is more important in the long run then the majority of day to day work tasks. If you have an opportunity to accomplish this in a given day, do it!
  • Over communicate with your investors, and potential investors. (huge)
  • The right investor makes all the difference. This goes beyond a tactical/strategic investor, more so someone who will take your call at all hours, and be there when you really need them.
  • Not all growth is healthy growth- say no to jobs and money if it doesn’t align strategically.
  • A slip is not a fall- unless you do not learn from it.
  • Do not burn bridges. In fact, take advantage of times when you are fully in the right to be angry at someone to act with grace and forgiveness. This builds bridges rather than burns them. This is also easier said than done, but should be done nonetheless.  ( Another key takeaway from reading about Lincoln- he was so incredibly graceful and magnanimous in the face of blatant disrespect, and it won him supporters and friends for life as a result)
  • The more transparent with your employees the better. Conflict usually stems from asymmetric information on both sides Trust is everything.
  • Focus on the intent of others, less than their words and actions.

Now that 2018 is here, what advices do think you would give yourself a year from now?

_______

greg starGreg Star is a Founding Partner of Carvertise, a Delaware-based advertising company that places ads on private commuters’ vehicles. Think of Uber meets advertising. Greg has been named Delaware’s Young Entrepreneur of the year by the SBA  and is an active member of the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry. Greg can be reached at Star@carvertise.com, or for more information about Carvertise, like his Facebook page!

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