How to Make Vision-Driven Decisions in Entrepreneurship

What I wish I would have known as a first time founder: Not all advice is worth listening to. We all get barraged by well-meaning recommendations. From investors, friends, and the internet. So how do you decide what advice to implement and what to disregard? This is a common question I get from many clients. Here is a simple set of questions you can use to filter it all and determine what’s applicable to you. 1. Does it align with your vision? Evaluate each piece of advice based on how well it aligns with your vision and whether it propels you toward your goals. If the advice significantly deviates from your core objectives or doesn't serve your long-term interests, it might be best to set it aside. 2. Is the source a credible expert? Be sure to consider if person has successfully navigated a similar challenge or whose business acumen you respect. Investors might have strategic insights while fellow founders may offer more practical advice. Prioritize advice from sources with a proven track record in relevant areas. 3. Is it applicable to you? Consider the practical aspects of implementing the advice. Is it feasible, given your current resources, team capabilities, and technological infrastructure? Sometimes, even excellent advice may not be practical due to your startup's stage, budget constraints, or industry regulations. 4. Can you find a way to test it? Leverage data to make informed decisions. If possible, test the advice on a small scale and measure the outcomes. A/B testing can be particularly useful to see what works best for your business without fully committing to one strategy over another. By systematically assessing each piece of advice against these criteria, you can more effectively filter the noise and decide on the best strategies for your business. The bottom line with advice is to always trust your instincts. As a founder, trusting your gut can be just as important as logical deliberation. If something doesn’t feel right, feel free to ignore it, regardless of the source of the advice. Your intuition is shaped by your experiences and knowledge, and it can be a powerful decision-making tool.

All entrepreneurs have things they leave behind as they evolve and grow. One thing you should never leave in your past? Your vision and gut instincts. When you're just starting, your gut instincts are rocket fuel propelling you forward. When you're established, it becomes easier to turn your back on them both. Though time will often season you for the better, it can also bring distraction. As you succeed, you'll find yourself with more stakeholders. Though well-intentioned, these people will inevitably bring data and advice that can derail even the most thoughtful leaders from their gut instincts. "Why wouldn't I listen to the experts and the data to make critical business decisions?" you might ask yourself. Over the years, I've learned that if you drift too far away from your instincts, it can become a source of regret. The truth is, many decisions you make will be wrong, no matter how you make them. If you stay faithful to your instincts while considering other perspectives, you'll feel much less regret over those decisions that didn't work out. Your instincts aren't just fuel to start your company — they're your internal compass that will keep you on track for decades, help you unite your team, and keep them laser-focused on a shared vision. #EntrepreneurshipMonth

Entrepreneurship is the art of balancing conviction and flexibility. While building my first startup, I was underprepared and relied on several people’s opinions. This affected my ability to make confident decisions, and as a result, our company’s growth was misdirected. Here’s how I learnt to navigate startup-building: ➤ 1. Define your foundation - Create your ideal customer avatar: Visualise one person whose problem you’re solving, and list their pain points, needs and desires. - Identify non-negotiables: Define team values, guiding principles and ethics you need to abide by. This helps you to align your team in the same direction. - Determine your why: Delve deeper into the problem you are solving, and why you have chosen it. Use it as your north star in times of doubt. ➤ 2. Embrace areas demanding fluidity - Be adaptable: Adjust to the evolving market trends, pricing and revenue streams by being receptive to data-driven insights. - Iterate continuously: Test your product in the market, seek user feedback and refine it based on market validation. - Let your team evolve: Deflect stagnation by hiring associates who can deliver top notch work and respect your work culture. ➤ 3. Cultivate the ‘switch mindset’ - Assess yourself: Make self reflection a priority and question whether your actions are abiding by your principles or kneeling to your stubbornness. - Seek guidance: Hire coaches who can help you excel in areas you find difficult and push you to perform to the best of your ability. - Celebrate adaptation: Strengthen your work culture by acknowledging small wins like successful pivots and market driven adjustments. These 3 guidelines will help you stick to your guns when required, while being receptive to the external market climate. How do you balance your decision making? #entrepreneurship #decisionmaking #startup

In 2020 I made a $15k investment in a mentor. I had just invested $7,500 from another program and made ZERO dollars. I had to borrow money from my fiance to hire my new mentor and I was shaking making that payment. (What if it didn't work..again?) I was also working a demanding full-time job while getting my coaching business off the ground. I was overworked, overwhelmed, and felt conflicted between a day job I actually loved and a desire to have my own business. I kept waiting for the "right time" to start my business. For the next quarter to slow down. For that current project to wrap. But the right time never came. So I just got started even when it didn't make sense. 👉 I studied my mentors trainings on the weekends. 👉 I woke up early to create content and map out a business plan. 👉 I took coaching calls at night after work while friends were at happy hour. Fast forward to now—250+ clients, over $1M in client revenue—my journey highlights three essential traits every successful entrepreneur possesses: 1️⃣ Long-term vision: Commitment to building lasting brands and communities. It's not just about the daily hunt for clients. 2️⃣ Courage to move before readiness: Launching offers, increasing prices, and taking bold steps even when you feel unprepared. 3️⃣ Emotional intelligence + Mindset: Embracing the challenges of entrepreneurship and prioritizing personal growth. Seemingly insignificant, these steps can be instrumental in your entrepreneurial journey. What traits of successful entrepreneurs would you add to this list? #entrepeneurship #growthmindset #womenentrepreneurs

The Art of Decision making : Knowing Your Values Have you ever made a decision and later regretted it? I'm not referring to simple choices like ordering a different dish at a restaurant; I'm talking about decisions that have a significant impact on your life, like accepting a new job despite a nagging feeling that it might not be the right fit, or passing up an opportunity that you later wish you had taken. Looking back, I now understand that the intuitive feeling I had about certain decisions was a sign that they didn't align with my core values, particularly my value of freedom. Our values play a critical role in decision-making, but surprisingly, very few of us consciously examine why something doesn't feel right when making choices, yet still proceed with them. While some values are universally shared, individual significance differs from person to person. For instance, my top priorities include family, honesty, freedom, and learning, but for someone else, they may have entirely different values. Moreover, our priorities can change over time. When we make decisions in line with our values, we often find contentment and fulfillment. Conversely, ignoring our values can lead to dissatisfaction. So, I encourage you to consider what your top values are. Reflect on decisions you feel good about and connect them to your values at that specific moment. Similarly, analyze decisions you regret and identify which values were not in alignment. Do it on repeat. Feel free to share your thoughts on how this resonates with you in the comments. #decisionmaking #businessdecisions #energyleadership #intuitiveleadership #founderjourney