First Year in Review: Lessons from Entrepreneurship

I can’t believe a year has already passed since Probity was officially incorporated on August 18th, 2021. The entrepreneurial journey is definitely a challenging one but filled with empowering moments that have brought on so much growth, both professionally and personally. Some lessons I’ve learned from this wild year:

Trust the process. Becoming an entrepreneur is taking a leap of faith in yourself and your capabilities; you must learn to find joy in all the different moments to avoid panic and imposter syndrome. It’s not a straight line to the top, and progress is not linear; there will be ebbs and flows, and you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. For example, when there are client lulls, use that time to work on your business plan, business development strategy, create meaningful connections with other business leaders in your industry, or even use your downtime to recharge.

Be kind to yourself. A blessing and a curse of being an entrepreneur is setting your own schedule, but it is easy to over-schedule yourself and ultimately burn out. Some days will be more challenging than others, and your motivation levels will vary. It’s important to accept ourselves as humans and not give yourself too much of a hard time when things seem more difficult or are not going your way. 

Surround yourself with GOOD people. Entrepreneurship can be lonely, but it doesn’t have to be. I’ve been fortunate to have built meaningful relationships throughout this year which have ensured the success of Probity, from clients that recommended us and spread the word, to collaborators that helped us deliver high-quality results every time to our support experts who were there to answer business questions whenever we needed them. Having a solid community of friends and family to turn to when things got tough and to celebrate the wins has made this journey much more rewarding and fulfilling. 

Your gut is always right. This has been a big one for me. I believe we always hold the answers within ourselves, yet sometimes self-doubt kicks in, and we let it get the best of us. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. One of the best aspects of being a business owner is being able to take on various projects, yet if you don’t feel passionate about a client or project, you most likely will not produce your best work. Instead, focus on opportunities that align with your values and bring you joy. 

Don’t forget your WHY. One of the things that I'm most proud of is the fact that I took the time at the inception of Probity to carefully define our WHY - amplifying impact companies. While this seems like a simple statement, it truly has been our north star when accepting mandates and clients. It has helped us ensure that we’re fully engaged in doing our work and able to make a difference in the world with sustainable business practices. Also, it makes it much easier to turn down clients that don’t align with our values.

Respect your boundaries. Whether personal or professional, having boundaries and respecting them is key to living a fulfilled entrepreneurial life, and I’ve found people respect you more for it. It also helps to lead by example; as we grow our team, we are creating a culture where limits are respected, increasing our chances of fostering a healthy company culture that values the wellbeing of all its collaborators. 

Listen to your body. I read the other day something along the lines of “rest is a valid form of productivity.” As an entrepreneur, it is hard to fully disconnect from work even during time off. I find that taking breaks throughout the day when I’m tired or having a hard time concentrating has a massive return as I’ll be much more productive afterwards and able to create the higher quality work that my clients have come to expect. While it may be hard to commit to a 2-week vacation at the moment, enjoying the flexibility of my schedule and taking a day off when I have no meetings or major deliverables makes an immense difference in my life and keeps me motivated week after week. 

I’m incredibly grateful for everyone that has helped support me on the Probity Marketing adventure. I’m still trying to process the fact Probity is celebrating its first anniversary, and I’m very excited about what’s to come. Cheers to many more!