This guest post is part of the Journey to 30 series.
By JaVaughnae Malone
As I look at my life now, I honestly would not change a thing about it. I like it just the way it is. I remember in college saying to my friends yeah I plan to be married by 25 and have my first kid by 30, but it’s funny how life just happens. As I approach my 30 birthday in 2 years, I often say to myself the idea of what we think life should be like by the time we turn 30 is subjective.
I have learned to enjoy the precious moments in life and stop trying to make life fit into what you think it should be. Life happens when it wants to happen, and you just have to take the time to allow yourself to grow into the best version of yourself.
Take the time to focus on things that matter to you and the things that you have control over from your career to your passions, health, and faith.
One thing I’m passionate about is entrepreneurship. I love the journey that it takes you on from the successes to the failures; it is all a part of the journey. Ever since I have been little, I have grown up around entrepreneurs. My family is full of successful entrepreneurs—it’s in my blood and I love it. I love the spirit that comes from being an entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurs inspire me every day. Entrepreneurs are some of the most driven and dedicated people I know. They work hard to achieve their goal at all cost. So it’s only right that I pursue the same road. Now I’m going to keep it real, entrepreneurship is tough yet very rewarding. There is no better feeling than watching your dream idea come to life that you put all your blood, sweat, and tears into.
Here are five tips that I would love to share with inspiring entrepreneurs that I have learned since embarking on this entrepreneurship journey and life:
Discover Your Passion, Pursue and Cultivate it. Do you have a passion that doesn’t feel like work? They often say “do what makes you happy, and you never work a day in your life!” Are you into photography, makeup, hair, fashion, or something else?
Research, Research, Research. I cannot stress the importance of researching the field that you would like to pursue. You have to know what successful people in your field are doing. You have to take the time to learn the ins and outs of your potential field. What are the things they are doing to market? What tools are they using? How are they building their brands? And take notes. You have to understand your field and competition to see where you stack up.
Create a Plan of Action and Stick to it. So now that you’ve discovered your passion, it is time to cultivate it so you can reach your highest potential. Now is the time to plan, plan, and plan. Failing to put a strategic plan into place can set you back drastically. So take the time to map a timeline of your future steps. Stick to the plan!
Put that Plan to WORK. I repeat: don’t over analyze. No plan is 100% perfect, so don’t be afraid to follow it. The perfect plan you have in your head may not fall into place, but at least you have a roadmap to follow, and you will learn to adjust along the way as you grow as an entrepreneur. Yes, roadblocks will appear, but don’t get discouraged—keep going! These roadblocks will only make you stronger.
[bctt tweet=”Taking risks is key to being a successful entrepreneur.” username=”bliss_bcs”]
Don’t be afraid to take the risk! Taking risks is key to being a successful entrepreneur. If you never try, you will never know, so don’t be afraid to go for it! If you experience some difficult spots along the road—and yes, you will—don’t grow weary keep going.
Entrepreneurship is a rewarding field, and I admire every entrepreneur out there. I wish every current and future entrepreneur great success. And I will leave you with this last thought:
Don’t Give Up even when the journey gets tough, don’t give up!
JaVaughnae Malone is the founder of the blog Champagne and Cake as well as the owner of When Ink Becomes Chic, a boutique custom wedding invitations and stationery business. Check out her blog site for wedding inspiration, new ideas posted weekly, and get the wedding Visionboard Workbook! Follow Champagne and Cake on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest
Great article and very inspiring!