Bill Gates has said, “Everyone needs a coach” to get feedback and improve. The author says they hired a life coach at 31 and pay $400 a month, calling it some of their best-spent money. Entrepreneurs shared a similar view: investing in their own development can pay off.
Kyle Ray built Geek Window Cleaning from a side hustle into a six-figure business operating in multiple Texas cities. He has hired coaches, joined mastermind programs and taken classes, including courses on AI and door-to-door sales training. Ray said he looks for people who can teach him a skill and is willing to pay for knowledge that can accelerate his progress.
When he was short on money, Ray instead sought advice from someone doing better than he was. He bartended and waited tables while building the business, and it took about seven years before he could leave those jobs. He asked his more experienced contact what he was doing differently and what might be holding Ray back. Ray also credits business and leadership books with helping him, including “Drive” by Daniel Pink, “Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown and “Beyond the Hammer” by Brian Gottlieb.
Stavya Nilawar, a 19-year-old college student running a creator-marketing agency from his dorm room, contacted agency owners who had reached the level he wanted to attain. He asked about their daily work and how they had progressed. Nilawar encourages early-stage founders to approach people running similar businesses; the conversations can provide guidance and may lead to collaborations. Other options include conferences, classes, mastermind groups and books. The author says attending events with Amazon sellers and real-estate professionals also highlighted the value of getting out and meeting people.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first!