Happy birthday to The Enrichery! Building this business has been a true labor of love. It’s easily been the hardest thing I’ve ever done and the most rewarding. (How many people can say they’ve spent NINE YEARS building something?!) Over the years, I’ve learned so much about leadership, community, and business. Here are just a few:
1. I read somewhere early on in starting The Enrichery that you should lead with love. It seems fluffy, but it’s been a reliable North Star for me. If you act from a place of love, you’ll do right by people. Love your clients. Love your team. Love your community. Love your business.
2. Zoom out. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day issues. Every day, re-read your 10-year plan to stay inspired and on track for your bigger goals. Remember your WHY.
3. Build a support system with other entrepreneurs. Business ownership can be lonely and all-consuming. Connect with other business owners who share your drive, creativity, and intensity.
4. A friend and mentor of mine said, “You can’t 10x your business until you 10x yourself”. If you’ve done it right, your business will reach a rate of growth that challenges you to grow and stretch too. Make time to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses and start working on shoring up where you’re falling short.
5. Get good at having hard conversations. Clear is kind, and kind is clear. (Major work in progress for me!)
6. When you start your business, you have to do everything FAST. As your business gains complexity, you actually need to SLOW DOWN. (Also a work in progress for me…) Seemingly small decisions have much bigger ripple effects than they once did. Every decision you make needs to be carefully considered from multiple points of view.
7. Trust your instincts.
8. The old saying “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” is true. Build a team of people you trust and respect, and learn how to ask good questions. Then watch the amazing things they’ll contribute.
9. What got you here won’t get you there. As you grow, your needs will change. When a practice stops being effective, have the courage to change course.
The lessons I’ve learned over these last nine years haven’t come easy. They’ve mostly been earned — through failures and mistakes. This last year has been a particularly rough one. I got in a serious bike accident right after opening two new locations. But I keep reminding myself that a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. The bigger the challenges, the bigger the growth opportunities.
So, happy birthday to The Enrichery. I am grateful for every year, every student, every parent, every teammate, every mistake, every failure, and every win. Here’s to more growth over the next nine!
