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I’ve learned a few things in the past few years of running Iridesco with my business partner, Danny Wen. I thought I’d share them - and I hope to add more to the list next year.
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Life is more than business. I love Iridesco, and I love working with everyone on the team. But Iridesco is just one aspect of our lives, and we (including you) are much more than what we “do”.
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Stay humble, open-minded, and patient. Much easier said than done, and I have to remind myself of this everyday. Like they say, business (and life) is a marathon (with no prize at the end). So just take your time and have fun and don’t stress out.
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Breathe and stretch. If there’s one thing I’d tell my younger self, this would be it. Your mind will go as much as your body allows it to - so keep it healthy.
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Act, and try not to react. This is a tough thing to do, because reacting is instinctive, I think. When we make a decision, it’s good to review and think about the motivation behind it.
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Sleep on all big decisions. I’m fortunate to have Danny as a business partner and friend, and we always run decisions by one another. We rarely disagree with each other, but even when we agree, we would take our time and let the thoughts simmer.
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Set goals, and try to reach them (duh). This sounds boring and not hip, but it works. Setting goals (short and long term goals) will prevent you from reacting - because there is a clear course set, and you just need to follow it (and external causes shouldn’t affect you).
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Find good people to work with. You’re gonna spend more time with the people you work with than with your family, so choose wisely. It’s tough finding good people. It’s tough finding good things in life, period.
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Embrace luck. This is not something you can control, but luck is important. The only thing you can do is to work smart and hard, and be prepared when luck strikes. And if you miss it, no big deal - don’t give up, and don’t be hating on people around you who are luckier than you are.
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Money is important. You might not want to hear this, but if you’re running a business, then the goal is to make money. This does not mean you need to go all Powerpoint and business suit - there are many ways to make money, and you do not need to sacrifice your soul to make an earning. There are ways to run an ethical and profitable business without being an ass. Just look at us. :)
These things I’ve learned are mostly obvious, and it took me a long time to understand and appreciate them. I’ve probably missed a few, and I’ll probably learn to dissagree with some. I’ll check back in this time next year.
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