3 Leadership Tips I Would Give to My Younger Self

Over the past seven years building my own business, I have learned a lot about entrepreneurship. 

In this blog post, I wanted to share three of these lessons for anyone who wishes to grow in their leadership journey. These lessons both apply to those in more traditional careers and full-time business owners. 

1. You are Your Best Advocate. 

No one knows your story better than you do, which makes you your own best champion. I believe that remembering this occasionally has helped me stay on track while managing CFHJ. I don’t particularly like the expression “closed mouths don’t get fed,” but in business, it is moderately true. Impactful collaborations and business opportunities are more likely to develop if you take the first step and advocate for yourself and your unique talents. 

2. Listen to Your Intuition.

When you think something is off, it probably is. There were many times in my early years of starting CFHJ when I knew the path I was going on was not the right one for me. While I now give myself grace for being young, I would encourage folks reading this blog to really tune into those internal conflicting thoughts. Are the actions you’re taking actually leading you to something that strengthens you, your career, or your business, or are they forcing you to give up parts of yourself?

3. Follow Your Principles.

The natural aftereffect of listening to your intuition is that you begin to follow your own principles. This shows up through the projects you take on, the issues you engage with, or the partnerships you take on; you naturally build a personal routine for sustained progress. As a business owner navigating changing administrations and complex social issues, partnerships will naturally evolve and change. However, making sure that they are rooted in aligned principles is key.

As a business owner, money is important for sustainability and growth. But as the saying goes, not all money is good money. Overall, it’s more important to pursue opportunities that are aligned with your principles.

I hope that these three lessons can provide some clarity for anyone who may need it. For more tips and advice, I can be reached by email at chelsea@cfhj.org.