Here are ten things I would tell myself, as I was starting my first business, 20 years ago.

1. You’re thinking too small. Getting one ‘local’ customer at a time is old school.
2. You can crush your fears, if you really want to. And, it’s not as hard as think.
3. You’re not an imposter. You had the courage to begin, which is more than most ‘wantrepreneurs.’ Now, step up, play to win, and ignore the naysayers.
4. Leverage is your friend. You can’t possibly escape 80-hour work weeks doing everything yourself.
5. Get comfortable asking for help. You can’t know everything, and pretending you do is holding you back.
6. Do not be afraid to join a mastermind group. Your fear of being seen as the dumbest one in the group is ridiculous.
7. Once you establish momentum in your first business, look for ways to add additional revenue streams. Multiple streams of revenue are the answer to achieving a higher income.
8. Your voice, looks, and mannerisms are not that silly. Share your knowledge and expertise using videos and a podcast. And for heaven’s sake, don’t try to be or sound like someone else. Be your authentic self and you will attract the right kind of customers.
9. Write a book about your expertise, in your fractured English. Then hire a professional editor to make you sound like a real author. Becoming a published author will do amazing things for your business. And relax, the only negative comments that you fear getting, will all be from people who still have not written their own book!
10. You will earn significantly more income for who you are, than what you do. Most things are viewed as commodities. So, focus on creating your perceived level of expertise, and then stand high on the mountain top and shout how great it will be to work with you! Nobody else will do this as good as you, and as long as you deliver a great product, backed up with world-class service, it isn’t bragging.

These are just a few things that looking back 20 years has shown me.

Now, imagine looking back just 20 months and being dazzled by your progress and your success!

Think about how far you can go in just three of those months when you apply Rule #5.

And ponder for a moment, while we’re here, how you can monetize what you’ve learned along the way.

See – the possibilities are endless!