5 Lessons From My 5 Years In Business

It's truly hard to believe that a half a decade has gone by since HCL launched in stores! They say time flies when you're having fun, but I also look at how much the world at large, and my personal life has changed in this time and am blown away. With all of this change comes immense lessons and I wanted to share the five most poignant ones for me as I celebrate 5 years in business:

1. There is a fine line between the effort and commitment it takes to achieve a dream, and trying to force something that isn’t in alignment. Whether that be with clients, vendors, business models, goals, or employees, learning when to step away to make space for something that fits even better is one of the most powerful life skills. While it's one of the most difficult things to master (because hello, dedication and persistence and desires are a real thing!) it’s amazing how quickly that emptiness will fill itself with even more magic when we let it. I truly believe life dances more exuberantly with those who are willing to become its student.

2. Fail in public (ish). As a recovered perfectionist, one of my biggest nightmares has always been having people see me not succeed at something I so deeply want and set out to achieve. There have been endless mistakes I’ve made along this journey, and allowing others to witness me in my vulnerability when things were challenging and not going to plan has been such a big opportunity for growth. Sharing wins is fun and so important, but also sharing the downs allows for greater connection, honest expression, and syncs us with our humanity.

3. It’s possible to do business that is true, in integrity, joyful, and aligned. And it might look different than how everyone else is doing it- that’s okay! It’s taken a lot of work in the personal growth department to step off the rat race wheel of hurried, flustered, overwhelming work. While I’m not perfect and there is always room for improvement, committing to the aspiration of working in a way that is thoughtful, at a speed that supports my nervous system, and is as non-reactive as possible is what is moving the needle most in my business. Why? Because it allows me to have clarity, space for creativity, and calls in clients, partners and a team who desires to work and live in the same way.

4. Start quickly, pivot as you go, and be willing to grow slowly. I can’t tell you the number of times people have said something along the lines of “I have XYZ idea but I’m waiting for ___”. While there have been so many things that I would do differently if I were to starting again with what I know now, I really believe one of my top assets as an entrepreneur is my willingness to leap into an idea with a healthy blend of planning and faith. A coexistence of science and artfulness. There will never be the right time, or the perfectly thought out, guaranteed-not-to-fail plan, why not start today if it’s tugging at your heart strings? 

5. Evolution is both inevitable and necessary, and a lot of people might not like it- we get to evolve anyway. To be totally honest, this has been one of my most challenging personal lessons to learn because with expanding into more truthful and liberated states of existence, many people have fallen out of my life. It's been a tough pill to swallow that the things that feel so amazing internally wouldn't be celebrated by others, and I believe it's part of life's clearing to invite in the people who are equally committed to and inspired by transformation. It's a tricky dance in business when there is the element of professionalism and way of being that is expected, but as a woman committed to the liberation of our expression, I proudly stand here as an example of breaking through this mold.

I'd love to hear in the comments if any of these lessons or challenges resonate with your own journey!

Thank you thank you thank you, from the bottom of my heart for your support over the last five years. I'm so very grateful for all of the opportunities, friendships, and lessons along this wild journey of entrepreneurship, and have never been more inspired, hopeful, and excited to welcome in the next 5 years.