My 15 best entrepreneur lessons from 2021:
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🧵
1/ Plan
When you're running 100 mph, things get chaotic.
This was the first year I broke my revenue goals down to the day.
Bite-sized goals are more approachable and help increase your likelihood for success.
I highly suggest backing into yours by month, week, and day.
When you're running 100 mph, things get chaotic.
This was the first year I broke my revenue goals down to the day.
Bite-sized goals are more approachable and help increase your likelihood for success.
I highly suggest backing into yours by month, week, and day.
2/ Reduce
My 4 businesses run on so many pieces of technology.
Bills add up, things break, and opportunities are missed.
I cut a bunch of technology and folded all of my businesses into a new site, launching soon.
All-in-one tech makes things so much more manageable.
My 4 businesses run on so many pieces of technology.
Bills add up, things break, and opportunities are missed.
I cut a bunch of technology and folded all of my businesses into a new site, launching soon.
All-in-one tech makes things so much more manageable.
3/ Repurpose
My business runs on content.
And after writing unique pieces every day for over 2 years, I finally started to repurpose
It made me nervous.
The outcome?
Nobody noticed and the pieces were widely read by people who had never seen them the first time around.
My business runs on content.
And after writing unique pieces every day for over 2 years, I finally started to repurpose
It made me nervous.
The outcome?
Nobody noticed and the pieces were widely read by people who had never seen them the first time around.
4/ Focus
I've spent time as a SaaS advisor, coach, mentor, investor, and digital product creator.
2021 was the first year I really spent the majority of my time focused on product.
2020 product revenue: 19% of income
2021 product revenue: 52% of revenue
Income up.
Time down.
I've spent time as a SaaS advisor, coach, mentor, investor, and digital product creator.
2021 was the first year I really spent the majority of my time focused on product.
2020 product revenue: 19% of income
2021 product revenue: 52% of revenue
Income up.
Time down.
5/ Rest
In 2019, I burned out at my executive job.
In mid-2021, I was running the risk of doing the same as a creator.
My solution?
- 6 mile daily walks
- 30-minute built-in breaks
- One day per week off (failed)
2 out of 3 ain't bad.
In 2022, I'll be better.
In 2019, I burned out at my executive job.
In mid-2021, I was running the risk of doing the same as a creator.
My solution?
- 6 mile daily walks
- 30-minute built-in breaks
- One day per week off (failed)
2 out of 3 ain't bad.
In 2022, I'll be better.
6/ Ignore
With over 165k social media followers across 2 channels, you get a lot of nasty comments.
People are mean. Angry. Condescending. Cruel. Shitty.
I got really aggressive with the block button in 2021.
My content, my mental health, my rules.
With over 165k social media followers across 2 channels, you get a lot of nasty comments.
People are mean. Angry. Condescending. Cruel. Shitty.
I got really aggressive with the block button in 2021.
My content, my mental health, my rules.
7/ Collaborate
2021 was all about collaboration for me.
Built an incredible community of over 500 people across 51 countries.
Just jamming out on Slack, building in public, releasing products, and supporting one another.
More focus on relationships in 2022.
2021 was all about collaboration for me.
Built an incredible community of over 500 people across 51 countries.
Just jamming out on Slack, building in public, releasing products, and supporting one another.
More focus on relationships in 2022.
8/ Give
In 2020, I didn't give much back in terms of my time or money. I was overwhelmed.
Candidly, it made me feel a lack of purpose.
This year, I've spent a lot of time giving away my time, donating to causes I support, & finding ways to spread love anonymously.
Purpose ⬆️
In 2020, I didn't give much back in terms of my time or money. I was overwhelmed.
Candidly, it made me feel a lack of purpose.
This year, I've spent a lot of time giving away my time, donating to causes I support, & finding ways to spread love anonymously.
Purpose ⬆️
9/ Ask
You don't get what you don't ask for.
That doesn't mean ask willy nilly. It means being smart with my asks.
In 2021 I talked to people I never would have imagined speaking to.
Interviewed amazing guests.
Was featured on sites I felt were out of my reach.
Ask!
You don't get what you don't ask for.
That doesn't mean ask willy nilly. It means being smart with my asks.
In 2021 I talked to people I never would have imagined speaking to.
Interviewed amazing guests.
Was featured on sites I felt were out of my reach.
Ask!
10/ Listen
My businesses really started taking off when I remembered that my customers tell me what to create next.
Instead of building what I wanted, I asked more questions and listened intently to the answers.
The result?
A $305k improvement in product sales.
My businesses really started taking off when I remembered that my customers tell me what to create next.
Instead of building what I wanted, I asked more questions and listened intently to the answers.
The result?
A $305k improvement in product sales.
11/ Diversify
Until late 2021, I was on one social platform: LinkedIn
I had grown to 130k+ followers but had always felt a bit timid on Twitter.
12 weeks ago, I decided to just go for it.
The result? 26k followers interested in my journey.
Diversify where you create.
Until late 2021, I was on one social platform: LinkedIn
I had grown to 130k+ followers but had always felt a bit timid on Twitter.
12 weeks ago, I decided to just go for it.
The result? 26k followers interested in my journey.
Diversify where you create.
12/ Eliminate
In balancing my businesses, I was doing a lot of things I didn't like doing.
So, I just started saying no to things I didn't enjoy.
The easiest way for me to do this was with "No" templates.
Shout out to @thepatwalls for his "How to Say No" series.
Lifesaver.
In balancing my businesses, I was doing a lot of things I didn't like doing.
So, I just started saying no to things I didn't enjoy.
The easiest way for me to do this was with "No" templates.
Shout out to @thepatwalls for his "How to Say No" series.
Lifesaver.
13/ Relax
2019 & 2020 were years where I felt frustrated on social media.
I was succeeding in building my network and businesses, but politics & the world were upsetting.
So, in 2021, I turned it all off.
Eliminated Twitter trends. Blocked news sites.
Talk about relaxing.
2019 & 2020 were years where I felt frustrated on social media.
I was succeeding in building my network and businesses, but politics & the world were upsetting.
So, in 2021, I turned it all off.
Eliminated Twitter trends. Blocked news sites.
Talk about relaxing.
14/ Seek
To better broaden my worldview, I also sought out those who think differently about the world than I do.
Different politics.
Different cultures.
Different viewpoints.
It was enriching and allowed me to empathize with people I normally wouldn't.
Conversation > news
To better broaden my worldview, I also sought out those who think differently about the world than I do.
Different politics.
Different cultures.
Different viewpoints.
It was enriching and allowed me to empathize with people I normally wouldn't.
Conversation > news
15/ Remember
In the end, I remembered that life is short.
Too many days in front of the computer means too few days with my beautiful wife.
The computer, business, revenue, and social media will always be there.
Our precious time with loved ones will not.
Remember that.
In the end, I remembered that life is short.
Too many days in front of the computer means too few days with my beautiful wife.
The computer, business, revenue, and social media will always be there.
Our precious time with loved ones will not.
Remember that.
Well...that's it for today.
Hope you found some nuggets you can apply to your journey.
If you enjoyed this thread:
1. Follow me for more threads on entrepreneurship → @justinsaas
2. Here’s another thread of mine you might enjoy:
Be kind in 2022 👋
Hope you found some nuggets you can apply to your journey.
If you enjoyed this thread:
1. Follow me for more threads on entrepreneurship → @justinsaas
2. Here’s another thread of mine you might enjoy:
https://twitter.com/JustinSaaS/status/1453029782631895043
Be kind in 2022 👋
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