10 Tips on how to be successful in business and life.

I know I'm still taking this journey called life but I've learned some valuable lessons along the way. I wanted to share with you some of the most valuable life advice that has helped to shape me into the Fab but work in progress person you see today.

1. Give Your Time

 Now we've all heard this time and time again. (see what I did right there) This is harder then it looks. You need to put the phone down. When you put your time into something it's important to do it without distractions. I noticed I was getting distracted with my phone and losing valuable playtime with my son. So I make a note to put the ringer on and put the phone in another room. When I'm playing with my son he has my full attention. I also like to do this when I'm hanging out with friends, I turn the phone on silent and leave it in my bag. When you give your time fully, the reward in being present is more valuable than what's on that screen.

2. Lead from the back

You might being saying, "Jess you.re crazy! Leaders lead, it's what they do. Therefore, they must be out front."  False! Some of the best leaders worked in the background inspiring others to rise to the top. For myself, I use this practice in our business. We have chosen not to micromanage the day-to-day, and to pass the baton to others to help our business grow and prosper. This is a huge factor in our success. When people feel a part of the decisions and you give them your confidence, the results are fruitful. You're not going to be great at everything. Be willing to take a backseat and let another lead. Your business will rise and you will rise with it.



3. Be a better listener

Listen to your loved ones and try to truly understand them. Sometimes it's easy to assume you know what they are thinking or what they need at that moment. Your kids don't want to act out and get in trouble. They're doing it for a reason. Maybe they are having a hard time at school or just miss one-on-one time with you. You will never know until you ask. Next time it happens, take the time to give them some grace before a lecture and ask them if they are ok.

4. Have a set of values

There are so many temptations in life and the work place. Ways to cut corners, take the easy way out, or place the blame on others. If you have a set values or ways that you want others to treat you, aka the golden rule, you will not fall into these traps. Yes, you may see others climb the corporate ladder and do things that are cut throat. But how well are they sleeping at night? How do they feel about these decisions? My husband and I have a set a values and expectations that we have for ourself and those that work for us. We never want success or greed to cloud our judgment. That's the one thing I'm always worrying about. I don't want to get caught up in all this success that I forget who I am and what's important to me.It is a material world but having a compass of values will keep you from getting lost.


5. Never stop learning

I know I can never learn everything there is to know in the world, but I don't want to miss an opportunity to try. There are others that are going to be better than you at things and that's okay. I always like to see how other successful people do things and learn. I've recently taken up learning about the stock market and having fun doing so on the RobinHood app. Learning gives you purpose and builds confidence. Sometimes we make our family and job our whole life that we forget we also need to learn and get excited about new things. People always say to me, "you know a lot of random things don't you?" Yes, yes I do! And now I'm using that knowledge sometimes without you Google!

6. Treat every Job as an opportunity

Not every job I've had has been glamorous. I've worked in a copy center, cleaned toilets, did data entry, etc. Believe it or not, I'm using skills from all of those jobs in my current career. Like I said, never stop learning. I used each of these jobs not just for the paycheck but as an opportunity for growth. I got to know the business I was working in and the people in charge. Working my way up when an opportunity came available. Never be ashamed of the job you have. You are needed to do a task that is important in the chain of the business or that company. Whether that's the first link in the chain or somewhere near the end,  it's all connected. Most of what I got out of these jobs was learning how to talk to people. My nature is to be shy but in order to be successful you have to be able to speak to others with confidence.  All of these jobs helped me develop and refine skills that ultimately lead me to leading a business and influencing those around me.



7. Never forget to say thank you

Question to ask yourself: when was the last time someone said thank you to you and how did it make you feel? If you want to be successful, you need to remember to recognize those that have helped you in your journey. We all just want to be appreciated. Saying those words will mean so much to those that have helped you along the way. I always remember to thank those I work with and make sure they know how valuable they are. I truly appreciate them very much! I also try to make sure to thank my two year old son when he picks up or hands me something I need and I see the pride he has in his face for the work he did.

8. Never miss an opportunity to teach

Now this doesn't mean to be bossy or telling people what or how to do something. This means that you tell someone that you have experience and would they like you to show them. Sometimes we feel like we have to compete in the world and we should keep knowledge to ourself. I have found; however, that if you invest in people your return is much greater even if it doesn't come in the color green.


9. You will fail, get over it and take the blame

You're not going to get everything right and most likely not on the first try. Remember when you were young and you wanted to learn how ride a bike? Remember all the bandaids! My parents called me the booboo Queen for a reason. But you get up you dust yourself off and remember what Alfred said to Bruce Wayne, "Bruce why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves back up again." It will happen throughout your life and your career. When you do make a mistake unintentionally or do something wrong, own it. Don't be the leader that puts blame on someone or something else. My team didn't get the project done because "John Snow" was hunting white walkers. Nope, it's not his fault. You were in charge and you should have checked with him on why he was having trouble with the deadline. I'm sorry I forgot your birthday, it's just been crazy between work and the new house. No, just say I'm so sorry that I forgot your birthday. You mean so much to me, can I please celebrate with you now? Let the failure teach you to pick yourself up and embrace your imperfections. Humility is sometimes the hardest but also the most important lesson to learn.

10. Not everyone is going to like you

This one sucks believe me. In my first job out of college I ended up working my way up the ladder quickly. I used a lot of the tips you see listed here. Now since that happened there were people in that work environment that just didn't like me because of the power I had at age 24. They would make fun of me based on how I talked or how loud they thought my phone ringer was. These were not people that worked under me, these were people that were suppose to be my equals or peers. This was a big learning lesson for me. It always hurts when you hear people cutting you down, but now I try to use it as motivation. When someone tells me that I can't do something, I want to accomplish it even more.  Most of the time people are hating because they're jealous that success is happening to you and not them. They'll say you are so lucky and have been given everything. When I hear this, I remember that luck had nothing to do with it. I had everything to do with it. You can't control what people say but you can control how you let it effect you. Better to just Elsa it and "let it go."

Take some of these ideas and make them your own. There's no secret formula to success and it never happens over night. All the choices you've made are strategic and have lead you to your successful moment. Remember, a goal without a plan is just a dream. Time to get all Disney and start making your dreams a reality! The one thing I hope you get out of this is that you must stay humble in your success and stubborn with your goals. Please share in the comments your tools and goals for success. I would love to hear from you!