Olivia Starling, founder and CEO of jewelry brand Starlette Galleria, has created a multiple six figure business and lists her top tips for young, aspiring entrepreneurs to create the lifestyle that they want to have.
“I was in middle school when I started to realize that I think very differently than the people around me. I was always questioning why things around me were happening, trying to solve problems, and fascinated by ways that people made money outside of their 9-5 job. I never liked being told what to do or how to think, so although I was smart, I struggled in school. I didn’t need structure to get my work done, I needed a motivating factor to get my work done.” says Olivia
Olivia’s top tips for entrepreneurs wanting to start their own path:
Tip #1: Give up the temporary discomfort for long term comfort
If you can spend 5 years on one big goal, you can spend the rest of your life enjoying what you built. I spent my 20s building a career, buying a house, and starting a business. Now that I’m 31, there is not one day that I look back and think “man, I wish I would have spent more Friday nights at the club.” I made the most of my youth, and now that I’m a little older, a lot more mature, and confident in who I am, I am happier and can enjoy my hard work. Although it was hard to see my peers going out, having fun, and telling them I was staying home to work, today it has completely paid off and I feel lightyears ahead of most people my age.
Tip #2: Surround yourself with people you want to be like
It’s true, birds of a feather flock together. Get a group of people that will push you, call you out on your nonsense, and celebrate with you. You will find that your struggles are the same, your strengths will complement each other, and your relationships will be deep. You can’t succeed on your own. Find your tribe and hold on to them tight.
I found my first group of business friends in an online course. We ended up making a mastermind. Although the mastermind ended over a year ago, we still get together regularly. I don’t know where I would be without this group of women that push me to be my best self and engage in healthy competition. We share tips, celebrate wins together, and understand each other in a way that none of my other friends will understand me.
Tip #3: Manifest your dream life
If you don’t know what manifesting is, it’s essentially thinking something into existence. Your mind is an incredibly powerful tool, and when used right, you can achieve anything. This year I had three very crazy goals that I wanted to achieve. Every morning, I would write these goals as if the goals had already happened. By July, I was on track or had hit every single goal this year. And let me tell you, when I wrote these goals I thought “these goals are VERY audacious. I’m not sure how they will happen.” You can use manifesting for any part of your life. Set your mind on exactly what you want, and never settle for less. Your mental health is key. Whether you tell yourself you can or you cannot, you will be right.
Tip #4: Don’t listen to anyone that is not where you want to be
As you start your entrepreneurial journey, you will encounter a lot of people that will give you different advice, tips, and theories about what you should be doing. Some of those people you will even love and respect. My number one rule, even if I deeply care for this person, is that I will not take their advice unless they are currently in a position that I want to be in some day. Don’t ask for directions to a place that someone has not been before. The entrepreneurial journey will be windy, scary, and have plenty of ups and downs. Most people will not understand what you are going through, and that is ok. This is not their journey, it is yours. Take the well-meaning advice with grace but stay on your path and don’t let anything derail you.
Tip #5: Invest in yourself
I look back and realize that I could be so much further along in business if I would have taken the first leap and paid for an online course 6 months before I actually did. The time I spent twiddling my thumbs could have been spent building my business, and who knows where I would be today if I were 6 months further on my journey. My fear was that it would be selfish to spend money on myself. Today, I freely spend on the right mentors, coaches, and courses that will take my business to the next level. When I spend my time learning from people ahead of me, I get to skip their mistakes, follow their blueprint, and network with already successful people. To this day, the best investments I have made are in myself and I am so thankful I made them.
Starling concludes by saying, “After graduating college and starting my corporate career, I realized that my job was so much like school, and I was miserable. Starting my own company was completely freeing to me. Although it was a big risk, can be incredibly stressful, and there are so many long hours worked, I don’t think I could ever be happy with a normal life. I get to travel, figure out complex problems, and every day is different and exciting. Being an entrepreneur is one of the greatest joys in my life and not one moment goes by that I am not incredibly grateful for this crazy little life I built.”