Although many people love to offer advice, not all words of wisdom are worth following. Here, successful entrepreneurs share the advice they're glad they didn't take.
Why I ignored it: “A colleague said this years ago, as we explored turning an 11th-century castle into a luxury hotel. I didn’t love our designer’s proposal -- and after much research and discussion, I decided to take the project in-house. Today, Castello Banfi Il Borgo is one of Italy’s top hotels. Surround yourself with people who believe in you, and remember: We must take the tougher path if we think it’s the right one.”
-- Cristina Mariani May, co-CEO, Banfi Wines
Why I ignored it: “I learned very quickly that all the best-laid plans, from your own business growth to your client campaigns, sound ideal -- but too often there are unforeseen circumstances that require taking a second look, rejiggering your strategy and simply following your gut. Adhering too strictly to a plan might backfire.”
-- Jennifer Baum, founder and president, Bullfrog + Baum
Why I ignored it: “Who wants to live a life under those rules? Do I want to look back and say, ‘I played my hand of life to the fullest, and I have no regrets’ or ‘I played it safe, no one noticed me and I survived’?”
-- John Lee Dumas, founder, Entrepreneur on Fire
Why I ignored it: “As an experiential learner, I thrive in environments where I can move fast, make mistakes and iterate. For me the school environment just didn’t make sense. After the restaurant, I continued a series of ventures that led to me founding Hootsuite.”
-- Ryan Holmes, founder, Hootsuite
Why I ignored it: “I got more tattoos, started cursing more, tried to turn off more people -- and my business grew exponentially. Be yourself and market to people like you or your business. Forget the others.”
-- Jason Ferruggia, founder, Renegade Strength & Conditioning
Why I ignored it: “I would still be there if I did that.”
-- Deborah Dugan, CEO, (RED)
Why I ignored it: “The thought of total ownership may be tempting, but at the end of the day, 100 percent of nothing is still nothing. Burner wouldn’t be where it is today without the collaboration and complementary perspectives of my cofounder.”
-- Greg Cohn, cofounder and CEO, Burner
Why I ignored it: “When I first started my website, I tried to compete with the BuzzFeeds of the world -- and it failed. I eventually realized I should go where there were fewer sharks. Instead of being topical, I went for permanent: going deep into a subject and spending weeks crafting an article that will be relevant for years to come. That’s when my business took off.”
-- Steve Kamb, founder, Nerd Fitness
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