2024 marks a milestone year for Evergreen Leadership. Twenty years ago, I left the corporation I’d worked for the past 13+ years to strike out on my own. I had tangible skills but didn’t have much of a plan. I had the drive to create something uniquely mine, but I didn’t have a clue about how to do that. I had six months severance and an initial sub-contracting gig but no clue on how I’d get other work. I had great relationships inside the company I was leaving and a dismal network outside.
Somehow, it all worked out—and for the better. I’ve found ways to find work and have had the distinct pleasure of serving over 100 clients. I learned how to create a business plan for independent professionals. I built an amazing network. And I’ve found my unique voice and value proposition.
It’s been good, but not always easy. And it just may be the perpetual challenges that this type of career presents that keep me interested and engaged. It’s been frustrating at times but amazingly fulfilling most of the time. I’ve had some failures along with many successes. I’ve had a chance to work alongside exceptional leaders and have had the good fortune of doing something where I’m continually learning and stretching myself.
The insights that come from looking back are keen, for often, you can see things more clearly looking back than when you are in the midst of them. So I’ve taken a bit of time to cull twenty life lessons from the past twenty years.
In this process of looking back, I see that these life lessons apply to everyone, whether you are an entrepreneur or an employee, a student, a parent, or a retiree. It is my sincere desire that some of these musings might strike a chord with you, no matter where you are or what you are striving for.
- Just Start . If you wait for the perfect time, you may never start!
Starting in 2004 was not ideal in any way. I didn’t have a plan, and we depended on my income. My first business logo was a doodle my son made while I was trying to decide what it should be (but I still like it). My business was named K. Taylor & Associates because I didn’t have the time or vision to do more than that, but I started anyway.
- You are never really “on your own”; even when, it feels that way.
My first engagement, which “fell in my lap,” was a godsend! I sub-contracted with Marion Cook, a Chicago-based consultant, who showed me the ropes, was patient with my naivety, and was a phenomenal role model. She was the first of many others who gave of their time and talent to give me a hand, bring me along, and share ideas and information that was helpful.
- Relationships are key.
I developed a three-part strategy in my early years that turned into a mantra:
Relationships….Referrals….Repeat Business
It has served me well over the years (although I added a fourth “R” – reputation). In hindsight, it is interesting that the first word is relationships, as I’ve realized just how foundational those you surround yourself with are.
- Leverage Your strengths.
It just so happens that relationships are also one of my top five Gallop strengths. So, using relationships as a cornerstone of my business was easy, seamless, and quite rewarding. About seven years in, I had the insight that my business approach would be more successful, sustainable, and frictionless if I built it on my strengths. And so I did—and things got easier and easier.
- Have a Point of View (POV).
Vanilla is indistinguishable and perhaps invisible. Spicey has flare, but it is not for all. Search for what you are passionate about and what distinguishes you from the rest. This approach is a bit unnerving, as not everyone will like or get or want or agree with your point of view. Yet the magic is that there will be some out there who do – and working with them is ohhh so sweet!
- Become a trusted partner
One of my POV’s is that everyone is well served when you engage me as a partner rather than as a mere service provider. As a partner, I’m invested in your success. We treat each other with respect. We strive for long-term solutions that are transformational, not merely transactional. Others may be happy to show up and provide a one-time class or workshop – just not me.
- Add value and serve others.
In a world where it feels like everyone is squeezing the last penny from customers to add to their bottom line, I’ve taken the opposite approach: Serve. Add value when you see the opportunity, even if it is not in the statement of work. Putting the customer first is a long-term play—it leads to referrals and repeat business. But more importantly, there is great personal satisfaction in doing my best.
- Pay it Forward
In the past twenty years, I’ve had the good fortune to meet and work with many highly successful people. As I did, I began to see a pattern. The more successful the person, the more likely they were to ask what they could do for me. The more successful, the more likely they were to offer their time and talents to causes they deemed important. There is a correlation here—leverage it!
- Success is more than $$$
Having enough money to pay the bills and put food on the table is critically important. That is the immediate focus as you start. And then, there comes a point where you realize that your business, in addition to an income, can provide so much more. Helping others. Having a voice that matters. Freedom. Flexibility. Challenge. The chance to do the work you want to do. Time to do the things that add color and zest to your life. That, it seems to me, is the real measure of success.
- Take some risks; very few people are watching.
Far too often, we hold ourselves back. Who am I to write the book, teach at a college level, do a TED Talk, or start something new? One thing that holds me back is a fear of what others will say or think if I fail. And then I realized that very few people were watching or cared. And those who cared were there to catch me if I fell. One of the flimsiest excuses to do something that calls to you is “What will others think?”. Get over it and move forward.
- This too shall pass – both good and bad years/times.
We’d like to believe that you do the work and then reach a place where you can enjoy the fruits of your labor. That the hard work pays off, and you can coast. There is some truth to that; it gets easier as you get established. And life still throws you curve balls. A global pandemic arrives, and $100K of business evaporates overnight. A family member has health challenges, and you need to refocus on helping them. Just as good times don’t last, neither do the bad times. Remember to be grateful when things are going well and resilient when they are not.
- Invest in yourself – you are the asset.
I’ve made major leaps in my business when I’ve intentionally invested in myself. Hiring the business coach. Participating in a peer group where I blanched at the cost. Traveling across the country to attend the right conference or workshop. Keeping your skills sharp is essential. Learning new skills is important. And cultivating new mindsets and perspectives creates breakthroughs. If you won’t invest in yourself, why would others?
- There are no overnight successes.
Over twenty years, I’ve been able to observe the journeys of many professionals. I’ve seen that what looks like “overnight success” is typically preceded by five to seven years of unnoticed, unglamorous work. There may be a handful of “overnight successes,” but the majority started small and built their lives and careers one step at a time.
- Work doesn’t have to be drudgery.
What a joy to be in a place where my work is my joy. Where I don’t “have” to go to work, but I “want and choose” to go to work. For me, the journey of continually honing my work to that which I have both the passion and talent for has paid off. I wish the same for all.
- Habits matter.
Your life is built minute by minute, day by day. What you do with your days builds your weeks, and then your months, and then your years, which is why the habits you build (or break) have such an amplification effect. Habits, once developed, make doing the right things happen as if on autopilot. The right habits guide you into a life of vibrancy and health. Work on those!
- You will get it wrong. And you can pivot.
One of the biggest concerns I hear from others facing a big career choice is that they will get it wrong. They are not sure what they want to do “for the rest of their lives.” Here is the secret: You will get it wrong (or at least, not 100% right). You will learn. You will have a better understanding of what is right and what is not for you. And you can then pivot, change, or refine your approach.
- Every iteration gets easier.
I started in 2024 with one company; now, I have three. I started with one brand, which changed about eight years in. I started doing project work; now, I offer a broad array of services. Once you plow the hard ground of doing something the first time, the following times get easier. You learn from your mistakes. You have the information, skills, and knowledge that make the second, third, or tenth time easier.
- Build a business you love.
I know far too many people who build a business (or careers) they feel imprisoned by. They are not doing the work they love; they are managing others doing it. They are tied to the business in a way that precludes them from taking time off. I had the surprising presence of mind to define, in October of 2004, what success looked like for me and the type of business I wanted to create. That document has been my Northstar year after year after year. To build a business you love, you have to know what that looks like. Figure that out first, then build.
- People forget you quickly.
This one cuts me to the quick but is helpful for me to acknowledge. No matter how great the engagement is, people move on. No matter how inspiring the speech, people rarely reach out. No matter how impactful the coaching is, your client may not think to refer you to others. It’s not you (or me) – it’s what happens with busy people in complex environments. Know that and adjust for it. Find helpful ways to stay in touch- which is how I look at marketing!
- This is not for everyone – but it is for some of us.
I’ve had the pleasure of helping hundreds of professionals considering or moving forward to launch their businesses. Owning a small business is a rewarding and wonderful way for some of us to shape a career, but not for all of us. And so, I celebrate both types – those who have an entrepreneurial itch and scratch it and those who find other ways to use their time and talents in an organization as an employee. Both are needed. The question is, where do you fall?
And so, here I am, twenty years in. People often ask if I would do anything differently. My answer is no. It is a no, not because I did it flawlessly. It is a no because I did make mistakes, I hit dead ends, and I was forced to reinvent myself. Each of these dead ends, missteps, and mishaps shaped who I am and what I can offer. Without them, I would not be where I am today.
With sincere gratitude to those who have been a part of this journey. The clients who took a chance on me as we partnered to effect positive change in their organizations. My practice partners who work side by side with me to deliver the best service to our clients that we can. My business partners, who envisioned new ways to serve and then stepped fearlessly into creating something new. Those who have mentored, coached, taught, helped, and supported my work.
For as previously noted, you are never truly alone. Together, we can create what the world needs in this moment.
