20/09/2025
After starting my business at 18, here’s the lessons I've learnt over the past 3.5 years that no one tells you when you start.
1️⃣ The lows are incredibly low.
Potential contracts falling through at the last moment, months of effort with no visible results, or failing to hit my own standards, the lows never stop coming. I’ve been hit hard many times, even questioning decisions I’ve made over the years. The key has been learning to ride them out and letting the wins carry me through.
2️⃣ People are everything.
It’s cliché, but true. From colleagues and clients to mentors and peers, the people I’ve met have shaped my journey more than anything else. The conversations, advice, and connections are where the real growth has happened. My favourite relationships are with those of a similar age, facing similar challenges, where we can relate to each other and understand exactly what the other is going through.
3️⃣ I get my ass kicked.
It happens constantly, and it doesn’t stop. Every mistake feels rough in the moment, but each one forces me to learn and keep evolving.
4️⃣ Loneliness is real.
Every business and self-improvement podcast talks about loneliness, but nothing prepares you for how isolating it can be until you’re living it. At my age, most people around me don’t understand that side of running a business. But it’s also what has forced me to grow faster than I ever thought possible.
5️⃣ I’ve matured far quicker than my age.
I’ve always considered myself more mature than average for my age (rightly or wrongly), but starting a business young pushed me into risk and responsibility earlier than most. Years of real-world lessons and mistakes have given me an advantage that peers my age simply haven’t had the chance to experience yet.
6️⃣ I’ve built a massive competitive edge.
Sticking at this for 10 years, I’ll be 28 with a decade of industry and business experience, established in the market but still young. That combination is the biggest reward of starting early.
