There’s no shame in failing — you’ll have great stories and you’ll learn a lot and perhaps next time you’ll succeed.

Here’s a boring story: I never tried.

#1 happens to everyone. Continue to hone your specialty, know who you are
#2 know your market.
#3 Branding, branding, branding. When Lazzara Yachts started there was no brand. While we had been building yachts for years I cant tell you how many people said Lazzara who? where in Italy is it built? Have you ever even built a boat? Do you guys know anything about building boats? etc etc. Branding is the key.

I did a post today on branding yourself. I believe that is the next biggest trend that EVERYONE in the workforce should pay learn. Many are seeing the affects of layoffs, down sizing, etc. Years and years of pouring yourself into one company only to be let go. Everyone who is in business should be branding themselves as well. Ill get into more of it in another post. Thx.

I think you hit it all right on the head. I am not afraid of starting a business, because I have done it before, and failed. But what I learned was amazing. I think given what I know now, I would not have failed…but hindsight is 20/20 as they say. For me, I did a few things wrong.

1. I didn’t focus on what I was really good at, and got distracted by the stuff that, while it put money in my pocket, distracted me from building my business.

2. I spent money in all the wrong places. I joined the Brandon Chamber of Commerce and tried to work in this area, when most of my customers where in Tampa. I eventually joined the Tampa Chamber, but it was too late by that point.

3. I didn’t have a brand. Lazzara Yachts is a brand. The name says it all. Me…I didn’t come up with my brand in time, and the name of the company I had said NOTHING about what I did. Had I come up with a brand earlier, I think things would have been different.

Thanks for a great motivating post. I’m looking for that next business idea all the time.