I have now officially been through many birthday celebrations (I consider myself blessed) and learned many valuable lessons. It was celebrating my birthday in 2007 when I decided to make the leap to being in business for myself.

I started my own meeting and event planning business affiliating with ConferenceDirect just before the global financial crisis. My experience going through these and other challenges has prepared me (as best as we can be) for the future hurdles whether they are global health or financial crisis. It has me thinking about the lessons I have learned along my journey.

1. Importance of building and maintaining relationships
   • Engage with people you can learn from as this will be your foundation for a great career as an employee and as a business owner.

2. Importance of learning from the past (but not dwelling on it)
   • Looking back can often provide guidance going forward. This is not the time to second guess the decisions that were made or to be critical of yourself. Learn your lessons…and move forward.

3. Importance of having mentors / coaches
   • Learning from those who have been down the road before us will reduce the amount of time it takes to achieve success.

4. Importance of trying new things (putting yourself out there)
   • Re-invent yourself by gaining new experiences
   • Learn new skills, hobbies, etc. that will enable you to expand your expertise and your circle of influence.

5. Importance of celebrating (celebrate life by enjoying all that makes life worth living on your journey to achieving your ‘Big Why’)
   • Health, family, friends, client.
   • Personal success
   • Business success
   • Financial success

With each celebration, we are reminded that it is time for us to take charge of our own careers. I would like to offer you, with no strings attached, a conversation if you are going through a change or thinking about making a change. My experience of leading individuals and teams for over 25 years, mentoring these individuals through multiple challenges and helping people make decisions on potential career changes, provides me with the experience to help you. Depending on your circumstances, we can determine if the path I chose is right for you or point you in the right direction.

Let’s talk!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougbaarman/

Blog: https://hospitalitylifestyles.com/

Blog: https://meetingplannerplaybook.com/