Lessons from 9 years in business
This is 9
Today marks 9 years since I registered Hello Agility as a business and opened up my doors to a remarkable adventure. My lessons?
It’s much harder than you ever think it’s going to be
Words of encouragement and support from your family, friends, and networks are much needed to build up your courage and confidence, but don’t make the mistake of assuming it will convert to cash. Sometimes it does, but the possibility is lower than you think
Everyone will have an opinion about how you should run your business
Sometimes they have valid points, but most of the time it’s coming from armchair critics. Seek advice, mentorship, and coaching, but don’t get lost in the noise. Your gut and judgment will tell you which direction to run in
Your dream of only doing the work you love is simply that. A dream
You will be up to your eyeballs in accounting, admin, compliance, marketing, and other chores. Other people took care of those things when you were employed by another business. You can hire and you can delegate, but you will always be responsible and accountable
Get a good accountant, invest well, and maintain a good cashflow across your personal finances as well as within your business
You never know what might happen. When covid hit, I lost my entire pipeline of work. It took a long time and a lot of energy to rebuild. When I wanted some room to breathe after a few years of intense hard work, I took time off to reward myself. When I wanted to grieve the sudden loss of family, I closed my books and said no to work. My mortgage and essential living expenses still got paid
Don’t be too proud to ask for help
If not for some amazing people, I would have shut my doors many times over by now. From the best friend who patiently answers every stupid question I have about running a business, to the highly respected senior executive who reshapes my perspective every time we connect. Asking for help has always pushed me to be better
Help me make my 10th year a raging success!
My books are now officially open for 2026
If you’re a product and transformation leader, and you want to learn how to deal with the people and politics that come with your job, let’s work on that together. Here are three ways:
Influencing for Impact: This practical 2-day workshop is for you if you want to influence a decision maker, influence a change in customer or colleague behaviour, or influence someone to buy something from you
Executive and Leadership Team Coaching: Work directly with Lai-Ling to problem solve for your specific situation in a confidential setting. This is for you if you want to develop and execute on a game plan that is 100% tailored to you
Leadership Development: Invest in the product and transformation leaders in your company with leadership development that is customised for their role. This is for you if you want your people to learn about people and politics