13 things I will tell Charlie if he starts his own business.

1. ?????????????????? ?????? ?????????????? ???? ??????. There is so much you can't control. And aren't meant to control. Trying to will exhaust you.

2. ?? ?????????????? ?????????? ???????????????? ???? ???????? ?????? ????????????????. Pipeline = optionality = better prices = the ability to walk away = so many other good things.

3. ???????? ?? ?????????????? ????????. Mine have been Barrett O'Neill and Lucas Devick. We started together in the same stage. Wouldn't let each other quit. Laughed together. You need this to get through the initial gauntlet.

4. ???????? ?? ???????? (???? ????????????????). I've been lucky to find a few mentors WAY ahead of me in stature - Alain Bernard, Victor Cho, John Aiello. Chasing their example will fuel you.

5. ???????? ???????????????????????? "?????? ????????????????." Kellen Cowan, Josh Moran (I'm hiring), Chris Harrington have shepherded me personally and professionally in a way that I never would have dreamed was possible.

6. ?????????? ???????????? ???? ?????????? ????????????????. This advice was given to me by Lee Schwartz. And it's saved me many times. Be very slow to commit to expenses that are not month-to-month.

7. ?????????????? ???????? ????????????. Savannah Veth does our billing, strategizes with me, knows our clients by name, reads my posts...for how much work it takes, I think it really helps to have your spouse involved. So you can work hard and still get time together. (p.s. you're going to need to work hard)

8. ???????????? ?????????? ?????????????????????? ?????? ??????????, ?????? ????????????. Frank Reed and Ivan Elias, we would not be where we are without both of you. Not even close. And I realize I've never taught you a thing about selling!

9. ?????? ???????? ???? ???? ???????? ???? ???????????????????? ?????????? ???????? ????????????????????. I really would let Rex Biggs, CPA raise my kids with no question. And it's so nice to have THIS level of trust when we're looking at business numbers.

10. ?????????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ????????????????????. People 6-10 years younger than me like Max Veth and McNeill Stout have been a huge source of energy and inspiration when the journey has tired me out. Youth is a powerful thing!

11. ???? ?????? ????????. I've gotten to work with something like 300 entrepreneurs this past 6 years. And something interesting: I've never met one that has stuck at ONE thing for 20 years, that doesn't have a ton of capital. Don't quit. Stay in the fight.

12. ???????? ???????????????? ?????? ?????? ????????. This matters so much. Because their encouraging words, creative ideas, and true friendship will uplift your soul when you need it most. Trey Rogers , Karen Kimsey-Sward , Tim Norman , Todd Crull , Carter Wilcoxson , Kellen Cowan , Chris Harrington , Josh Moran (I'm hiring) , Brent Nash , Stacey Wong , Carol Alesso , Shelley Armato , Michelle Accardi , Rob Caggiano , Kevin Scannell , Gill Williams , Lee Goldstein , Mark DiMassimo , Rich Young , Brad Seaman , Josh Jones-Dilworth , Tanya Kerr , Lisa Kilpatrick , Sonny Clark , Nicholas Paulukow , Lisa T. Miller , Anand Krishnan , Andrew Zarkadas , Charles K Gifford, Jr. , Jeff Raymond ???? , Lee Reeves , Bill Varga , Ed Garibian, CEO and Software Entrepreneur , Daren Boozer , Howard Eisenberg , Sarah Kline , John O'Connor , Jonathan Brickman , Kyle Bowden , ??Phillip Deneef , Richard McSweeney , Sagar P. , Bill Carroll , Ted Thompson , Samuel Molnar , Tanner Arnold , Brett Fox , Bill Sebald , Jon Tsourakis , Andy Greenberg , Gary Mendell , Seth Jackson , Sean Maguire , Andrew Sweet , Greggory Steele , Steele Divitto , Jyot Singh , Connor Reece , Steve Travaglini , Christopher Zvirbulis , Sunil S. Ranka , Alex McBratney , Dustin Riedel , Brewster Knowlton , John Wetmore , Ryan Cassin , Steven Neuner , Delano Bartolomei , Matt D. M. , Chris Hinkle , Galen Murdock ?? , Alex Kombos , Tyler Eads , Keinn Draper , Kolby Yarnell , Thomas Napolitano , Anthony Iannarino , Jamie Christensen , Chris Cosgrove , Mark Keleher , Vaibhav Namburi , Daniel Fitzgerald , Brian Atchison , Chris Coughlin , Brad McEldowney , Ryan Chulick , Matt Huff , Jeffrey Segebarth...and many, many more that I will run out of room trying to tag. THANK YOU.

13. ?????? ???? ???????? ???????? "??????????????????????." As funny as it sounds, I've learned so much from people like ??Eric Nowoslawski , ?? Harris Kenny , and Kellen Casebeer , and many more. You can all ban together in the big world...and ALL win. Don't be afraid to pick up the phone and call them.

What else would you add to this list?

I'd love to know!