Never Stop Learning

Some of the most memorable milestones in life are centered around education. We celebrate all stages of educational achievements, from learning the alphabet to making it to college graduation day. And as a student, the constant objective is learning new things from new people. Back in school, we had no choice but to be exposed to different subject matters, topics, and genres. And we were taught by individuals who were experts in those diverse disciplines. From a young age, we’re engaged in years upon years of aggressive learning and development. We strive to complete coursework by dinnertime and keep our heads in the game in order to earn diplomas. But, for many people once the highest educational degree is earned, all of that stops.

Why should it? 

One of my college professors gave me a simple piece of advice that has stuck with me to this day: never stop learning. And from that I’ve learned that there truly is power in always being a student. As an entrepreneur, this advice has not only resonated with me, but has guided how I operate my business each day. 

Entrepreneurs are expected to break into the unknown and innovate. To do something no one else has done before and do it well. This is a huge challenge because the unknown is well...unknown. As an entrepreneur, you need to be okay with diving head first into the unknown, but it doesn’t mean you can’t learn from others along the way. 

In many cases, entrepreneurs are visionaries who possess plenty of great ideas but are incapable of executing on them alone. That’s where the concept of “never stop learning” has come into play for me. The mantra has become part of my mindset not only as an entrepreneur, but as a leader and CEO as well. 

When I started Holler, I made it a priority to surround myself with seasoned individuals who were already experts in their fields - from marketing to research to design to product, and so on. These people became, in a way, like the teachers and professors I had the benefit of learning from throughout my formative years. We’ve worked together to tackle challenges, form new ideas, and build a better organization, while constantly educating each other. Having these leaders in my court, to learn from and grow with, has made me much more successful than I would have been on my own.

Many founders feel the pressure of being expected to know everything about everything, but that shouldn’t be the case. Being open to always being a student has given me a new set of skills I would have never achieved if I thought I already had all of the answers. Seeing my vision through the eyes of others has not only expanded my mind and skillset, but has allowed me to see what’s possible from many diverse, valuable perspectives.

And the concept of always being willing to learn shouldn’t just be advocated to leaders and entrepreneurs. Everyone in the organization should feel inspired to be good students as well. When I interview candidates, I always ask the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” no matter how far along they are in their careers. The answers to that question allow me to determine whether or not they’re open to constantly learning, no matter how much experience they already have. 

The truth is, if your organization is only as smart as the person sitting at the top, the capabilities of the company will quickly erode. On the flip side, if you only hire people that you can continue to learn from, the capabilities of your team will expand greatly as you scale. Everyone has something to offer, and everyone has something to learn. Take advantage of that. Having a team of individuals who are all willing to learn will foster a community of better leaders, stronger employees, and a more successful organization as a whole. 

So, don’t be afraid to always be a student, no matter how long ago you traded in textbooks for paperwork. There’s always something new and exciting to learn, and someone new and exciting to learn from. You just need to be willing to navigate your way through every course.