Nine Things I've Learned in Nine Years Running a Company

Emergent Risk International turns nine this month. In honor of that, here are nine things I've learned in building this company with my family ( David Wilson ), business partner ( Brady Roberts ) and team members.

1.???Out of the hardest moments come some of the best things. As I’ve told many people before, starting a company came as a result of a layoff from – what I thought was – my dream job in May of 2014. I’d uprooted my entire family immediately after returning from 12 weeks maternity leave, to take that job only a year earlier. I was devastated, but in hindsight, it’s the best thing that could’ve happened.

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2.???These moments – when everything feels like its all come crashing down – are often the moments when we grow the most. It challenged me to examine everything I thought a career was, throw it all out the window and decide on a new direction. In being laid off, I felt as if I’d lost control of my own career. Nine years later I’d say we’re never fully in control of anything (especially our careers), but its gratifying to know that we do have full control of how we react to what life throws us at.

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3.???In running a business, you must be able to account for your own shortcomings and adjust for them. No one goes into business knowing everything they need to know or capable of handling everything that will come their way. Knowing when and who to ask for help, and finding employees and partners that can augment your weaknesses is crucial to keeping the ship afloat.

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4.???People will interpret your actions and decisions through whatever lens they want to – usually dictated by their own experience in the world. Giving them insight into your decisions when you can helps, but you do not owe people explanations. And sometimes you aren’t in a position to give them that. In those situations, the best you can do is to make sure that you’ve answered for yourself – have I (or we) done what I (we) truly believe is the right thing, for the right reasons, for the benefit of the most people?

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5.???Hard decisions only get harder as you take on more responsibility. But you get more skilled at making those decisions over time. But most days its still the hardest part of the job.

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6.???Starting and running a business can be gratifying. But it can also be lonely. Find your peers, your cheerleaders, and people you can support in turn. Build a great big happy network of people who you support and who support you. This can include peers and even competitors. On those hard decisions/ tough days - know who you can call for advice and unconditional support. You will absolutely need it.

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7.???Finding the right partners is crucial - and the wrong ones can sink you. Choose carefully. Find those people that love the work as much as you do. But also, those who share your values. Not about politics or church, but about life; about ethics and integrity; about hard work and about why you are doing what you do every day. If they aren’t as committed as you and swimming in the same direction, things can get difficult fast.

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8.???Let people know you appreciate them. I may have started this business alone, but I didn’t build it alone. We’ve built it as a family and as a company. So many people have played critical roles in this company, from my husband to my very first employee ( Iman Elbanna ), my business partner and every one of our team members past and present. ??

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9.???If you’re going to be an entrepreneur, you should really really love what you do. Because some days, weeks, months …. years…. It will take every bit of your energy. 16-hour days might be the norm for years. And you just can’t - and shouldn't - do that for a job you don’t love.

Meredith WIlson is the Founder and CEO of Emergent Risk International.