Looking back, what advice would you give to yourself as a young entrepreneur?
©Nikki Ross
“Trust your timing. It’s OK if your journey looks different—what matters is that it feels true. I’d remind myself to prioritize mental health care, savor the tiny joys and lead with presence over pressure. When you build something rooted in compassion and service, your impact grows naturally. Creating spaces where people feel seen, supported and empowered starts by caring for yourself first.”
Michelle Maros
Co-founder of Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life
“Quit chasing what looks good and start listening to what feels true, because when you’re racing to check someone else’s boxes, you lose yourself. Embrace the messiness. Trust the fire. Remember, the adventure you’re avoiding is usually the exact one that will set you free. I’d tell my younger self, ‘You’ve got nothing to prove. Just show up real, raw and ready, and then watch life move in ways you never expected. Authenticity wins every single time.'”
Jacob Baadsgaard
Founder and CEO of Disruptive Advertising
©QVC Group
“It’ll be harder than you think but more gratifying than you can imagine. Make sure you’re doing it with people you trust, admire and [who] make you laugh. Spend more time getting the chemistry of the team and culture right. Ask more questions of people who have been there before. Prioritize the bigger problems. Repeatedly ask yourself: ‘What problem are you solving? For whom? Is it interesting enough? Big enough? What would you need to believe to be successful?'”
Alex Wellen
President and chief growth officer of QVC Group
©Gabrielle Smarr
“If I could go back, I’d tell myself: ‘Accept that early on, you’re getting paid to learn. Don’t rush to scale; rush to get sharp.' Relentlessly learn: ask for feedback; assess your results; study your clients, interactions and yourself. You might not be the foremost expert on your craft yet, but you can be the most curious and receptive. My book, Quick Leadership, grew from exactly this belief: Leadership is a journey of evolving through progress, not waiting for perfection.”
Selena Rezvani
WSJ bestselling author, speaker and leadership consultant
Cover image courtesy of People Images/Shutterstock
This article was first published in the January/February 2026 issue of SUCCESS Magazine. Get your copy here.
