Startup DreamersStartup Dreamers
  • Home
  • Startup
  • Money & Finance
  • Starting a Business
    • Branding
    • Business Ideas
    • Business Models
    • Business Plans
    • Fundraising
  • Growing a Business
  • More
    • Innovation
    • Leadership
Trending

Sony WF-C710N Blend Retro Looks With Rich Audio

August 5, 2025

Why Entrepreneurs Can’t Rely on Traditional Retirement Plans

August 5, 2025

How to Get Your Business Recommended by AI Tools Like ChatGPT — and Win More Clients

August 5, 2025
Facebook Twitter Instagram
  • Newsletter
  • Submit Articles
  • Privacy
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Startup DreamersStartup Dreamers
  • Home
  • Startup
  • Money & Finance
  • Starting a Business
    • Branding
    • Business Ideas
    • Business Models
    • Business Plans
    • Fundraising
  • Growing a Business
  • More
    • Innovation
    • Leadership
Subscribe for Alerts
Startup DreamersStartup Dreamers
Home » Starting My First Business at 11 Taught Me These 4 Lifelong Business Lessons
Starting a Business

Starting My First Business at 11 Taught Me These 4 Lifelong Business Lessons

adminBy adminNovember 7, 20240 ViewsNo Comments5 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

When I was 11, I lived with my grandma in Orange County, California. We had basic food and supplies — but not much extra. I wanted stickers for my skateboard binder but couldn’t afford them.

So, I asked my grandma for sticker paper, and she said yes. She knew I needed to be creative. I printed my own stickers and felt proud when I added them to my binder. At school, my friends liked my custom stickers.

I then started selling them for $5 for two, while a local skate shop sold theirs for $5 each. I’ll never forget the first time someone paid me for something I created — it opened my eyes to what is possible when you start a business.

This simple idea grew into something bigger. I began selling clothes and skateboard decks, too. I created a website using Yahoo Site Builder. My site showed my products and helped me connect with customers. It also had a blog where we shared about skate meetups, giveaways and film sessions. Back then, social media was easier to use; it was basically non-existent compared to the present day.

All of that to say, this journey taught me resilience and showed me how to be an entrepreneur while being creative. I faced several challenges, but I learned a lot from my side hustle, and the business growth was exciting to witness.

Related: Why High Performance Won’t Fix Everything

When I think about being a young entrepreneur, I remember the lessons that made me strong and motivated. I started my sticker company when I was just 11 years old. I didn’t know then that this would spark my love for business. It also taught me skills that would help me later on.

Many people don’t see how these early experiences are key to success and personal growth. I spent many sleepless nights making and packing stickers. Those times showed me how hard work and dedication can matter. In high school, I carried on with my sticker business. I felt like a seasoned business owner because I faced many challenges.

Here are four key lessons I learned from starting my first business at a young age. These lessons have helped me build a successful business.

1. Build a good name

Build a strong reputation by being fair and respecting others. This is important, even when you feel unsure. Avoid choices that could harm your good name or honesty. Remember your humble beginnings and what you faced in your first year of business.

Let your actions show your true character, and keep your name clean. Always try to do what is right, especially when tough times make you doubt yourself. Instead of chasing fame or money, focus on doing good work and making choices that reflect your values. The best part of your journey will be the personal growth you gain along the way. Keep a kind heart and be ready to work hard. Do this not just for your own dreams but also to help your loved ones reach theirs in the future.

Related: How to Build a Reputation That Leads to Success

2. Give first without expectations

If nothing matters, you get to decide what is important for you. Choose wisely and be honest about your choices. A big lesson I learned while starting my sticker business is to give without expecting anything in return. When I shared my work with others, I received more support and opportunities than I expected.

This experience taught me the value of generosity and selflessness. I saw how these traits can build strong relationships and improve resilience. This way of thinking helped me grow my business and gave me valuable insights into entrepreneurship and my core values.

3. Develop ordinary skills to extraordinary levels

Real leaders are people who take simple skills and make them special. They help others in their area of expertise. These leaders do more than what is normal. This shows they can think of new ideas and adapt quickly at work.

Reaching this level takes hard work, care, and the desire to improve. Those who develop their skills stand out from the crowd. They motivate others to pursue success as well. In short, turning basic skills into excellent ones helps someone become a true leader in any company.

Related: 5 Foolproof Strategies to Help You Step Back and Let Your Team Have More Control

4. Reframe failure to resilience

Celebrate the hard times, especially when you start a new business. It can feel tough, but you need to prepare for challenges. When you feel stuck, try to see failure in a new way. If you stay humble and face failures, you will learn valuable lessons from each side.

Many successful people experience failures. What is important is how they think about these challenges. This mindset helps them become strong leaders. Resilience is about standing up again when you fall. It is not about never failing but about getting stronger from it. When you see failure as a way to learn, you can turn issues into steps to succeed.

Read the full article here

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Articles

Why Saying Yes Is a Skill — And It’ll Change Your Life

Starting a Business August 5, 2025

Self-Funded Founder’s 3 Secrets for $25M Revenue and 2 Brands

Starting a Business August 3, 2025

The One Real Problem You Must Solve to Make Your Startup Succeed

Starting a Business August 2, 2025

Raising Cane’s CEO Shares His Mindset for a Billion-Dollar Success

Starting a Business August 1, 2025

3 Things I Wish I Knew When Founding a Company 20 Years Ago

Starting a Business July 31, 2025

Why Smart Founders Are Ditching Traditional Business Models

Starting a Business July 29, 2025
Add A Comment

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Editors Picks

Sony WF-C710N Blend Retro Looks With Rich Audio

August 5, 2025

Why Entrepreneurs Can’t Rely on Traditional Retirement Plans

August 5, 2025

How to Get Your Business Recommended by AI Tools Like ChatGPT — and Win More Clients

August 5, 2025

Why Saying Yes Is a Skill — And It’ll Change Your Life

August 5, 2025

Mark Zuckerberg Details Meta’s Plan for Self-Improving, Superintelligent AI

August 5, 2025

Latest Posts

Inside the Summit Where China Pitched Its AI Agenda to the World

August 4, 2025

Trump Says He Will Get Drug Prices Down By 500% To 1500%

August 3, 2025

2 Important Financial Truths New Entrepreneurs Need to Know

August 3, 2025

Retailers Are Overwhelmed. AI Offers a Much-Needed Helping Hand.

August 3, 2025

Self-Funded Founder’s 3 Secrets for $25M Revenue and 2 Brands

August 3, 2025
Advertisement
Demo

Startup Dreamers is your one-stop website for the latest news and updates about how to start a business, follow us now to get the news that matters to you.

Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest YouTube
Sections
  • Growing a Business
  • Innovation
  • Leadership
  • Money & Finance
  • Starting a Business
Trending Topics
  • Branding
  • Business Ideas
  • Business Models
  • Business Plans
  • Fundraising

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest business and startup news and updates directly to your inbox.

© 2025 Startup Dreamers. All Rights Reserved.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Press Release
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

GET $5000 NO CREDIT