I celebrated my 33rd birthday this week! 🎉 And I reached the ~1 year mark of running my solo business. So, as one does, I spent some time reflecting on the biggest lessons I've learned along the way.
For 33, here are 3 lessons that really shaped how I think about building something meaningful (both in business and in life).
Face reality, especially about yourself
Richard Feynman said it best:
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool."
I learned this lesson the hard way. When I started my business, I was convinced film production companies desperately needed my sustainability software. I had everything mapped out, even got a $50,000 development quote. I was so sure I’d found this amazing underserved market.
Reality hit hard though. Small budgets, people resistant to change, and an industry that just wasn’t ready. The truth is, you can't heal what you avoid. I had to admit I was wrong and pivot to helping early-stage founders and solopreneurs instead. What I rediscovered was that I already had a natural curiosity here, which brings me to my next lesson…
Keep adapting, even as you grow
Over the course of the year, I kept catching myself planning more than actually building anything. So I tried something crazy. For 30 days, I stopped making plans and just followed my curiosity.
I wrote newsletters, played with AI tools, collaborated with friends. No grand strategy, just pure curiosity. Here’s what blew my mind. Building with AI turned out to be incredibly rewarding, and all my careful 1- and 3-year plans were actually holding me back. Sometimes you just have to trust the process and let things unfold naturally. Once you do, know that it's okay to outgrow old dreams.
Consistency beats intensity
For so long, I kept telling myself I’d start writing once I figured out the “right way” to do it. What platform? What topics? What voice? Turns out, none of that mattered. I just needed to sit down and write something. Anything.
So I did. First, a little every day. Later, a bit more. And then something amazing happened. Writing became my way to process ideas and connect with people I never would have met otherwise. Some who have taught me a lot. Others who have transformed my business in ways I never planned. Small habits > big intentions.
I hope these lessons help you as much as they've helped me.
Thanks for reading.