I’ve thought about what hindered and helped me as an entrepreneur. The list is long . . . really long. One realization: my more-than-a-decade-long journey was segmented. Each segment demanded something different from me. First came ideation. I tested until I found a viable model, persuaded customers and vendors to work with me, and figured out how to finance everything. Later, at $5 million in revenue, came the scaling segment. I needed to expand the team, build scalable systems and processes, and share my vision. There were other segments too. These are just two examples.

In hindsight, not knowing what to expect hindered me. I hadn’t seen the movie. I didn’t understand there would be segments. In fact, I didn’t understand a lot of things. I spent a ton of time figuring out where I was, what was going on, and what I needed to do to progress. Sound like a lot? It was. Doing it all at once slowed me down. Luckily, eventually I was able to surround myself with credible entrepreneurs who illuminated the journey by telling me about their experiences. Then I knew where I was and what I needed to do, and I just had to execute. Of course, I’m oversimplifying, but you get the idea.

Understanding what segment I was in, knowing what skills were important in that segment, and walking it with folks who’d done it successfully were game changers.

If you’re an entrepreneur looking to accelerate your progress, consider learning what the whole journey will look like, identifying what segment you’re in, and learning from people who’ve already navigated it.

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