The Skill to Bring You Business Success!

Dear Younger Me,

There hasn’t been a question I’ve tried to find the answer to more than this:

What are the best skills for building a successful business?

It’s truly puzzled me. I’ve been fascinated to uncover the answer because I feel as if knowing it is like having the key to buried treasure. The key to millions. The key to business success.

Each of those keys could take an entire newsletter, but let’s focus solely on the answer. Solely on the skills. What could it be?

I think I know the answer, but it might not know what you think.

I’m sure you’ve heard the common answer. The answer spread across social media, the business books, and maybe even your mentors:

1. Sales

2. Marketing

3. Human Psychology

4. Strategy

5. Management

And the list may go on, but from most of the books, podcasts, and “gurus” out there, this seems to be the answer to the question…

But there is more too it.

I do really think that the 5 skills mentioned above are extremely important. Essential I may say. I will also add that it is more essential to start your foundation with something different.

What do I mean?

Let me reverse the question back onto you:

What are you crazy passionate about?

You may have your answer, but younger me, you may also be reading this letter where that fire in your belly isn’t there. Or better yet, you just don’t know what you are passionate about.

That is fine. Let me ask…

What is something that peaks your interest?

Video games? Playing sports? Working out? Making videos? Taking pictures? Social media? Painting? Graphic design? Finance? Reading?

The list goes on and on and on and on.

Where I want to divert is to suggest that you focus all your attention on that passion or interest or intrigue first.

Start getting really good at Pickleball. Paint a new amazing painting every week. Learn how to craft complex excel spreadsheets. Whatever interests is what you should go after.

Bonus points if that skill is out of the ordinary. The type of skill where your peers go “I didn’t know he is into editing” or “I didn’t realize she likes to workout.”

The reason this “non-businessy” skill should be the one to focus on is two fold:

1. It will keep you going when times are tough

2. It will make you more unique

Both points are essential, but #2 more than #1.

Why?

It will be your uniqueness that when you COMBINE with one of the five “common answer” skills will lead you to a successful business.

There are a lot of salesmen in the world.

There are less people that play pickleball.

But when you combine the passion for pickleball with the skill of sales… you’ve just built the foundation for opening a pickleball studio or being a pickleball coach or run pickleball leagues.

Do you see it? A lot more lucrative when you become unique with your passion and add the common answer skill.

So, younger me, I’ll leave you with this.

Find your passion first. Build a common answer skill second.

Once you do both (and it won’t be easy) you will truly find all the business success you could ask for.

All the best,

Older You