It’s the end of the year, so you’ve probably started searching for some inspirational quotes to get you prepped for 2024 (as we all do). Instead of relying on the same old quotes, how about something new?
We’ve met a lot of up-and-coming leaders, disrupters, and leaders through Entrepreneur+ this year. Here are 10 original, first-hand quotes from them, for you.
1. Fight for yourself
When your back is against the wall, what do you do? Well, this founder has had her fair share of tough moments as an entrepreneur. If you are feeling down and out, this one is for you:
“I’ll have my snap-out-of-it moments because I realize, at the end of the day, nobody cares. Nobody cares about the fact that you’re crying in business. Nobody cares about the fact that you’re emotional because somebody did or said something you didn’t like. Don’t nobody give a damn. You just got to keep going.”
— Pinky Cole, Founder of Slutty Vegan | Read her exclusive interview here.
2. Speaking out
We interviewed Queen Latifah and what came out of it was some really strong advice for young women entrepreneurs:
“We have to try to maintain our courage, our fearlessness and push through the ignorance of what men (and some women) put on us. Clearly things are slanted against us, and we keep having to push back further and further. And fortunately, we are capable, and we keep doing it.”
— Queen Latifah | Her advice to women entrepreneurs
3. Don’t fake it ’til you make it
“I’ve always found ‘faking it’ to be much more stressful and less enjoyable than embracing and being open about what I don’t know. My journey as a leader, and stepping into my current role, definitely didn’t come without self-doubt. But at the end of the day, I’d rather ask questions and stay curious than pretend I know all the answers.”
— Kara Brothers, president and general manager, Starface | Here’s more bad entrepreneurial advice
4. Dealing with someone who enjoys their power
“It can feel like a dance, but there’s this saying that applies here: ‘If you put somebody up on a pedestal, don’t be surprised if they start to look down on you.’
You need to see the downsides of putting them up there and yourself down here. It’s not going to do you any favors. I encourage people to speak peer to peer in a professional way. Respect their time, be prepared with your ideas or the questions you have of them, and approach it peer to peer — like somebody you respect but are speaking to at your level.”
— Selena Rezvani, author of Quick Confidence | Her tips on how to handle intimidating people
5. Don’t believe everything you’re taught
For the most part, humans are good at learning new things. But we’re not as good at unlearing — especially when it comes to unwinding bad habits or unhelpful thought processes.
“People who fully trust themselves will question themselves. They don’t necessarily believe everything they’ve been taught, especially things they were taught at a young age. People who fully trust themselves set out to find their own truths and answers.”
— Amy Chambers | Author of The 6 H.A.B.I.T.S. of Powerful People
6. Change is hard
As the first Bangladeshi woman to work On Wall Street, Durreen Shahnaz faced unique challenges and learned to overcome them. In our exclusive interview with her, here is how she described disrupting the status quo:
“To change a system, you are often trying to get people to change something in which they have a very comfortable position. Why would they want to change it? It’s almost like you have to find that little hole where you can wiggle your toe in and push the door open. I didn’t have this wisdom with my first company, but one thing I’ve learned is to always remember the bigger thing that you’re trying to do.”
— Durreen Shahnaz | More about how she convinced skeptics to invest in her long-shot mission
7. What does it mean to be a winner?
Clinton Sparks is one of our newest contributors to Entrepreneur+, and he dropped the gem of a quote in one of his first articles:
“The problem is winning at one thing doesn’t mean you understand how to win at everything. Sure, there is a winner mentality, but that doesn’t mean much. Michael Jordan had winner mentality, but it didn’t make his baseball career nearly as great as his basketball one.
Being good or experienced at one thing doesn’t make you automatically knowledgeable at all things. It’s best to pay attention to the messenger, not just the message. Anyone can sound like they know what they’re talking about, but you need to research who is giving the advice. Have they been able to win and repeat?”
— Clinton Sparks | His advice on how to get other generations to respect you
8. Don’t try to fix toxic people
We’ve all had a toxic boss at one point in our careers. And we’ve all tried many tricks in the book to make someone easier to manage, but what we should never do, is try to change them:
“The idea of changing anyone besides yourself is destined for failure, particularly when it comes to dealing with self-focused people. You are the only person who you can really change. Experiment with approaches dealing with toxic leaders, but don’t spend your energy on attempts to change anyone.”
— Dana Kachan, contributor | How to identify and handle toxic leaders
9. Introverts’ secret weapon
In the never-ending battle of extroverts vs. introverts in the workplace, this founder offers a hint to team leaders about how to get the most out of their more reserved colleagues:
“Introverts can share perspectives or even lead reflection on what’s working or what isn’t on a team or project. They frequently can point out everyone’s contribution to the team and identify the unsung heroes. While extroverts may speak first, introverts help deepen the conversation and direction. Want to know where the team is slow to make decisions? Ask an introvert.”
— Karen Eber, CEO and chief storyteller at Eber Leadership Group | Read more about the secret weapon of introverts
10. There is a balance to everything in life
After his co-founder died at the age of 29 from cancer, Tracy Young’s life was completely changed. Before he passed, Antoine gave Young a copy of a book that showed him the importance of being present:
“Time is the only resource we’ll never be given more of, so I try my hardest not to let anyone — including myself — waste any of it. I keep On the Shortness of Life in my library to remind me to ruthlessly prune bullshit every day. Gradually, this practice sharpened into a guiding principle. I call it being “wholehearted.” It is the belief that we make the most of our time when our focus is undivided and we are truly present — whether it’s for our loved ones or the work we’ve set out to do. And to expect this kind of presence from my employees, I must offer them true flexibility, so they can be present for other aspects of their lives as well.”
— Tracy Young, Co-founder of PlanGird | Read more about Young’s story
