Personal learnings from running a bootstrapped service (design) business
(7 years of @WeAreSparklin — July 2020)

Not exhaustive. Not one-size-fits-all. Not facts.

Being ruthlessly enthusiastic & optimistic could be the greatest ingredient for manufacturing luck

Be the human who asks questions. Most want to, but too afraid to be embarrassed.

There are no embarrassing questions. Ask & learn.

Gratitude is another critical ingredient to manufacture luck.

More than that, it’s the most important ingredient to induce smiles.

Note the tiniest favours.
Appreciate more, appreciate often.

Don’t gun for original. Don’t gun for being the best. Be the only one.

Be super obsessed about making your customers’ life better. Or better, their customers’ life better.

Look for actions. Not words. Not intent. Not thoughts. Actions!

Want a job? Don’t focus on what you want. Focus on who you want the job from.

After you get the job, focus on where they need you to focus.

The focus is never you.

Forgive easily. Apologise quickly. That’s one of the easiest ways to keep the game of life weigh a little more towards positive-sum.

Someone somewhere has solved the problem you have today. Reach out for advice. If possible, pay for it.

Ideas are public. Execution is you.

High learning is a great reason to pick low-paying jobs.

If need be, choose to work for free, over cheap.

In absence of high learning, charge super high.

Make a mistake. Apologise. Learn. Make a new mistake.

Way better than no mistakes.

Have more humans around who disagree with you. They’re the ones offering perspective, and an opportunity of better articulation.

Play the long game, in everything.
There are too many factors that add up only in the long-term, in your favour.

Compounding is one of them.

If you have two choices, choose the harder.

Success = talent + luck + attitude.

Talent is not a birth-gift. It’s becoming skilled in a task by incremental improvements faster.