5 Valuable Lessons from 5 Years in Business: Insights from the CEO and Founder of Alpine Virtual
Welp! It's official! Alpine Virtual has officially been in business for 5 years. With over 40 team members and 100s of clients from all around the world, I can say I've seen my fair share of ups and downs. Running a business is no joke, but it's been one wild ride.
I want to share with you some of the biggest lessons I've learned along the way.
Delegating doesn't make you less of a leader: When I first started out, I thought I had to do everything myself. I was scared to let go of control, thinking my clients and VAs needed to hear directly from me. But let me tell you, once I started delegating, it was a game-changer. My clients got better service, my VAs got the attention they needed, and I could finally focus on the big picture. Delegating actually makes you a better leader, not a worse one.
Find a marketing strategy that works for YOU: I can't even count how many times I've heard about the "next big thing" in marketing. But the truth is, what works for someone else might not work for you. I've tried it all, and let me tell you, it takes some trial and error. I tracked every penny, every lead, every phone call, and every contract. It took some time, but I finally found the marketing strategies that work for Alpine Virtual.
Invest in your people: Your team is everything. I've learned that investing in my employees and contractors, showing them I care about their successes and their struggles, pays off big time. I make sure to build real relationships with them, celebrate their milestones, and make them feel like part of the Alpine Virtual family. When you invest in your people, they invest in you.
Be picky about your clients: Not every client is the right fit, and that's okay. I've learned the hard way that taking on clients who don't align with our values or expectations can hurt team morale and our bottom line. Now, we're super selective about who we work with, and it's made a world of difference.
Always be learning and adapting: If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that business is always changing. Alpine Virtual looks totally different now than it did five years ago, and that's a good thing. We've pivoted, we've tried new things, and we've embraced change. The key is to never stop learning, stay on top of industry trends, and be willing to adapt.
Bonus Lesson: Don't quit on a bad day, trust me, there have been plenty of days where I wanted to throw in the towel. Burnout is real, and there were times when I thought about selling Alpine Virtual. But here's the thing: you can't quit on a bad day. Every entrepreneur faces challenges, but if you give up too soon, you'll never see what your business can become.
So there you have it, folks. Five years, five big lessons. It's been a wild ride, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. To all my fellow entrepreneurs out there, keep pushing, keep learning, and don't forget to celebrate the wins along the way. Here's to the next five years of Alpine Virtual!
