10 Profound Insights from Impactful Entrepreneurs

You can! Those are just three of the impactful entrepreneurs I’ve interviewed on the Work Alchemy podcast. And every time, I ask them: what advice would you give an entrepreneur who wants to make a difference, to contribute more, to have more impact? So here are 10 profound insights from the famous and not-so-famous, all impactful entrepreneurs and leaders. (Note: slightly edited to make the conversion from conversation to the written word more easily understood, but it’s as close as can be):

1. Look inward. We were put on this planet with gifts, talents, a perspective that no one has. It’s our obligation, our duty, to find out what that is, to do that. Loving, serving, or giving or all 3 is why we’re here.
   ~Prince Ea, rapper, filmmaker, speaker, activist


2. Don’t wait. Get started. Be brave and jump. But admit when something’s not working. You’ll find a way around obstacles.
~Kate Groch, educator & changemaker


3. Don’t see your business as separate from your spiritual life. Business plays an important part in the world today, so it’s important to recognize your ethical responsibility. How will their life be affected by your business? Positively? If you take care of that domain, if you water those roots, blossoms will emerge.
   ~Marianne Williamson, spiritual teacher, lecturer, author (& all-around sage)


4. Put your creativity first. First in the day. It only takes 10 minutes a day to play with what it is that I love most to do. It may not look like anything to do with your business. It will open more magic for you than any single thing you can do.
   ~Katie Hendricks, conscious living and loving trainer & author


5. I would love it if people would be able to identify people they love in their lives who they love and admire, and turn that same intensity on themselves. Bring as much admiration and open-eyed joy to yourself. Then say, now let me look around my business to see what small change could I do to effect positive change.
   ~Indrani Goradia, nonprofit leader dedicated to empowering women around the world


6. In my integrity cleanse, I decided I will ask myself every time I take an action, I stop and check, what’s truest for me? I don’t just agree with people idly anymore. I only say what I think is true. That’s quite challenging! Sometimes what you have to say is not socially welcome. It does immediately begin changing your social world in a way that takes you to the people you love, and then your business becomes the people you love. It’s a poorly kept secret that people who love each other in business do better.
   ~Martha Beck, life coach (the original), speaker, best-selling author


7. Two things: 1) Check your broadcast. What are you broadcasting to other people? Start with what I call the power lead. Start conversations, emails, meetings, phone calls by saying something positive and meaningful. Those sentences can set the tone for the conversation. ‘Meaningful’ creates social connection, one of the greatest predictors of long-term happiness. 2) Before you read any emails in your inbox, write a 2-minute email to someone thanking them for something they’ve done recently, why they’re important to you, praising them. It tells people they matter to you. It also communicates to your brain how robust your social support is. That alone will change the rest of your day.
   ~Michelle Gielan, national CBS News anchor turned positive psychology researcher


8. You’re not creating something, you’re steward-ing something. Something wants to come through you, to be born, to express itself. Think, ‘how can I steward that, ease the path for this thing’, instead of ‘how can I be me’. You happen to be the vessel. It can’t happen without you. With any shift you can make from create/manufacture to steward/guide, more wisdom comes from looking at it that way.
   ~Susan Piver, meditation teacher, bestselling author


9. Here’s my simple 3-part formula for social media success that’s in alignment with your values and your available resources: 1) content - tell the story of your brand, yourself, making of your product, and also putting the spotlight on your customers; 2) engagement - respond to people, proactively start discussions, proactively reach out to people, and 3) conversion - ultimately, the purpose of business is to make money/profit, and it’s challenging for women to own that piece. Ask for the sale, include a call to action. Have that 3-part system permeate your emails, social media. Integrate your personality into your communications, your heart, your love – that’s a wonderful impact on the world at large.
   ~Mari Smith, marketing expert, keynote speaker, brand evangelist, author


10. Don’t worry about the larger world. Start with 10 people, 5 people. Change 5 people. If you can change 5 people, you’re on your way.
    ~Seth Godin, author, speaker, marketing sage

You can listen to the full podcast episodes for even more insights for your business: subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher – over 100 episodes already and more on the way!