Yesterday, I decided to travel up to Pepperdine University to breakout and really get some new ideas to bring back into my businesses.  It was such an #pepperstrong experience!  I would like to quickly, but deeply, share a few lessons if you're an entrepreneur or maybe are thinking about quitting your job.  Let's let's straight to it.

1. You MUST Identify and WEED OUT Secret Haters in Your Life
 
A few years ago, I started another startup idea for a business.  I remember facing sudden adversity from “friends” and “family members” who said that I would never make it work out with my first client.  I persisted and proved them wrong.  What happened was that this family member ended up always secretly resenting me.  How do I know this?  Well, the family member was never really pleased when I began to talk about coding for the website (this was back when codecademy was free) and had this negative vibe whenever I wanted to truly run with my ambitions.
 
Do you have people like this in your life?  It’s critical to weed them out ASAP and keep them the fuck out.  Having them to only hang around when you constantly prove them wrong will only stir up possible problems for you in the future.  I thought that with my other company, I could turn them around and if after they saw all the real effort I was putting in behind the scenes, they would help refer real business prospects for me.  Nothing happened.  All I have to say is that when I visited Pepperdine yesterday, remembering this new rule in my life has already given me a higher level of “fuel power” to take whatever “lucky” opportunities come my way without wondering whatever the fuck they think.
 
2.  You MUST Go Back to Your Old Network and “Have Some Words”
 
Not getting the results and support you need?  Are you in student debt, but not getting the support you know in your hearts of hearts that you deserve?  Create a CAPTURE LIST of ways that your university or network can do to help you become featured or be seen as a reinvented influencer.  This will help you because the new people that you meet in life will always be testing you, feeling you out.  Stand firm until you get what you want, but be prepared for what you want before you ask!
 
3.  Raise Your Standards and Change Your Limiting Beliefs
 
We hear this a lot.  What does this mean to raise your standards?  For me in the context of entrepreneurship, it means to work on ways to maximize my preparation prior to connecting with others, in a way that is more authentic and to become solution-focused.  For example, if your goal is to do a photo shoot and you’re a photographer starting out, doing research on what your competition in your location would help your negotiation preparation and give you time to counter-offer when your prospect tries to lowball you.
 
I hope my few lessons with my visit to Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA helps you see what obstacles are secretly holding you back!  You can Follow me on IG at @mblumeyer for more questions.  Thanks for reading this freestyle blog!