We’ve all been there: nothing in your business seems to be going right, no matter what you do. However, without the lows, the highs wouldn’t seem so rewarding. Your career path can change your entire life. It’s those unforgettable moments, big and small, that remind you why startup life was worth pursuing.
To learn more, we asked 11 entrepreneurs the following:
Q. What has been the best moment of your career and why?
Their best answers are below:
1. Discovering That I Wasn’t Alone
About three years ago, I had a moment while sitting with my executive team listening to them describe what our company meant to them that forever changed me. It was in that moment that I realized RTC was no longer just my baby. They loved it as I did; I was no longer alone. The pressure was not my own to bear. I had allies in this fight to change the world, and that changed everything for me.
– Corey Blake, Round Table Companies
2. Receiving Recognition From Those Who Matter
The best moment of my career was receiving the Emerging Leader Award from my alma mater, Northwestern University. The fact that a group of young people (the audience I’ve been trying to reach) voted for me as someone who made a positive difference in their lives validated all of my hard work over the past ten years.
– Alexandra Levit, Inspiration at Work
3. Standing Onstage at Off The Charts
I held my first live conference in New York City with 80 attendees, and standing on that stage to see everyone who came to learn from me and my speakers was just so incredible. The best moments were hearing everyone’s feedback after the event, seeing their energy and enthusiasm and hearing how much they learned from attending Off The Charts. I can’t wait until next year’s event!
– Nathalie Lussier, The Website Checkup Tool
4. Being Recognized at the Airport
The most surreal experience for me was stepping off a plane for a conference and being approached by a supporter. The first time a complete stranger knew me and my work was incredibly rewarding because it validated that there are millions of people I’ve never met who are waiting to be supported and influenced. It gave me new energy in my business!
– Kelly Azevedo, She’s Got Systems
5. Experiencing the Past Four Years
I started my company four years ago. Honestly, every day since then has been a trip, and I have absolutely loved the ride. I love the work, I love the challenges, I love helping our clients, and I love that I am able to fulfill the mission that I set out for myself and for my company every day.
– David Ehrenberg, Early Growth Financial Services
6. Accepting My Own Insecurity
Careers do not just take off because a person has enough confidence to get through anything. In fact, that’s a fool’s way of thinking. The best moment in my career was when I finally embraced insecurity. I was prepared to not only face hardships, but also accept defeat and move on instead of fighting a losing battle because of my ego.
– Danny Wong, Blank Label Group
7. Seeing Vision Become Reality
I’ll never forget the first Zealyst event we hosted after months of planning and imagining what it would look like. It was fantastically rewarding to see the connections we’d spent so much time curating come to life. As we’ve scaled and started working with corporations, it’s only become more thrilling and surreal to work with thousands of people and continue to watch our impact grow.
– Martina Welke, Zealyst
8. Earning My Goal Amount
The best moment of my career was when my small business income matched what I was making in the corporate world. It was truly an amazing moment and an accomplishment that I’m extremely proud of.
– Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance
9. Going to Davos
It was an incredible opportunity to be in a tiny village in the Alps for a week with most of the major executives, thought-leaders, dignitaries, press and politicians in the world. As a 30-year-old entrepreneur, it was great to both learn and expand my network!
– Darrah Brustein, Equitable Payments
10. Standing Beside My Entrepreneurial Idols
Being nominated alongside some of my entrepreneurial idols as one of Fortune Magazine’s Top 10 Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs for 2013 (despite feeling like we were still on the runway of our entrepreneurial journey) was incredible. For a fabulous couple of days in California last summer, I mingled with and was inspired by some of the most impressive women in the world.
– Jessica Butcher, Blippar
11. Seeing My Mother Retire
After starting my company after high school, I went to my kitchen, looked my mama in the eye and said, “Everything will be okay. I promise in six months, you’ll never have to work ever again.” I kept my word, and six years later, I’ve still kept it. She worked her tail off for our family, and it’s been the best moment of my career to know she can retire without any financial worries.
– Shahzil (Shaz) Amin, Blue Track Media
About Young Entrepreneur Council
The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.
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