Your customers are the lifeblood of your business. Their needs and wants impact every aspect of your business, from product development to content marketing to sales to customer service.

As an entrepreneur, I've come across countless articles and quotes proudly telling me that I should accept failure, smile, and keep my head up. In other words, I've been told to stay positive. The thing is, when you're forced to shut down a business and let really awesome people you care about go, staying positive is the last thing on your mind.

Making great strides without a well-defined purpose will not bring positive results.

While it's important to accept failure and not let it bog you down, it's also perfectly acceptable to get upset about it as long as you remember that failure is a stepping stone in your journey that is getting you to where you need to be.

I feel rejecting rejection is one of the most crucial steps in getting past failure.

We've all experienced those days when we feel like an absolute failure. It's a normal feeling when things don't go as exactly planned. And, when we feel like that, it's challenging to think of yourself as a successful individual.

While social media is a one of the best tools to spread brand awareness, network, stay updated on the latest industry news, and catch up with friends or family, it's another huge time waster.

I've had to listen to candidates tell me they are the most wonderful thing since the invention of sliced bread, and it bores me to death. It also makes me doubt that they are actually any good at all - plus it's an attitude that would never fly in the culture I've created in my company.

Don't eat because you're angry, bored, sad, or stressed.

Make no mistake about it. Bad habits are called 'bad' for a reason. They kill our productivity and creativity. They slow us down. They hold us back from achieving our goals. And they're detrimental to our health.

Having emotional intelligence allows you to manage your emotions, show empathy, and prevent you from getting distracted. It also helps you solve problems and be a more likable person.

We're surrounded by distractions. Whether it's emails, phone calls, text messages, social media notifications, or people entering and leaving your workspace, those distractions end up eating a good portion of your time.

Empowerment isn't a buzzword among leadership gurus. It's a proven technique where leaders give their teams the appropriate training, tools, resources, and guidance to succeed.

A cardinal rule in budgeting and saving is to pay yourself first. Once your paycheck hits your account, wisdom has it that you should move some amount to savings even before you pay the bills.

Even after creating a budget and being more money conscience, it's still easy to overspend during the holidays.