Can you believe it\u2019s already Spring 2026? It\u2019s amazing how quickly a year flies by. I realized the other day that it was March 10th\u2014the exact date in 2025 that I officially started my new career as an entrepreneur after nearly 28 years in federal service. Just 12 short months ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A lot can happen in a year, and I took a moment to reflect on mine\u2014to appreciate how far I\u2019ve come, how I got here, and where I\u2019m headed next. As I considered my journey, three key themes emerged that I want to share. I believe these lessons can be incredibly helpful for any ambitious small business owner:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When I started my entrepreneurial journey, I deliberately set out to maintain a “beginner\u2019s mind.\u201d This concept, which I first learned back in 2018 when I got certified to teach yoga, is all about being curious and open to learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I remember so many new yoga students who would walk into the studio proclaiming they were \u201cbad at yoga\u201d because they weren’t flexible, had terrible balance, or couldn\u2019t quiet their racing thoughts during meditation. I would explain that everyone starts at the beginning, progress isn\u2019t usually linear, and improvement takes practice. My advice? Embrace the beginner\u2019s mind and have a little fun on the journey. It really helps quiet that inner critic when things don’t go exactly the way our ego hoped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I approached the launch of my consulting career with that same curiosity (amid a healthy dose of trepidation!). What would my day-to-day work life look like? What did I want<\/em> it to look like? Who were my ideal clients, and why? I had a business plan and a strategy, but I knew I needed to be flexible and ready to reflect and refine as I went along in order to build a business I truly loved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I bet you can relate. The defense acquisition industry is infamous for its red tape, endless acronyms, and rigid processes. To call it daunting, even for some experienced small business owners, is an understatement. Maybe the playbook you used in a different industry isn\u2019t working for your pivot into defense. Or perhaps the approach that brought you success in the past is now lost in a sea of acquisition rule changes and a charged political climate. You might be feeling overwhelmed, but you also know that survival requires adaptation to this evolving puzzle known as the defense market. And adaptation is always best served by starting with a beginner\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the last year, I\u2019ve learned that the most valuable information comes from deeply listening to my clients. I came to know their unique stories\u2014some of them overcoming incredible obstacles and transcending cultural barriers to build their version of the American Dream. I\u2019ve always been inspired by the underdog\u2019s success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve had so many calls that started with, \u201cCan I run something past you?\u201d My clients needed a trusted advisor to act as a sanity check or to help identify a strategic blind-spot. My deep listening didn\u2019t just allow me to zero-in on the critical nuances of their strategic problems; it allowed me to truly understand why any of this mattered in the first place. That understanding is the great foundation for building trust. Noticing my client\u2019s relief and confidence emerging in those moments of clarity was the feedback I needed to assure me I was on the right path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What about you? Have you ever found that by deeply listening and mirroring your customer\u2019s feedback to ensure understanding, you can actually feel that lightbulb moment? You know, the one where they realize that you truly GET<\/em> them. Understanding, empathy, and trust are potent components of a relationship, and after all – business is about relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Small GovCon Solutions<\/em> was the perfectly imperfect launchpad for my first year, I knew that if I wanted to evolve, I needed help. I was beginning to understand which client relationships felt right and starting to trust my instincts. One instinct was to pivot away from working as a \u201cpair of hands\u201d and instead position myself for greater strategic impact. I was starting to feel burnt out by task-oriented engagements where some clients felt more like a boss than a peer seeking. I was completing tasks versus providing honest feedback and helping identify strategic blind-spots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thankfully, my beginner\u2019s mind found wise counsel in the form of a podcast called \u201cConsulting Matters,\u201d hosted by Besty Jordyn. For about six months, I diligently consumed her advice during my morning walks with the dogs. This is where I first heard about the \u201cpair of hands trap.\u201d What a lightbulb moment! Betsy was describing my exact conundrum! I was unconsciously structuring my client engagements as transactional instead of strategic, which felt like an extension of my old job. That\u2019s where the burnout was coming from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shortly after, I decided to join one of Betsy\u2019s coaching programs. She didn\u2019t know me yet, but she had already built trust with me through her months of podcast content. Even though I believe I would have continued to grow and achieve success in my business, I knew I could do so more authentically and efficiently if I had a trusted partner to help me see what I couldn\u2019t; to help me avoid mistakes and feel more purpose. I saw the coaching not as an expense, but as an investment in my personal and professional self. And I’m already seeing the dividends pay off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How often have you found yourself reluctant to ask for help? Hesitant to invest in someone to provide wisdom and insights into what is happening in your business and why? We were not meant to do this all on our own. And despite what you might be telling yourself, you won’t have the perspective and clarity of vision when you are too close to the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I am incredibly thankful for my beginner\u2019s mind, the gift of trust from my ideal clients, and for those who have challenged my short-sighted assumptions and helped me realize how to start writing my next chapter. And this next chapter is coming soon and shall be titled \u201cLeslie Faircloth Consulting\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the lessons I shared here resonate with you and you\u2019re tired of spinning your wheels while trying to grow a sustainable and thriving defense company, let\u2019s chat! Book a free discovery call with me and let\u2019s explore what a partnership could look like. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With curiosity, willingness to learn, genuine deep-listening, and investment in your future, I believe we can find new heights together. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Three Lessons Learned From My First Year as an Entrepreneur Can you believe it\u2019s already Spring 2026? It\u2019s amazing how quickly a year flies by. I realized the other day that it was March 10th\u2014the exact date in 2025 that I officially started my new career as an entrepreneur after nearly 28 years in federal service. Just 12 short months … <\/p>\n#2 Deep Listening & Feedback = the Gift of Trust<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
#3 Invest in Your Growth – the DIY Path is Paved with Wasted Resources<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n