These leading entrepreneurs and advisors in The Oracles share the decisions that led them to fulfillment and success.
I listened to my gut
After initially turning down “The Real Housewives,” I accepted the opportunity and became one of the first people to monetize reality TV. Another big decision was selling the intellectual property of my Skinnygirl liquor brand, which gave me “street cred” and financial stability.
I made those choices by stepping back, thinking things through and following my instinct. The experiences taught me to be a visionary and a leader. Rather than copy others, I created my own path.
—Bethenny Frankel, founder of Skinnygirl, cast member of “The Real Housewives of New York City,” NYT best-selling author and Shark on “Shark Tank”; follow Bethenny on Twitter and Instagram
I chose to chase my dream
I had a comfortable, successful career. But I knew I wouldn’t become the person I was born to be at that company. When I left to start my own, I went bankrupt and lost everything, but I learned that to do something great, you sometimes have to step back before you leap forward.
Today, I have an incredible life. The lesson is, it’s okay to lose something if you do it chasing your dreams.
—Ed Mylett, best-selling author, co-founder of the Arete Syndicate, global keynote speaker and host of the #MAXOUT top-10 podcast; follow Ed on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook
Related: 7 Accomplished Entrepreneurs Share How to Start a Business with $100
I relentlessly searched for an answer
Years ago, I was significantly overweight, depressed and physically broken. I tried doctors, trainers and diet programs. Nothing worked. But I became obsessed with finding an answer, which led me to a Nepalese mountain where a villager gave me yak’s butter to drink. It changed my life. Today, Bulletproof 360 is on a mission to help everyone unlock their high-performance selves.
—Dave Asprey, entrepreneur, known as the “father of biohacking”; creator of Bulletproof 360 and NYT best-selling author of “Game Changers”; follow Dave on Facebook and Instagram
I was honest about failure
In 2006, the Case Foundation launched PlayPumps with great fanfare, an ambitious initiative to bring clean drinking water to sub-Saharan countries. I soon realized we couldn’t assure the scale or quality of the program and faced a tough choice: sweep the failure under the rug or come clean.
I chose to be transparent and encourage others to learn from our failure. We launched a series of “Fearless Forums” to bring the sector together to share stories of fearlessness, innovation and failure. That experience influenced my book, “Be Fearless.”
—Jean Case, author of “Be Fearless,” CEO of the Case Foundation, chairman of the National Geographic Society and owner of Early Mountain Vineyards; follow Jean on Twitter
I gave up on perfection
When I started building my business, I wanted everything to be perfect, which led to lost opportunities. Competitors gained on me because they were doing first and refining later. I decided to take imperfect action in all that I do. Now I act first and course correct as I go.
The moment you put your product out there, the marketplace will show you how imperfect it is. So just do it, get feedback and improve.
—Bedros Keuilian, founder of Fit Body Boot Camp, author of “Man Up” and host of “Empire Podcast Show”; read how Bedros built his dream life; connect with Bedros on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube
I walked away from it all
In my early 20s, I had everything I thought I wanted. But I felt trapped, and eventually, it all imploded. I walked away from my marriage, home and job. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever done.
It took losing everything to see what I truly wanted. I started acting based on who I really was and launched my first six-figure business. I had no idea what I was doing, but I did it. Today, my seven-figure empire is completely aligned with my soul. I’m in love with my life, and I’m not afraid to tear down walls and rebuild. Follow your soul and be yourself sooner.
—Katrina Ruth, founder and CEO of “The Katrina Ruth Show,” a multimillion-dollar online coaching business; connect with Katrina on Facebook and YouTube
I took charge of my morning
I was a night owl who took pride in pulling all-nighters. But I was always tired and irritable when I woke up. It affected my energy, health and relationships.
A mentor suggested using mornings for projects. To hold myself accountable, I asked three friends to dial in to a conference line at 5 a.m. where I shared uplifting messages. They started to invite others, and today 3,000 people dial in to the 5 a.m. Club for inspiration. This one shift created a chain of positive results, from better health to increased productivity and stronger relationships.
—Sharran Srivatsaa, angel investor and CEO of Kingston Lane, a push-button technology execution platform for real estate; grew Teles Properties 10X to $3.6 billion in five years; follow Sharran on Instagram
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I kept going after I flopped
I was brainstorming with my husband how to take my fledgling business to the next level. He asked what I loved most, and I told him I loved running classes and events. With no idea how I would do it, I committed to booking a marketing workshop series on the spot.
The first event was a flop. But it was a series, and I’d booked hotels and flights, so I kept practicing. Slowly, I got better. Within a year, I hosted 100 events and made over seven figures, all thanks to the decision to see my commitment through.
—Grace Lever, founder of The Doers Way and author of “The Doer’s Guide to Coaching & Consulting”; connect with Grace on Facebook
I had a vision of greatness
To truly succeed, you must believe anything is possible. That starts with a vision. When my partner and I purchased Douglas Elliman, I was ready to conquer the Manhattan real estate market. Money wasn’t my motivation: I wanted to be great, and I wanted to do something no one else had. Today, we are the largest residential brokerage in New York City.
—Dottie Herman, CEO of Douglas Elliman, a real estate brokerage empire with more than $27 billion in annual sales
Originally published on Forbes.com. ©2019 by Forbes Media LLC. All rights reserved.
