July 15, 2025
12 Things I Learned Running A Business for 12 Years
Twelve years ago, I made the leap. I launched STN Digital with a vision to create something impactful—and maybe just survive the first year. What followed was a journey that taught me more than any MBA, podcast, or business book ever could. From signing my first client (shoutout to Kobe Bryant) to scaling an 8-figure agency, these are the 12 realest lessons I’ve learned building a business from the ground up.
Your energy introduces you before you even speak
You can talk strategy all day, but your presence walks in the room before you do. Whether it’s a boardroom or a Zoom call, people are reading your body language, tone, and vibe before you say a single word. Be intentional with how you show up. Kindness, confidence, and clarity go a long way.
A-players make your life easier, and you’d enthusiastically rehire them
If someone on your team quit today, would your first reaction be panic or relief? That gut check tells you everything. Great employees should wow you, make your job easier, and be people you’d hire again in a heartbeat. If the answer’s no, it might be time for a tough conversation.
Stress comes from ignoring things you shouldn’t
Most of the stress we feel as founders or leaders doesn’t come from the workload itself—it comes from avoiding the real issue. A hard conversation. A broken system. A role that’s no longer needed. The sooner you face it, the sooner your stress disappears.
Networking is literally 100% of your human interactions
People think networking is handing out business cards or schmoozing at events. It’s not. It’s how you treat every human interaction. That intern might become your next hire. That Uber driver might have a cousin who works at Nike. Stay curious. Be kind. Show up.
Being positive in a negative situation isn’t naive—it’s leadership
You don’t have to sugarcoat failure, but if you’re the one leading the ship, you better steer with optimism. Your team looks to you in chaos. They want to know if you see the path forward. Positivity creates belief, and belief is everything in business.
Being vulnerable is what great leaders do
I’ve told my team, “Hey, I’ve never done this before—I might mess it up.” That honesty builds trust. It makes people feel safe to speak up, take risks, and grow. Being vulnerable doesn’t make you weak; it makes you human.
If you expect your team to win, they need a scoreboard
People need to know what success looks like. Are they winning or falling behind? What are the metrics that actually matter? When you define the scoreboard, you create clarity, urgency, and purpose. Just like in sports, it’s easier to perform when you know the stakes.
Your success is tied to how many uncomfortable conversations you’re willing to have
Feedback, firing, setting boundaries, calling out disrespect—none of it is easy. But the people who win in life and business are the ones who lean into the hard stuff. Every awkward conversation is a step toward clarity, growth, and respect.
Systems are for people who care about winning repeatedly
You can get lucky once. You can wing it twice. But if you want to scale, systems are the only way. Whether it’s onboarding, client strategy, or how you brew the office coffee—repeatable, documented systems are the blueprint for sustainable success.
Even a wrong decision is better than indecision
Sitting in limbo, overanalyzing every detail, waiting for perfection—that’s what kills momentum. Make the best decision you can with the data you have. If it’s wrong, you’ll learn. But staying stuck? That’s the worst decision of all.
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to your capacity
This one’s deep. Your mental, emotional, and physical capacity determines how much you can take on—and how much your life will expand. Go to therapy. Meditate. Exercise. If you level up personally, everything around you (career, relationships, leadership) levels up too.
The only thing that prepares you to run a company is running a damn company
You can read every business book and listen to every podcast, but nothing compares to doing it. Making mistakes. Solving problems. Getting punched in the gut and showing up again the next day. You want to be a founder? Start something. That’s how you learn.
Twelve years in, I’m still learning every day. But these lessons have been my north star through the highs, lows, and late-night Slack messages. I hope they help you wherever you are on your journey—whether you’re starting from scratch or scaling something big.
Keep going. Keep learning. And remember: You’re always one uncomfortable conversation away from a breakthrough.
-David Brickley