Having fun on your start up journey. And the importance thereof.

We all sing the same song of how terrible the rat race of business is, we panic about deals and deadlines and investors who go quiet - if you are busy with or have been through a start up you're familiar with the above.

In my small little start up family we have made a rule to enjoy the ride (which can be a roller coaster at times) - and we now and then sit back and think WOW. 4 guys and 1 girl working on a digital platform to change the world - and look how far we've come.

Obviously there are challenging days when I specifically get a little cranky and sulky - and on other days others are cranky - because we are human. And because we don't live in a beer commercial with bonfires on the beach in the Bahamas and high fives from perfectly sculpted models surrounded by acres of white teeth and a yacht at anchor in the background (here's to getting there though.) But we shape and form one another - due to the very nature of what we do we are in each others faces and company and there can be a bit of friction - so taking stock is important. Sitting back and savouring the moments and the milestones with a few drops of whisky or a beer now and then is not only nice; its essential.

So next time when you didn't sleep well and you are stuck in the traffic and you have a knot in your stomach about whether your business is going to work - take a moment and breathe. Reflect on how far you've come and own your hard work and the mistakes you made - and correct them for the future.

When Eugie Blake turned 100 he was asked for the secret of his longevity: "Always listen to the birds, pay the thunder no mind - and do not hate anybody."

I would add "have a drop of good whisky here and there and tell your team members how great they are."

Enjoy your ride. ![2017-10-20 21.49.50.png] () photo credit: alamy stock