Stop waiting for permission.

I spent years waiting for the "right" credentials to consider myself an entrepreneur.

I had revenue, customers, and results but didn't feel like an entrepreneur. Especially compared to my friends who were hiring employees and building exciting technology companies.

All of that changed when I went to dinner with my old boss, a CEO I'd worked for in New York.

My parents aside, he was the first to take a chance on me. He introduced me to the budding tech startup scene in NYC, and I met my wife, Jennifer, while working for his company. Under his leadership, an incredible group of people worked together for the next five years and built the company to a $1B+ valuation.

Needless to say, he means a lot to me and my wife.

Fast-forward to 2022. Jennifer and I had moved to Nashville, but we were in New York City for a few nights and met our old CEO for dinner. During our conversation over Greek food, he asked how my business was going.

I told him about what I'd built online, ending with this:

"It's cool. I feel proud, and I'm helping a lot of people. But I'm not a real entrepreneur. Not like you."

He looked at me and said something I'll never forget:

"What are you talking about? You have a business. You have customers, and those customers are happy. You make money. You're an entrepreneur. You shouldn't say that again."

(He's blunt. One of my favorite things about him.)

His complimentary words gave me a lot to think about. I'd been diminishing my success because it didn't look like someone else's blueprint.

And if you think about it, success and entrepreneurship come in all sizes, colors, flavors, and textures.

There's not one single blueprint.

Giving Ourselves Permission

So here's what I've realized since that dinner with my old boss:

We create systems of permission in our imagination. Elaborate systems that don't exist in reality.

I see this everywhere:

• Writers with huge followings won't call themselves writers until they get a traditional book deal.
• Consultants generating millions in client results who charge entry-level rates because they lack a bunch of "important" letters after their names.
• Coaches with massive student success rates suffering from imposter syndrome because they're not speaking on big stages.

And while we're all waiting for permission, our customers have already voted with their wallets and attention.

Our happy customers don't care about our credentials.

They care about the value we create and deliver to them.

Isn't that what matters?

Results Over Recognition

The fundamental shift in your mind happens when you start measuring yourself by the right metrics.

Until 2022, I compared my one-person business to venture-backed startups — especially the ones my friends were building.

But my customers don't care about the size of my company or the amount of money I've raised.

They only care about two things: Can I help them solve their problems? And how quickly can I do that?

Looking back, I've wasted a lot of energy seeking validation from the wrong people and places. And if I could go back and give my younger self some advice, it'd be simple:

• Focus on serving your customers exceptionally well. Exceed their expectations.
• Let your results speak louder than your words and your resume.
• Measure success by impact — not by status, hours, or effort.

Because, at the end of the day, running a successful business isn't about fitting someone else's definition of entrepreneurship.

It's about creating value and making a living from it on your terms.

The Bottom Line

You don't need anyone's permission to be who you already are.

You're the real deal if you're solving problems, serving customers, and creating value.

So here's what I want you to ask yourself today:

Where are you waiting for permission that you don't need? What might change if you just gave yourself that permission right now?

It's worth a think.

That's all for today.

See you next Saturday.

P.S. Stop looking for permission to build your own lean, profitable, one-person business in 2025. Start watching my flagship video course, The Creator MBA. 111 step-by-step lessons to building a lean, healthy, profitable online business, powered by a brand built the right way.