Recently we were comparing notes on the best business advice we’d ever received in our careers. Some of these pearls we come to realize many years after we hear them. Some become truths immediately in practice.

While in personal relationships, it is generally a good rule of thumb not to give advice unless you are asked for advice, we have found that in our professional lives, truly good advice is almost always welcome. So in gratitude for the advice given to us, and in the spirit of the season, we want to share our favorites with our community of friends, clients, colleagues and readers.

Here goes…

Be Kind & Willing (To Do the Work).  

 If you have a good heart and a great attitude — with drive, you can learn and crush ANYTHING! It may be new, or it may be challenging but if you have a willingness to learn, you’ll find a way. – Jill

From the great Esther Perman, Michelle serves up “you don’t want to find yourself practicing pubic relations” – be detail oriented, do your work and check it twice!

Don’t get taken in by hype, buzzwords and shiny rock stars. Remain true to who you are and just keep moving forward. If the pitch sounds too good to be true, it probably is. -Gavin

As an entrepreneur, don’t get caught up in the “compare and dispare” syndrome – do your research, but don’t go down the rabbit hole and be overwhelmed with too much information.  Just believe in your idea, keep your head down and keep moving forward! – Mark

Trust Your Gut and Meet With Everyone – meaning trust your instincts and use it to break through the clutter and chaos and fears. And on the flip side of that idea – don’t judge a potential idea, client, contact or hire before hearing them out- you never know where the next great talent or idea may come from and if you are not open you will miss it. -Margaux

You learn more from your failures than your success. You don’t need to know how to do everything… just dig in and find experts fill in the gaps. – Jen

No Plan B – meaning make the plan so good, so thoughtful, so well executed that you don’t need a plan B – make it work and believe in it! – Mark

What’s the best career advice YOU were ever given?