13 Top Tips for Budding Entrepreneurs, from Survival to Leadership, by Marketing Expert Hanna Lee of Hanna Lee Communications, an Award-Winning PR & Marketing Agency

Lee, a PR and marketing expert with over two decades of experience, has led the agency to become one of the most awarded and respected in the industry under the motto of "Think Like Journalists and Act Like Brand Ambassadors." Over its 13 years, the agency has earned over two dozen awards, including PR News' Platinum Awards for "Best Branding" for both The Dead Rabbit and Campari, which were the first times that a cocktail bar and a spirit brand campaign had earned these awards in this coveted category. The agency also earned acclaim for its campaign for Porchlight, the first standalone cocktail bar by Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group.

"13 years ago, I pursued my dream of creating a PR agency that exclusively represented clients I truly believed in," says Lee. "I learned a lot by doing and by reaching out to mentors who offered me guidance along the way. This list of tips is my own personal way of saluting the community that embraced me and I encourage the next generation of entrepreneurs to take the plunge—with eyes wide open."

1) Passion Is Not Enough. Dedication Matters.
Having a passion for running your business is a given, but success comes from hard work and dedication. Devote yourself not just 100 percent, but 1,000 percent.

2) Being the Best is Not Enough. Pursue Excellence.
Pursue excellence and be the best of the best of the best. Moreover, once you achieve it, you have to keep improving day in and day out, year after year. 

3) Sleep is Everything. In This Case, More is More.
A healthy mind in a healthy body is the foundation of running a healthy company. Be selfish and take good care of yourself mentally and physically. Getting enough sleep is everything so you can be your most productive the next day.

4) Be a Control Freak.
Pay attention to every detail of your business. From email communication to how you dress, every interaction counts.

5) Be Picky. Choose Clients That Have a Vision of Changing the World.
Work with clients who have a long-term vision and an idea that impacts how we live. Do not settle for ordinary clients, as they will ultimately define you as ordinary.

6) What Balance? Redefine the Work-Life Mix.
Embrace being "on" 24-7. Redefine your work-life mix and get over seeing selfies of your friends having fun on their Instagram feed while you're working. You are creating your own destiny. And it's worth it.

7) Stay Lean: Less Is More.
Profitability is more important than the size of the company. Stay lean. Get a bookkeeper and an accountant from the get-go who can keep you on track. Don't wait until after the fact. These folks are your best friends.

8) Stay Relevant and Be a "Go To" Expert.
Be a leader in your field and in-the-know. Educate yourself continuously and stay hungry for experience and thirsty for knowledge. This will enable you to be an influencer, not a follower. 

9) Be Tech-Savvy.
Be ready to run your business from your smartphone no matter where you are. Technology is your buddy and various apps can help you run your business on the go. Also, make a friend at an Apple or tech store who can give you a tip or two on an ongoing basis, not just when things break or go wrong.

10) Your Personal Social Media is No Longer Personal.
As an entrepreneur, your work and life are merged. Make sure everything you post on your personal platforms is thoughtfully curated and reinforces your overall brand message.

11) Business Comes and Goes, But Loyalty Matters.
Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, sometimes we are let go and sometimes we let go of clients, but loyalty transcends everything. It is particularly rewarding when former clients return with new business.

12) Together, We Can Do Better.
Create co-marketing initiatives with complementary brands and companies that share the same interests and values. This applies to those for your clients and also for your own company. Together, we can do better and defray costs at the same time.

13) Tap Mentors and Mentor in Return.
Create a brain trust of mentors who can guide you along your entrepreneurial path and mentor next-generation entrepreneurs to pay it forward.

Bonus tip:
14) Don't Overthink It.
When you have ideas, share them with relevant clients or colleagues immediately. Perfecting your ideas sometimes creates delays and someone else might beat you to the punch.

About Hanna Lee Communications, Inc.
Hanna Lee Communications, Inc. is an award-winning marketing agency specialized in food, drinks and travel PR and social media. The agency only represents products and companies that it believes in and who have a vision for changing the world.

This outlook drives its well-acknowledged excellence that has been recognized with more than 24 national and international awards and accolades in Food, Drinks, Travel, Bars, Restaurants, and Spirits from all over the world. The agency's proven expertise in Spirits spans Bourbon, Rye, Scotch Whisky, Irish Whiskey, Tequila, Mezcal, Vodka, Gin, Rum, Cachaça, Brandy, Cognac, Pisco, Applejack, Amaros, Liqueurs and Sake, as well as Beer and Wine.

To give back to the community, the agency hosts a "Meet the Spirited Author" series of book signing events to support spirits and cocktail authors who enrich lives by bringing erudition, deep thinking and insights to the global conversation.

For more information, follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @hannaleenyc and "like" us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HannaLeeCommunications and please visit http://www.hannaleecommunications.com.

Media Contacts:
Hanna Lee or Jen Neugeboren
Hanna Lee Communications, Inc.
[email protected]
[email protected]

SOURCE Hanna Lee Communications, Inc.

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