3 business lessons I learned after making $98,092.48 in my first year
I made nearly $100,000 in my first year of business—but it was far from easy.
I quit my “comfortable” 9-5 job at Dalhousie University, worked three times harder… all for the same money.
But I wouldn’t trade it for anything—because entrepreneurship is like a game. The more you learn, the more you earn.
And I’ve learned a LOT.
Here are the 3 biggest lessons that got me to my first $100K—hopefully these lessons can help you in your own business journey.
1. Your network is your paycheck
In my first year, 80% of my revenue came from either people I’d worked with before—or referrals from them.
I don’t care if you hate your job or the people you work with, be a helpful resource to everyone.
It’s about providing value to people.
Whether you’re at a minimum-wage job or making six figures—be the person people trust and remember.
- Go the extra mile
- Be reliable
- Help people—even when there’s nothing in it for you
Why? Because people naturally want to reciprocate.
Every time you help someone, it’s like planting a seed.
Don’t be surprise when old colleagues connect with you and offer new opportunities, all because they remember you as that person who delivers value, is reliable, and is great to work with.
Be that person.
2. Develop a high-value skill set
You can plant all the seeds in the world, but if you don’t have the right tools, you won’t be able to harvest anything.
That’s where your skills come in.
For me, my skills in web design, AV production, and data management got me my first clients. But I didn’t stop there.
Now, I’m leveling up. I’m learning content marketing and high-quality video production.
Why? Because I see content creating as a growing opportunity to make much more money that building websites.
Remember, if no one will pay you for what you do, then you don’t have a marketable skill.
Whatever industry you’re in, get so good that people seek you out—and can’t afford to ignore you.
3. Business is a money game—Learn the rules
If you don’t understand money and how it works, how can you expect to make lots of it? And if you do make money, how do you expect to keep it?
I used to hear terms like EBITDA, cash flow, ROI, and tune out. But then I realized… successful people talk about money the way athletes talk about strategy.
If I wanted to win the game, I needed to learn the language.
Business is like the human body—money is the blood. If you don’t track your cash flow, your business could be bleeding out without you even realizing it.
You don’t need a finance or medical degree to understand money—just start small:
- Read one book on business finance
- Watch one YouTube video on cash flow
- Track your own numbers so you actually know where your money is going
Master this, and you’ll have a massive advantage over most people.
I'm documenting my journey to $1,000,000—the wins, the failures, everything. Watch the journey here.