The entrepreneurial industry is ever-changing and the new generation of leaders are fast recognizing the importance of taking care of their mental wellbeing while building their dreams and empires.
After building an esteemed e-commerce empire and brand, the owners and founders of Braxley Bands, Braxton Manley and Grant Andrews offer their top wellbeing tips to new entrepreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs.
Their wristband for the Apple Watch exploded from a project at Texas Tech into a million dollar company in a few short years. They learned a lot along the way and have some thoughts for other new businesses to ensure they are set up for success.
Slow and steady wins the race
Preserving our mental health is important to avoid burnout and stress. Many experienced entrepreneurs share the story of scaling their businesses too fast, only to face extreme exhaustion.
Not only does this have a negative impact on our business over the long-term (as it is an unsustainable way to live), it also deeply affects our health and our relationships, which all in turn affect our business as they are inter-connected.
“We didn’t expand too quickly, we didn’t pay ourselves for the first year and we relied on others,” Manley said.
Braxton and Grant didn’t expect results overnight, and that knowledge alone helped them manage the business at a steady and sustainable pace.
Work remotely for a more balanced lifestyle
Not only does working from home allow many of us to reduce overhead, it also allows us to live a more balanced lifestyle as we gain a sense of freedom being able to work in a physical environment that often better suits our needs and comfort levels.
Manley and Andrews both work from home and don’t have a traditional office.
“This past year has shown how easily it can be for a lot of us to work remotely. We always knew it was the future of business, but now more people realize how realistic that future is.” Manley shares.
Take care of yourself first
If they could offer one piece of advice, it’s to keep a balanced life.
“Being rich won’t make you happy but being happy might make you rich,” Manley said.
He added that eating well, getting enough sleep and exercising are important to stay creative and be able to start a business. Staying healthy will also ensure that you can more easily bounce back during times that require working longer days or investing more energy, like the nights Manley and Andrews spent hand sewing bands until 4 a.m.
Grant and Braxton are firm believers that constantly trying to hustle all the time isn’t sustainable, and that entrepreneurs should instead prioritize their own health first – that way they are able to jump into fourth gear when their business needs it.