1. If you know too much before the start, then you will get overwhelmed. Come up with an original idea, and don’t copy because there will be no passion. You need that other worldly passion. Just start. – Jeni Britton Bauer, Founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.

The more you know about the ins and outs of a business, the less likely you are to come to a decision. So when you want something done, just do it! Everything else can be sorted out later.

2. Being a woman in business doesn’t come without challenges. My advice? Surround yourself with other supportive women that encourage you, share ideas, and get you motivated. – Jessica Alba, Founder of The Honest Company

Hollywood-superstar-turned-businesswoman Jessica Alba certainly hit the nail right on the head. Running a business is not a walk in the park, especially if you’re a woman.

Read also: Secrets to success: 3 inspiring Filipino entrepreneurs who started small

While you focus on building your empire, you need to surround yourself with people you can trust and can keep you grounded.

3. “If you are working on a product that’s going to be consumer-facing, then feedback is invaluable. You should be out there being brave and talking to people and asking for feedback as much as possible.” – Emily Brooke, Co-Founder of Blaze

In the industry, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills don’t go unnoticed, so utilize them well. Don’t dismiss honest and constructive feedback because they give you room to improve your brand. 

4. If you tune it so that you have zero chance of failure, you usually also have zero chance of success. The key is to look at ways for when you get to your failure checkpoint, you know to stop. – Reid Hoffman, Co-founder of LinkedIn

Take this advice from the co-founder of LinkedIn, the popular one-stop-site for expanding your professional network. You’ll realize that you can always find the silver lining — even in the worst of setbacks.

5. The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. – Walt Disney, Animator, and Entrepreneur

This may have been mentioned already, but Walt Disney is right, you know: less talk,more action!

6. An entrepreneur tends to bite off a little more than he can chew hoping he’ll quickly learn how to chew it. – Roy Ash, Co-founder and Former President of Litton Industries

Admit it, there are times we can get overzealous — but that’s what separates risk-taking entrepreneurs from people who are too scared to try. Trust your intelligence, talent, and your gut—because yes, you will figure things out.

7. Because, you know, resilience — if you think of it in terms of the Gold Rush, then you’d be pretty depressed right now because the last nugget of gold would be gone. But the good thing is, with innovation, there isn’t a last nugget. Every new thing creates two new questions and two new opportunities. – Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon.com

Whenever you feel stuck, think back to this quote from Jeff Bezos. He, too, started from scratch, but look at him now—he founded the biggest online empire in the world. We humans are creative, multifaceted beings, and our potential for innovation is limitless! 

8. The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks. – Mark Zuckerberg, Co-founder and CEO of Facebook

If you don’t want a life full of “what ifs”, you have to take risks. Be wise enough to weigh a decision’s pros and cons, and adapt accordingly. And take risks anyway —if Mark Zuckerberg & co. didn’t take risks to make Facebook happen, who knows if we’d ever find our long-lost friends?

9. It is not the manager’s job to prevent risks. It is the manager’s job to make it safe to take them. – Ed Catmull, former President of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios

This is Leadership 101. Weighing pros and cons and wisely making decisions is what’s going to help your ship sail and brave through even an unprecedented storm. 

10. One of the greatest skills of leadership is being unflappable. Anytime you do anything in the world; there’s going to be criticism. – Arianna Huffington, Co-founder and former Editor-in-Chief of Huffington Post Media Group

Take it from Arianna Huffington. We can’t please everybody, and naysayers will always have something to say. Don’t take failures and successes personally because they may affect your disposition. Rather, to keep you grounded, rely on the most significant people in your life.

Now that you’ve heard it from some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world, go forth and start your own business journey! Care to share more inspirational quotes? Sound off in the comment section!