13 Steps Entrepreneurs Should Take if They Want to Succeed in the Culture Space

Much like technology, culture can change at the drop of a hat. People’s tastes, what’s “in” and “the next big thing” are constantly evolving, whether in reaction to current events or the latest innovation in a particular industry. Those entrepreneurs hoping to make it in this space must be able to thrive in a changing environment, adapting their business when it’s needed and sticking to the plan when it’s not. 

But this isn’t the only way to get ahead in the culture space. According to the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council, embracing the following habits can give hopeful entrepreneurs a leg up on the competition and ensure they find true success in the culture space and their overall careers.

Implement ‘Scheduled Daydreaming’

Adopting the habit of “scheduled daydreaming” or “scheduled solitude” can paradoxically boost productivity by keeping entrepreneurs engaged and mentally active. This approach can lead to unexpected insights and solutions for pressing issues, as the mind works on them subconsciously. It also ensures a wide array of tasks are tackled, contributing to overall progress and innovation. – Jessica Billingsley, Sona Capital

Consistently Follow Up

You need to have a consistent infrastructure for how to follow up with your customers, partners, investors, employees and anyone else related to the success of your business. Creating specific plans and follow-up automations will help you avoid chaos and disorganization. – King Holder, PROCUSSION

Embrace Continuous Learning

One crucial habit for entrepreneurs looking to thrive in the culture space and in their careers is embracing continuous learning. By constantly seeking new knowledge and staying open to innovation, they can adapt to changing trends and stand out in their field. – Adam Rumanek, Aux Mode Inc.

Listen Actively

Active listening is essential for entrepreneurs in the culture space. It goes beyond hearing—it’s about deeply understanding the needs and aspirations of diverse communities. This requires engaging actively, asking insightful questions and acting on insights to make a lasting impact in the industry. – Red Rodriguez, GRAV

Believe in Yourself

It sounds simple, but believing in yourself can be the hardest part. While you can have complete determination to share and develop your ideas, you’ll find pushback comes when engaging within your networks. Still, the second you doubt yourself, you’ll lose the ability to convince others. Continuously check in with yourself, writing down and saying out loud why you are doing what you do. – Cynthia Johnson, Bell + Ivy

Seek Feedback and Adapt

Embracing feedback fosters growth, enhances products or services and strengthens relationships. Being adaptable allows entrepreneurs to navigate challenges, seize opportunities and stay relevant in an ever-evolving cultural landscape. – Sonia Singh, Center of Inner Transformations

The Rolling Stone Culture Council is an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives. Do I qualify?

Prioritize Marketing Early

An important practice for entrepreneurs is prioritizing marketing early in their business plan. For many startups, marketing is an afterthought. It cannot be implemented too close to your launch. The truth is that you can build it, but people need time to learn about your products or services before buying them, especially in saturated markets. – Dan Serard, Cannabis Creative Group

Cultivate Relentless Curiosity

Stay updated across all content channels, even if they’re unrelated to your business. Engaging in diverse conversations across platforms, such as marketing campaigns, social media, music festivals and streaming, helps you understand where audiences are at any given time, what fuels them and what you can learn from them. It keeps you relevant and ahead of the competition. – Michael Klein, cannabisMD

Connect With Others Face-to-Face

Get back to in-person meetings. Zoom and texts should supplement, not completely replace, the way we connect to our networks. In-person meetings add a physical presence that promotes more creative and innovative collaborations and ensures a building of rapport and trust that virtual meetings cannot convey. – Andy Hale, Hale & Monico

Be Willing to Change Your Mind

One of the most important habits for an entrepreneur is to always stay open to changing your mind. Also, gain the ability to recognize a bad idea — even if it’s a personal one. – Michele Zanello, Over the Reality

Find Your Joy

Take time to cultivate joy. In my experience, this is a blend of gratitude, awe and self-knowledge. Joyful people attract others, attract opportunities and, most importantly, see connections that others do not see. Entrepreneurship is hard work, and fatigue can make joy seem distant. But, that’s all the more reason why entrepreneurs should intentionally seek it out. – Jed Brewer, Good Loud Media

Refuse to Give Up

To quote the late, great Nipsey Hussle: “Don’t quit.” There are very few things we can control in this world. I would argue that we can control only a few things: our actions, our thoughts, our emotions (to some degree ) and how we react to the world around us. We all don’t know what we don’t know, so just don’t quit. – Chris Eggers, CC Security Solutions