I've learned firsthand that skills, capital, and good timing matter—but the right mindset is what determines whether you survive your first major setback or give up. It's what separates entrepreneurs who build lasting businesses from those who chase shiny objects and burn out.
These 7 mindset elements aren't theory—they're lessons learned from building Hadley Media from the ground up, weathering a global pandemic that destroyed my industry overnight, teaching myself to code at 54, and now competing with VC-backed startups at 56.
Important: These aren't personality traits you're born with. They're mental muscles you develop through practice, experience, and conscious effort. If you don't have them all today, that's fine—neither did I when I started.
1. Visionary Thinking: See What Others Miss
As entrepreneurs, we must be able to think creatively and envision opportunities that others overlook. This isn't about having a crystal ball—it's about pattern recognition, asking "what if," and being willing to challenge assumptions everyone else accepts.
When COVID decimated the live events industry in 2020, most people in experiential marketing saw only disaster. I saw an opportunity to pivot entirely—to teach myself coding and build software solutions for industries that weren't destroyed by the pandemic. That's visionary thinking: seeing possibility where others see only problems.
Building SalesLeadAgent came from noticing that commercial lending brokers were all complaining about the same problem: wasting hours on manual prospecting with terrible results. Everyone saw the problem. I envisioned a solution: AI-powered lead generation that does the prospecting work 24/7.
How to Develop Visionary Thinking:
- •Listen for recurring complaints in your industry—that's where opportunities hide
- •Question assumptions: "Why do we do it this way?" "What if we didn't?"
- •Study adjacent industries—innovation often comes from applying ideas across domains
- •Spend time with people outside your bubble—diverse perspectives spark new ideas
2. Resilience: Bounce Back Stronger
Resilience is essential for navigating the inevitable ups and downs of entrepreneurship. You will face setbacks. You will have products that flop, clients who ghost you, team members who quit at the worst time, and strategies that simply don't work. The question isn't whether these things will happen—it's whether you'll bounce back when they do.
When COVID destroyed the live events industry overnight, Hadley Media's entire business model became obsolete in a matter of weeks. I could have given up, declared bankruptcy, and retired early. Instead, I took that as a signal to reinvent myself completely—teaching myself to code at 54 and pivoting to an entirely new industry.
That's resilience. Not pretending setbacks don't hurt. Not toxic positivity. Just the stubborn refusal to let circumstances define your future.
How to Build Resilience:
- •Reframe failures as learning experiences—ask "What can I learn?" not "Why me?"
- •Build a support network before you need it—isolation kills resilience
- •Practice small comebacks—bounce back from minor setbacks to build the muscle
- •Maintain perspective—this setback won't matter in 5 years
"Resilience isn't about never getting knocked down. It's about always getting back up—and learning something each time you do."
3. Calculated Risk-Taking: Smart Bets, Not Reckless Gambles
Entrepreneurship requires taking risks—but successful entrepreneurs aren't reckless gamblers. We're calculated risk-takers who understand odds, manage downside, and make informed decisions even in uncertainty.
Teaching myself to code at 54 was a risk. I could have wasted months learning something I'd never be good at. But I calculated the downside (time invested, no financial loss) versus the upside (entirely new skillset opening massive opportunities) and decided it was a risk worth taking.
The key word is "calculated." I didn't quit everything to learn to code. I didn't bet my retirement savings on being able to build a SaaS business. I took small, manageable risks that I could afford to lose while learning.
Smart risk-taking means:
- •Understanding the downside: What's the worst that can happen?
- •Validating before scaling: Test small before betting big
- •Having contingency plans: What's plan B if this doesn't work?
- •Gathering data: Make informed decisions, not blind guesses
Key Principle: Take risks you can afford to lose while learning. As you gain experience and resources, your capacity for larger risks grows—but never bet everything on a single roll of the dice.
4. Adaptability: Pivot or Perish
Adaptability is crucial for staying agile and responsive to changes in markets, technology, and customer needs. Rigid entrepreneurs who refuse to adapt don't last long. The ones who thrive are constantly adjusting their strategies based on new information.
My entire career is a case study in adaptability. From experiential marketing to learning to code to building AI-powered platforms—I've reinvented myself multiple times. Not because I lacked commitment, but because I recognized when markets were shifting and adapted accordingly.
The commercial lending broker space is another example. I started with the idea of just building calculators. But after talking to brokers, I realized they needed more than calculators—they needed qualified leads and sales intelligence. So I adapted and built SalesLeadAgent to solve the real problem, not the one I initially assumed.
Adaptability doesn't mean changing direction every time something gets hard. It means:
- •Listening to market feedback and customer needs
- •Being willing to kill features that aren't working
- •Pivoting when the data says your current approach isn't working
- •Staying current with industry trends and emerging technologies
"The entrepreneurs who survive aren't always the smartest or the most well-funded. They're the ones who adapt fastest to changing conditions."
5. Passion: Your Fuel for the Long Haul
Passion is essential for staying motivated through the inevitable challenges of entrepreneurship. When you're passionate about what you're building—not just the idea of being an entrepreneur, but the actual problem you're solving—you'll find energy to push through obstacles that stop others.
I'm passionate about helping commercial lending brokers succeed because I understand firsthand how critical access to capital is for small businesses. I've been the entrepreneur seeking financing. I know the frustration of working with brokers who don't deliver. That passion for solving this real problem keeps me motivated when building software gets tedious.
But here's what most people get wrong about passion: it's not about loving every moment. I don't love debugging code at 11 PM or dealing with server issues. Passion means the WHY is strong enough that you'll handle the tedious HOW.
True entrepreneurial passion includes:
- •Deep belief in your mission: You know why this work matters
- •Excitement about customer wins: Their success genuinely makes you happy
- •Willingness to do unglamorous work: Passion powers you through the boring parts
- •Long-term commitment: You're in this for years, not months
Reality Check: Passion alone won't build a successful business. But without it, you'll quit when things get hard—and things always get hard. Passion is the fuel that keeps you going when logic says to give up.
6. Resourcefulness: Make It Work with What You Have
Resourcefulness is the ability to find creative solutions with limited resources. Successful entrepreneurs don't wait for perfect conditions—they leverage what they have, build strategic partnerships, and find clever ways around obstacles that would stop others.
When I decided to learn coding, I didn't have the luxury of quitting everything to attend a bootcamp. I used free resources like FreeCodeCamp, cheap Udemy courses, and countless hours of YouTube tutorials. I leveraged my business experience to understand what I needed to build, even as I was learning how to build it.
Building SalesLeadAgent on a bootstrap budget meant being creative. Instead of hiring a team of developers, I learned to code myself and used AI tools to accelerate development. Instead of expensive marketing campaigns, I built a network of lead generation sites that attract customers organically.
Resourcefulness shows up in:
- •Creative problem-solving: Finding unconventional solutions to common problems
- •Network leverage: Knowing who to call when you hit roadblocks
- •Tool mastery: Using modern tools to punch above your weight
- •Bartering and partnerships: Trading value instead of always paying cash
- •Learning on the fly: Figuring things out as you go
"Resourcefulness is the entrepreneur's superpower. It's not about having everything you need—it's about making the most of what you have while finding creative ways to get what you don't."
7. Continuous Learning: Never Stop Growing
The entrepreneur mindset requires continuous learning, self-reflection, and a willingness to adapt and evolve. The moment you think you know everything is the moment your business starts dying. Markets change, technologies evolve, customer needs shift—and you must keep learning to stay relevant.
Teaching myself to code at 54 is the most obvious example of continuous learning in my career. But it's not the only one. I'm constantly learning about AI capabilities, changes in the commercial lending industry, new marketing strategies, and emerging technologies that could impact my business.
Continuous learning means staying humble enough to admit you don't know everything and curious enough to want to learn more. It means:
- •Reading widely: Books, articles, industry reports—stay informed
- •Learning from customers: Every conversation is an education
- •Studying competitors: What are they doing well? What can you learn?
- •Attending conferences: Stay connected to industry trends
- •Experimenting constantly: Test new approaches, measure results, iterate
- •Seeking mentorship: Learn from those ahead of you
Personal Commitment: Set aside time each week for learning. Whether it's reading, taking courses, or having coffee with other entrepreneurs—make continuous learning a non-negotiable part of your routine.
Bringing It All Together: The Entrepreneur Mindset in Action
These 7 elements don't exist in isolation—they work together to create a powerful entrepreneurial mindset that helps you navigate the challenges of building a business.
Visionary thinking helps you identify opportunities. Resilience keeps you going when those opportunities turn into obstacles. Calculated risk-taking gives you the courage to pursue them. Adaptability helps you pivot when your initial approach doesn't work. Passion provides the fuel for the long journey. Resourcefulness helps you make the most of limited resources. And continuous learning ensures you keep getting better at all of it.
The good news? You don't need to master all 7 elements before you start. I certainly didn't. These are muscles you build over time through experience, practice, and conscious effort.
Start where you are. Identify which elements feel weakest for you and work on those. Read books, find mentors, practice in low-stakes situations, and gradually build your entrepreneurial mindset.
Your Mindset Determines Your Outcome
Two entrepreneurs with the same idea, same market, and same resources will have wildly different outcomes based on their mindsets.
The one with vision sees opportunities others miss. The resilient one bounces back from setbacks. The calculated risk-taker moves forward despite uncertainty. The adaptable one pivots when needed. The passionate one perseveres through challenges. The resourceful one finds creative solutions. And the continuous learner keeps getting better.
That's the entrepreneur who succeeds.
I hope this breakdown of the 7 key elements has given you a clearer picture of what it takes to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. These aren't just nice-to-haves—they're essential for long-term success.
Now it's your turn. Which of these 7 elements do you need to develop most? What's one thing you can do this week to start building that mental muscle?