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Here’s inspiring entrepreneurial advice from the peculiar characters of Stranger Things

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Stranger Things one of the most popular streaming shows of all time globally (according to Parrot Analytics), has completely captivated its audience, season after season.

Little did you know, though, that amidst the plot twists and turns between the “Upside Down” and the ‘80s-era town of Hawkins, you can find inspiring nuggets of advice to spur on budding and seasoned entrepreneurs alike.

Below I discuss 5 key lessons about business that every entrepreneur can take away from this great show.

Take time to contemplate.

First, let’s take a look at the town’s keeper of peace, Chief Hopper. Each morning he greets his beloved secretary, Florence, with his daily mantra: “Mornings are for coffee and contemplation.” Although many might think this is the motto of someone not very motivated to dive into their to-do list for the day, it’s actually pretty sound advice.

As a small business owner and entrepreneur, you have a lot of responsibilities vying for your attention each and every day. In order to ensure you efficiently and effectively prioritise those tasks, you need to give yourself some time away from the craziness to contemplate and plan. Add a cuppa to it, and you’re off to a brilliant start for the day!

Conformity is never the answer.

Often times, in order to achieve great success as an entrepreneur, you have to be willing to draw outside the lines of conformity and think of innovative and unique ways of doing things. Enter the inspiring words of Johnathan, supportive older brother, to his struggling younger brother, Will: “Nobody normal ever accomplished anything meaningful in this world.”

As an entrepreneur, you’ve undoubtedly had to fight a lot of negative naysayers throughout your life who told you why an idea or aspiration just wouldn’t work. Your tenacious ability to push through obstacles and opposition will determine the success you experience throughout your career and life.

Perseverance is the key to success.

As you strive to think outside the box and leave conformity behind, you will need a strong dose of perseverance to sustain you along your journey to success. Follow the example of Mrs. Wheeler, a character who is determined to help her daughter, Nancy, live up to her potential and not give up in the face of adversity. She simply states, “Why not? Why not? If you believe in this story … finish it.”

Believing in your story and in yourself will help you conquer the hurdles that come your way so that you can accomplish what you’re trying to achieve.

Nurture your curiosity and creativity.

It all starts with an idea. One simple thought about a product or service that people need creates a domino effect towards success. As the cool, quirky science teacher, Mr. Clarke, perfectly states, “Once you open up that curiosity door, anything is possible.”

Don’t be afraid to ask “dumb” or unconventional questions. As you feed your curiosity and seek innovative ways of doing things, you’ll open up a door full of countless opportunities. Think about all the trends and “fads” that have taken the world by storm throughout history. The eighties alone were overflowing with them! The bottom line: Don’t be afraid to experiment and think outside the box. Your strange idea might just be the next Rubik’s Cube!

Mistakes often lead to success.

“Make mistakes; learn from them, and when life hurts you (because it will), remember the hurt. The hurt is good. It means you’re out of that cave.”—Hopper

Once again, Chief Hopper surprises us with a golden nugget of supreme wisdom. Ask any successful entrepreneur how many times they failed, and they will probably tell you there were too many to count. However, they will also tell you that the lessons they learned from those mistakes were the building blocks that led to their future success.

Truly, the only one who can keep you from achieving your dreams of entrepreneurship is you. So, in the words of Dustin Henderson, “Why are you keeping this curiosity door locked?” It’s time to take that next step on the journey towards realising your entrepreneurial ambitions.

Faye Ferris is the APAC Sales and Marketing Director for BusinessesForSale.com, one of the world’s largest online global marketplaces for buying and selling small to medium-sized businesses. Faye is passionate about helping Australian small businesses succeed and regularly writes about entrepreneurship and business management.