One of the most significant mistakes I made was bringing friends into my business without first working with them in a professional capacity. While I have had successful working relationships with friends from previous jobs, those outside my work environment have not always been the best fit. This misstep nearly caused my second company to fail, and once I was bought out, it did indeed tank as I had predicted.
From this experience, I learned a valuable lesson and moved on to my next venture. Even when I have positive feelings about my friends, I recognize that my judgment can be clouded when it comes to working with them. This is especially true when it comes to colleagues. Now that I am aware of this potential blind spot, I am more cautious and avoid making the same mistake twice.