As a child, I was told to keep problems at home — being a Palestinian is something that wasn’t to be discussed publicly, most of the time.

While these things made me stronger in some regards, it definitely created a habit that reflected on what I saw growing up and continues to be the reality of who I am today.

I’ve been fortunate to work with many leaders who have compassion and empathy for their people and customers, their communities, and beyond. I’ve also occasionally worked with a few that have no compassion or empathy towards others.

Look around globally, and unfortunately you will see many great examples of bad leadership. Just holding a title doesn’t impart success as a leader.

To me, it seems that leaders that have compassion or empathy are disappearing from the world stage, with very few exceptions.

Whether you are in the startup stage or the growth stage, you will face challenges. They may look different, but the feeling is somewhat the same.

There are several key components to consider when launching a program in a community that is not accustomed to entrepreneurship as a pathway.

Many of you don’t know the full story behind the work that I do, but only a few know how I got here. I share this today because our professionalism and personal lives always somewhat overlap.

Most people in the entrepreneurial and small business arena run on a tight budget and time span. Learning to ask the right questions can drive and create opportunities. I’ve discovered that questions which seem simple — or even sound dumb — can actually be intriguing and cause you to think deeper.

I’ve been developing programs for communities to ensure that entrepreneurs learn how to start or grow businesses, and small business owners know how to grow their enterprises, for 30+ years.

Engineers are always testing, trying, and launching solutions to problems — they are trained to be resilient.

As you become formalized in your work as an engineer, you have followed certain ways and methodologies, and breaking away from them can be a challenge.

The last thing an entrepreneur needs is to live in a fantasy that has no checks or balances.

For many years I paid no attention to what, how, or when I said what I said. I was careful, but didn’t totally understand or appreciate the insights I had gained in working with thousands of entrepreneurs around the globe.

We’ve met a lot of entrepreneurs from all around the world, who say things like:

• It’s never been done this way

• I’d never reach that goal

• No one would buy this

We’re all making decisions every second we’re on Earth. We’re making decisions of what to wear, when to wake up, what to eat or buy. We’re negotiating with ourselves all day long.

In last week’s blog I discussed exit strategies, and have since been asked to share one of the specific strategies I personally used to help someone exit their business.

One thing I’ve learned, dealing with people and businesses coming and going since the 1990s, is that it’s a good idea to explore options before you make the decision to exit your business. In my experience, this conversation generally happens in your own head.

I am frequently asked what I do to prepare for a meeting. I hope what I share here will spark a conversation!

Traveling as much as I do, I quickly learned that I need to leverage every minute I have to understand the environment in which I will be meeting.

Over the course of my life, I have learned that rejection can be a blessing. The stories we tell to uplift ourselves, especially when we are rejected or being evaluated by others, keep us moving forward.

We’ve developed insights and used many different methodologies while working with thousands of entrepreneurs in over 100 countries around the globe. Many have shared their great results — from raising millions of dollars to hiring people — or expanding to other countries.

In the beginning, many aspiring entrepreneurs look for the “easy way in.”

Meanwhile, those who have been around for a while have made it clear: there is no “easy way in.”

I’ve been fortunate to work with entrepreneurs in different environments around the globe. While they share some similarities, each is unique to the individual. Based on my experience, I can say that having long-terms goals or plans for the start-up depends on the entrepreneur, their background, the type of start-up, and the industry.

Where does success really lie? Is it only in the numbers, or does it live within us as self-validation or validation from a customer or client?