In a couple of weeks, I will be teaching a class at the local community college for folks who are either thinking about taking that leap of starting a small business, or who have recently leapt.

We'll discuss the basics of how to start and run a successful business, but I'd like to ask my entrepreneurial community members to share some advice or lessons learned.

In a perfect world, I would invite you all to sit on a panel in the classroom to give advice to these entrepreneurial hopefuls, but this forum will have to do. Please send me your advice to new business owners in three sentences or fewer. I will compile your wisdom and share them with my class.

Thanks in advance for sharing your insight.