Ask any successful entrepreneur about his or her legacy and you will find it does not take an entire lifetime of hard work to make a lasting impact through business. Being mindful of the legacy created through your business while you are still working makes it that much easier to maintain a focus on the bigger picture. Ideally, your business will set the stage for you to influence your community during the prime of your career and also across posterity. Let’s take a look at a few ideas that will help bolster your career legacy.
Do not be Afraid to Take a Chance
Risk-taking is an essential component of business. However, when professionals are interviewed in their golden years about their top regrets, most cite the fact that they did not take enough career risks. If you are offered a new assignment, do not refuse it right off the bat simply because it is abroad or in a new domestic location. If you have not yet started your own business, consider doing so now and you just might make exponentially more money while employing locals in need of work.
Seize the Opportunity to Become a Mentor
Take a moment to think about all the people who helped you reach your current position. You have the opportunity to lend similar assistance to others looking to ascend the career ladder. Mentor other budding professionals, volunteer at youth centers and you will rest easy knowing you did your part to make a positive impact on your community.
Share Your Insight With the Masses
Mentoring others is important yet you also have the ability to share your knowledge with the entirety of the population. Start a blog or publish a book and you will finally have the opportunity to share your wisdom with the masses.
Create a Business Succession Plan
According to PR Newswire and Forbes, nearly one-half of family-owned businesses lack a succession plan and many business owners do not perform comprehensive planning prior to putting their company up for sale, resulting in an unsuccessful or drawn out exit plan. When in doubt, reach out to an advisor to collaborate on a succession plan. This way, if the worst-case scenario arises, you have a better chance to be adequately prepared.
Start a new Business
Your knowledge, expertise and skills amassed throughout the years set the stage to launch a new venture. As an example, you can start a career in consulting after working in another role for one or several decades, enjoy a new challenge and find a new purpose in life.
Give Back
Paying it forward makes you feel that much better about yourself as well as your surrounding community. Give back to local causes, finance local startups and volunteer your free time. Such altruism won’t benefit your bottom line yet it will certainly help you leave a positive career legacy and ultimately make the world a better place.
Opinions expressed in the article are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Raymond James. All opinions are as of this date and are subject to change without notice.