8 Lessons from 8 Years of Building Brooklyn Fi
Reflections on nearly a decade of entrepreneurship, team building, and helping others achieve their financial goals.
8 Lessons from 8 Years
When we started Brooklyn Fi, I had no idea what the journey would look like. Now, eight years later, I can look back and identify the lessons that shaped both the company and myself.
1. Your First Hires Define Your Culture
We got lucky with our early team. Looking back, I realize how much those first few people shaped everything that came after. Hire slowly, and hire for values first.
2. Product-Market Fit Is a Moving Target
What worked in year one wasn’t what worked in year five. The market evolves, your clients’ needs evolve, and you need to evolve with them.
3. Transparency Beats Perfection
We made plenty of mistakes. But every time we were honest about them with our clients and team, we came out stronger. People don’t expect you to be perfect — they expect you to be trustworthy.
4. Build Systems Before You Need Them
The time to create processes isn’t when you’re drowning. Document everything. Create systems. Your future self will thank you.
5. Take Care of Your Team
Happy people do better work. It’s that simple. Invest in your team’s growth, well-being, and development.
6. Know When to Say No
Not every opportunity is the right opportunity. Saying no to good things lets you say yes to great things.
7. Revenue Is Not Profit
Sounds obvious, but it’s easy to lose sight of. Growth for growth’s sake nearly derailed us in year three. Sustainable growth is the only kind that matters.
8. It’s About the Journey
The cliché is true. The relationships built, the problems solved, the growth experienced — that’s the real reward.
Here’s to the next eight years.