Before founding Simple Modern in 2015, I worked for a non-profit ministry for nine years, and that experience powerfully shaped my approach to business and culture. Three lessons, in particular, stuck with me as I began my journey as an entrepreneur.

Collaboration is one of the five core values of Simple Modern. We believe that teams produce better results than individuals, so collaboration plays a significant role in the day-to-day structure of our company.

In the words of Winston Churchill, “Now, this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

Sometimes tuition is financial, but it can also be time, effort, reputation, or physical health. The more tuition we pay, the more deeply the experience impacts our future thoughts and actions.

Compounding can have a profound impact on our relationships, career, abilities, finances, and health. When harnessed, it has the power to improve our quality of life dramatically.

We live in a world with unprecedented access to information. Social media and smartphones have given us more insight into the lives of others than ever before. And yet, our hunger for authenticity and transparency continues to run deep. Why is that?

In 2015, I co-founded a drinkware company. It seemed insane to others at the time as we would be competing with strong brands like Yeti and Hydro Flask. Today Simple Modern sells over $100 million annually. Here’s the secret to how we did it and glimpse into the Simple Modern founding story.

Practice cultivates and enhances our natural talents and abilities. Practice unlocks our full potential and amplifies our effectiveness, but it requires a great deal of time and commitment.

Successful entrepreneurs are simultaneously skilled at two things: persistence and the art of quitting.

One simple truth redefined my understanding of leadership. Values aren’t defined by what a leader says or the words in a mission statement. Values are expressed by the reality of what a team rewards, celebrates, and sacrifices. Here are some thoughts on the concept of the principle of “text” and “subtext.”

Being CEO of a quickly growing company is hard, and each growth stage requires a different type of leadership. To succeed, you will have to excel in the roles of: Player, Player/Coach, and Coach.

Here are 18 leadership principles that have transformed how I lead teams.