Let’s get one thing straight: I am a 21 year old running my own web design business. For years, I knew this was what I wanted to do. At the same time, I was a bit reluctant about the whole self-employment step because its quite scary, to be honest. Especially with no prior experience. I remember my previous employer suggesting to put a couple of years under my belt before taking the plunge. But a couple of years of what? A couple of years of just sitting in an office, 9 to 5, with limited creative freedom? Why wait? I am still young, energetic, and filled with ideas to improve the web design business.

Today’s world is completely different than what it was with some of these old school employers. If Obama can be the first black president (and at a relatively young age), anyone has the power to do anything. The response of the younger generation towards Obama is phenomenal. Hell, he got me into politics. Through the power of unconventional methods, he was able to change the playing field. Twitter, facebook, his stylish website, everything contributed to make him the man of the year. The same philosophy of caring and doing things differently can apply to business today.

There is a right way and a wrong way to do business. The wrong way is to put on your suit and tie, and blabber a client’s ear off about how you can change the world with your exceptional services, how you have XX amount of years of experience, and even cure cancer, all by using the right words that you read from the ‘Top 100 Phrases to Use in Sales’ book. Son, please.

Business should be ran like any successful relationship. You be yourself, invest quality time, and above all, be honest. Without honesty, you are just like any other suit that only cares about the moneys. It isn’t about money, it is about doing something you love, creating relationships that are long-lasting, and building a memorable reputation of being “oh! I know that guy!” It all comes down to how you build your brand equity.

The Game is changing. In order to stay in the game, you’ll have to play your cards right. And the only way to do that is to go with the gut feeling and believe in yourself.