Sitting at my corporate desk 19 years ago, I had this crazy idea: If I was going to work this hard for them, I might as well work that hard for myself. I kept thinking, "Julie, how can you even think of this? You must be off your rocker to consider leaving the reliability of a paycheck and benefits." But it was like a lightning bolt from the sky--an intense thought that grabbed hold of a young woman at the exuberant age of 28, and it never let go. They say this is the first inclination you are an entrepreneur.

To say the road ahead of me would be bumpy was an understatement. I was in the middle of a difficult divorce, a single mom raising a baby for the first time. Emotions were high, money was low and there never seemed to be enough for me to "start a business." In addition, I looked 10 years younger than I was, so no one took me seriously. Nevertheless, I knew I could do it. Despite the obstacles I faced at every turn, I wasn't deterred. I wanted to teach my daughter by example that women can conquer all obstacles.

If I had the chance to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. It was the right decision, made me wise beyond my years and honestly comes with zero regret. However, it was not an easy road. In fact, there was no road at all in my chosen field: estate liquidation.

Through my passion for buying and selling estate items, I uncovered a huge, unfilled niche. My elderly clients had too much stuff in their homes. They needed help downsizing when they moved into assisted-living facilities or made decisions about who gets what after they die. Their boomer children needed help handling their estates after death. They didn't know what to keep, what to sell or donate, and, more important, they didn't know what things were worth. Just by listening to clients, I developed a turnkey company that handles all such needs: liquidation, appraisal, brokering, emptying the residence, consultation services--a one-stop shop.

Certainly I was hesitant before taking that first step into an unexplored market. But ultimately I decided to move forward into uncharted territory and make a road others could follow, rather than stay in a job I didn't care for. As it turned out, I discovered I am an excellent bulldozer and paved my way to success.

The really great news is that if I can do it, you can, too.

One of the first lessons you learn as an entrepreneur is that while there are a multitude of resources out there for you, ultimately you are on your own. This can be an isolating feeling, and you learn quickly what you are made of. It takes great strength and stamina to fulfill your dream, not to mention the patience and support of those closest to you. More than that, it takes tenacity of the spirit, a positive mind-set when you feel like crumbling and crying (and yes, it will happen), and the ability to get back up after you're knocked down.

When my daughter was learning to walk and she stumbled and fell, I encouraged her to get right back up, brush herself off and go on to her next adventure. So, too, is the unpredictable life of an entrepreneur. Get right back up and--no matter what--keep moving forward. Throughout the years, there have been many times I compared myself to the hamster that jumped on the wheel with lots of vigor but never really ended up anywhere. Looking back, I actually was going somewhere, but there are times when we get stuck in a type of holding pattern before advancing--like reaching a plateau as you are losing weight. Very frustrating, but part of an entrepreneur's personal growth.

There are many reasons people venture out to become entrepreneurs. Some receive a strong calling. Perhaps they have an invention in mind, or they want to offer services that bring relief to the consumer. Others will feel they are better off building their own business. Still others thrive on the satisfaction they receive on the road to success. For me, it was all of the above.

What I wouldn't have given back then to have the experience and valuable knowledge I possess today. I share with you the most important lessons I have learned in building a successful company:

1. Don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't do it. You can and will find a way. People who normally say things like that can be a bit envious of the entrepreneurial spirit, or perhaps live with regret themselves. It's also possible they just don't understand it.
   
   
2. If you don't try, you will always wonder about what "could have been." Avoid living with regret and guilt by trying your best. Regret will catch up with you when you are an elderly woman, as I see so often in my senior clients who share that with me. Nothing bad can ever come from trying. The human spirit needs to put forth effort to have some sense of satisfaction.
   
   
3. When you come to a crossroads in your life as an entrepreneur, always go with your gut instinct. We often let our heads get in the way of what our gut already knows. My gut has never lied to me. Tune into it, listen attentively and keep moving. Do not get stuck in the decision-making process. If the first decision leads to a solution that doesn't work, try another approach. Thomas Edison failed repeatedly before he created a working light bulb. As he put it, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" Thank goodness he didn't quit!
   
   
4. Stay the course. So you've stumbled, and what you had planned isn't working. Take polls from business leaders you trust. Ask questions and figure out what is needed to move on to the next level. Perhaps you need a different company image, or you are not marketing to the appropriate people. Ask, ask and ask again until the answers come.
   
   
5. Figure out what it is specifically that makes you different and better than your competitors. Capitalize on those differences, and you now have a marketing campaign--a fresh approach for your target customer, whether by e-mail, handing out fliers, dropping off marketing packets, or other means.
   
   
6. The best advertising in the world is a happy customer. No amount of advertising is as good as the people you please with your work. The part most entrepreneurs forget is to ask your clients to tell others about you. You must become a shameless self-promoter; but do so graciously, and always with a smile. Branch out your marketing by going after large groups of people, corporate events, civic organizations, faith-based organizations, etc. Find a way to get in with large groups of people at one time. Think smart.
   
   
7. Identify what it is you are selling. Sounds crazy, but most people haven't figured out they are not selling gizmos or a service. I am an estate professional who specializes in personal property. Do I just sell people's stuff? No, I sell a solution--multiple solutions. A humanity-based solution. Solve their problems, take away their pain, and I can almost guarantee you a successful venture. Really think about this one.
   
   
8. Follow through with passion and tenacity. My business advisor told me many years ago that the real reason entrepreneurs don't make it isn't for lack of great ideas. There are many bright, ambitious and creative entrepreneurs-to-be out there. They fail for one of two reasons: Lack of finances, or they never go for it with everything they've got. The follow-through is weak, and the business never has a fair chance of taking off because people are easily frustrated. He then predicted I would make it because I had the tenacity and the passion to do so.
   
   
9. Be the best at what you do. Don't allow yourself, your ideas or your company to get swallowed up by others who do the same thing. You must do it better, as the cream always rises to the top.
   
   
10. Always look forward, and never look back. Ever notice how some people live in the past and seem to get stuck there? It's OK to visit the past and learn from what went wrong. Then turn it into a positive so it works to your benefit.
    
    
11. For every problem you encounter, there is a solution.
    
    
12. Always be kind, courteous and compassionate. Kindness gets noticed because so few people actually practice it.

Julie Hall, known as The Estate Lady, is a professional estate liquidator and estate dissolution expert. With more than 18 years' experience, she has assisted thousands of individuals in the daunting and often painful process of managing their deceased parents' affairs. She is also a speaker, consultant and trainer.