Executives Share Their Best Career Advice for 2019

28 Executives Share Their Best Career Advice for 2019

Transitioning from one year to another isn’t merely about popping champagne and aspiring to drop weight, build muscle, or finally make it to Asia. Rather, it’s an opportunity to redefine and reconsider your career path, focusing not only on where you’ve been, but where you hope to go, too.

If you Google "career advice," you’ll likely be bombarded by the same ole trite and traditional advice from experts and recruiters. However, the most effective way to transform your position is to seek the wisdom from those who have already scaled up the ladder — all the way to the top. Leading executives at some of the fastest-growing startups as well as some of the most well-known household companies have chartered the journey already. And luckily, they are more than willing to share their learnings.

Here, 28 male executives across numerous industries and professions suggest what you should give your attention to in 2019. Perhaps it’ll be your most successful — and lucrative — lap around the sun yet.

Focus on What Exactly You Want to Be Doing

“Not for what company, not for which salary. Figure out what it is that you ideally want to spend your time doing every day (coding, mentoring, building, investing) and only then set out to make it a reality. Stick to your vision regardless of what other people say. In a world where everyone is trying to have the next best idea, being authentic to what you truly believe in will have a huge impact on your own success. It's also much harder to give up on your own vision than it is to give up on someone else's.” — Morgan Hirsh, founder & CEO of Public Goods

Your Team Is Your Most Important Asset

“Make sure to optimize aggressively for a team that can not only execute your vision but challenge your ideas. The journey through building a company from scratch is long and tedious, so you are going to want people around you that are smarter than you, can get things done, and think independently. With the new year ... it is a great time to make sure you are assembling a team that can take you through 2019.” — Gee Hwan-Chuang, co-founder & CEO of Listia and Ink Protocol

Don’t Just Forget About 2018 — Learn From It

“Moving into 2019 we should all be looking back at the successes and challenges of the last year. The best piece of career advice would be to learn from 2018 and examine what went right, what didn't, and determine what you need to achieve over the next 12 months. What choices did you make? What relationships did you build? What lessons have you learned that will shape you and your business over the next year? Take the successes of 2018 and apply them, while pivoting to avoid the same mistakes as last year, to ensure you are growing your brand and business, personally and professionally.” — Justin Blum, CEO of Raw Fitness

Get Up Earlier

“Spend time in the early morning reflecting on what a good day looks like. Write down what you want to accomplish that day and make sure you set aside time to start working on it before you get to your daily grind — checking and responding to emails. The first couple hours of your day are when you are most creative and can have the greatest impact on your day.” — Charles Coristine, President & CEO of Lesser Evil

Bet on Your People

“Always bet on your own people. Look at how you develop people; the time and energy you put into them will pay off. It’s ultimately a balance of bringing in talent from the outside and growing your own people that will result in the most success. Also, don't be afraid to promote your own people, even if they don’t necessarily have all of the experience. Their knowledge of the company, understanding of the culture, and loyalty will help make them successful. They can learn the additional skill sets needed.” — Michael Mina, chef & founder of MINA Group

RELATED: CEOs on Their Morning Routines

Constantly Perfect Your Craft

“There's no such thing as a perfect job or a perfect candidate, especially not in 2019. However, there is such a thing as being well prepared for an ideal career position. Once you have a long-term career goal in mind, identify the right traits and experiences needed in that role, and keep those qualifications in mind as you progress through your career. When that ideal career position opens up again, you'll be primed and ready to nail it.” — Bilal Kaiser, principal of Agency Guacamole

Focus Your Objective on the Future

“Focus your decisions on objectives that are not measured by rank, money, or short-term career advancement. Your objective should always be aspirational and based on the core of your motivations, not the results of success. Success is a state of mind — not a KPI — and unique to every person; a clear 'north star' will help you make the best decisions for you and the people around you. When you strive for something that is definable, all of your daily tasks have meaning and your failures never hold you back.” — Nobie Yamawaki, head of game trust and new business initiatives at GameStop

Become More Empathetic

“Empathy and self-awareness are like muscles that can be built, grown, and flexed over time to build company culture and improve your business. These are areas that, I think, when given the attention and time to develop, foster unbelievable, transformative results for male CEOs. An investment in this area of professional development has perhaps created the largest, most outsized returns of my entire career.” — Matt Scanlan, co-founder & CEO of Naadam

Figure Out the One Thing You’re Great At and Enjoy

“... and then do whatever it takes to become the best person in the world at it. If you are inclined to start a company, make sure you’re solving the biggest problem in the industry and doing it with the very best team. Most importantly, have fun and don’t be afraid of chasing what you enjoy. It generally ends well and, at the very least, you walk away with a smile and a great story.” — Zahir Dossa, co-founder & CEO of Function of Beauty

RELATED: CEOs Share The Most Impactful Book They've Read

Thrive in What You Don’t Know Yet

“In startups, as with life, there’s so much uncertainty that it can all feel a bit overwhelming. However, once you accept that the unknown will never go away entirely, it becomes much easier to manage. As my favorite writer once said, 'The future is called "perhaps," which is the only possible thing to call the future. And the important thing is not to allow that to scare you.’ " — David Nguyen, co-Founder of Material

Think Two Levels Up

“Try to think about your job the way your boss' boss likely does. If you don't know what’s on their plate, or the big dilemmas they are facing, ask questions ... find out! Once you do, you'll be better at your job and you'll have impressed people by asking insightful questions. Whether you are at a startup or a big company, the people who take the time to 'think two levels up' in 2019 will be setting themselves up for a big 2020.” — Jon Schniepp, SVP of product management, Republic Wireless/Relay

Ignite Your Passion

“My career advice for 2019 would be to commit to something you enjoy. While it’s become widely understood that we need to ‘follow our passion’ and do things that ‘don’t feel like work,’ I’ve seen people get lost in this mantra and pivot careers every year: First, they think their new job is super interesting, but it soon doesn’t live up to expectations and the grass appears greener elsewhere. It’s been proven that when you mentally commit to something, you get better at it or even become an expert, and that recognition and feeling of accomplishment ignites a passion on the topic, creating a virtuous circle. It may not be only about following your passion, but about making it happen, too.” — Marc Escapa, co-founder & CEO of Noken

Focus on Writing the Story of Your Life and Experiences

“I would avoid evaluating your current role or point in your career in isolation. In my experience, the people who build a fulfilling career are thoughtful about why they are doing what they are doing and what they are building towards. This also helps when looking for new opportunities because you aren't scrambling to explain why you would be a good fit for a role or how you are in a unique position to contribute.” — Sahir Zaveri, co-founder & CEO of King Children

RELATED: How to Use Social Media to Land a Job

Make the Time to Meet With People in Your Field

“This includes potential team members, peers, and those who are more senior. It's a great way to keep tabs on what is going on in your space — and you never know where the next opportunity will come from! In 2019, I'm resolving to say ‘yes’ to more exploratory coffees and to reach out to people in healthcare that I admire.” — Steven Gutentag, co-founder & CEO of Thirty Madison

Look Beyond Compensation

“When looking for a job in the new year, target opportunities with the best prospects for growth and learning over compensation. The learning experiences will pay for themselves over the course of your career. The compensation improvement won’t be immediate, but it will amortize across the rest of your career and far outpace the money today. Additionally, take a critical look at the company culture — a feeling of belonging is just as important as salary.” — Charles Teague, founder & CEO of Lose It!

Balance Your Skills and What You Love

“Successful, balanced people seem to share this common characteristic: They search within themselves to find what they are naturally good at and enjoy doing. When people try to force a career that doesn’t align with their skill set or their interests, it’s like they’re swimming upstream. Now, more than ever, you can build your career at the intersection of what you love doing and what you’re good at. Happiness and success will follow.” — Andrew Blackmon, co-founder & CEO, The Black Tux

Explore Automation

“It can be easy to do things how they've always been done, but it's best to take a fresh look in the new year at how the business operates. See if there is room for improvement in the company or your role — there always is. Automation, in particular, has played a big part in streamlining operations away from manual labor, and it will continue to play a bigger role in 2019. Embrace it. If you run an online business, I highly recommend looking into ways to automate your to-dos. Even getting a simple everyday task automated will get you familiar with this concept and spark new ideas for other processes.” — Aditya Patel, managing partner at PurpleRock Capital Partners

RELATED: Best Apps to Streamline Your Life

Understand, Reflect, and Share

“Embrace change and take time to understand what is evolving inside and outside of your industry in 2019. Hype, buzz, and fads are not everything. Stay true to yourself and what is overall best for your business, but don’t be stubborn and close-minded in the process. In doing so, be open to criticism, reflection, and sharing with your colleagues, as their feedback and support will improve your business and career.” — Paul DePasquale, CEO & chief designer of Tivoli Audio

Remind Yourself Good Is the Death of Greatness

“Be disciplined, keep striving for greatness, and expect more of yourself personally and professionally. We are all capable of doing better. Go to the gym, work out, and eat better, not only for yourself but for your family. Continue to take your business to new heights by trying to improve it every day, not only for you but for your team members. There is no quick fix ... small victories every day leads to big changes and a better you personally and professionally.” — Jerry Eicke, franchise owner, Playa Bowls and The Salad House

Treat Everyone With Respect

“I started out my career as a server and bartender and worked my way up to become manager of some of the top lounges in New York and Las Vegas. One thing that I learned from working in the hospitality industry is that you treat people with respect regardless of their position or yours. Not only is that simply the right way to be, but employees are better when they feel valued and part of the team. Plus, you never know when one of your employees will be an important contact somewhere down the road. It costs nothing to be respectful, but the rewards are immeasurable.” — Eddie Allen, VP of beverage operations at Carnival Cruise Line

Don’t Second Guess Your Path or Ideas

“I am a risk taker and believe in the bigger payoff through taking risks and making sacrifices for the benefit of success. Whether you are working for someone or for yourself, listen to your gut feeling and follow it. Mistakes will always happen, but that’s how you learn. Learn from your mistakes and overcome them to make you and your role in your company that much better.” P-Ink Ventures — Isaac Gredinberg, president and co-founder of Inc

RELATED: How You Can Robot-Proof Your Career

Seek Out Silence

“Take a break from the news, social media, and generally noisy world we currently live in. Experiencing quiet is an important tool for reducing stress and increasing mental clarity. I have followed the research of Gordon Hempton, a sound-recording artist known as the Sound Tracker, to seek out experiences that allow me to hear the sounds of nature without man-made noise interfering. It’s a way to get back to basics and give our bodies a break from the constant sounds of civilization.” — Joe De Sena, founder & CEO of Spartan Race

Make Sure Your Style Fits the Cultural Style of the Company

“If the culture of the company isn’t in line with yours, there can be no long-term mutual success. In the case of a misfit, sometimes the company will realize this first and terminate the employee, other times you (the employee) will realize this before the company does, and you’ll end up quitting. Regardless, before accepting a new job — or staying in one, for that matter — get a feel for the culture of the company, and ensure alignment before making a decision.” — Rordan Shane, President of Shane Co

Re-Examine Your Roots

“2018 was a year fraught with workplace controversy, most of which could have been avoided. It is crucial for organizations to re-examine their roots as we head into 2019, making sure they have a set of principles and values in place that encourages inclusivity and participation and protects the rights of all individuals. My advice is for everyone at work – from interns to CEOs – to hold each other accountable this year and beyond. We will only elicit positive change if we work together, and our careers will all be more successful if they are rooted in strong values.” — James Wyman, co-founder & COO, Pillo Health

Know Your Brand

“In today’s world, brand building is an integral part of any company’s makeup. A solid brand can last a lifetime. Stüssy, Vans®, and Jordan’s, for example, are all sports brands that people could embrace because there was a culture behind the names. The brands that last the longest are authentic, real, and true. Fads come and go, but those brands that are true to who they are have longevity.” — Jordan Campbell, CEO of Winner Circle Athletics

RELATED: Best Motivational Reads of 2018

Your Team Is Your Most Important Asset

“Make sure to optimize aggressively for a team that can not only execute your vision but challenge your ideas. The journey through building a company from scratch is long and tedious, so you are going to want people around you that are smarter than you, can get things done, and think independently. With the new year ... it is a great time to make sure you are assembling a team that can take you through 2019.” — Gee Hwan-Chuang, co-founder & CEO of Listia and Ink Protocol

Trust Your Gut

“Executives are faced with countless decisions every day that have the power to impact the future of the business. Oftentimes, executives rely too heavily on the data and analytics and ignore the nagging feeling in the pit of their stomach urging them to explore another direction. I believe data and analytics can only take you so far but, if you let it, your gut instinct will become your most valuable asset.” — Tom Patterson, founder & CEO of Tommy John

Listen More

“Effective persons in any field have evolved emotional intelligence and know they will succeed only by listening and truly understanding what others are trying to communicate. Super effective people can process this information in real-time and give others a completely satisfying interaction. You cannot learn anything if your lips are moving.” — Jonah Shacknai, Executive Chairman of DermaForce Partners

Prioritize Work-Life Balance

“I block my days to make sure I make time for both. My weakness has been really taking a vacation from work to recharge. I’ve typically taken a Friday or a Monday off to create a long weekend, but really haven’t taken many vacations, and separated myself from work. In 2019, I’m planning a couple true vacations to recharge. The work never ends, and you have to allow yourself the freedom to let go and soak in life.” — Cail Morrison, President of Camp Bow Wow

You Might Also Dig