{"id":6598,"date":"2025-08-04T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.paperstone.co.uk\/News\/?p=6598"},"modified":"2025-10-29T11:31:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T11:31:15","slug":"21-lessons-in-business-insights-from-21-years-of-paperstone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.paperstone.co.uk\/News\/articles\/21-lessons-in-business-insights-from-21-years-of-paperstone","title":{"rendered":"21 lessons in business: Insights from 21 years of Paperstone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

This August marks a special milestone for Paperstone – our 21st birthday! Yes, we\u2019re getting old! It\u2019s been quite an adventure from humble beginnings to becoming a trusted name in our industry. We\u2019ve learnt a lot about running a business over the years, so we\u2019ve decided to share 21 lessons that have shaped our business and leadership style along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We hope these insights inspire you to keep pushing forward, wherever you may be in your journey.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Birthday<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

1. Believe in yourself, and your business, even when no one else does<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The early days of Paperstone were built on self-belief and determination. Trust your vision, even if everyone else is doubting you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Hard work beats luck<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Consistent effort and determination will get you further than hoping for a spring of luck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Learn by doing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t wait for things to be perfect – start, learn, and adapt as you go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Surround yourself with a solid team<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Build a team that shares your values and work ethic. We can\u2019t emphasise this enough – great people are your biggest asset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Listen to your customers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n

Customer feedback is gold \u2013 good or bad. It helps make informed product improvements and builds long-term loyalty.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Trustpilot<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

6. Embrace change<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The world we live in is always changing (sometimes very unexpectedly \u2013 Covid anyone?!). Be flexible and be willing to adapt when necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Focus on building relationships, not just making sales<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Strong relationships with customers create trust and open doors for future opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

8. Celebrate the little wins<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Recognise and celebrate progress along the way \u2013 no matter how small. It keeps everyone motivated.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Paperstone<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Never stop learning<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Stay curious. Thinking you know everything can be really damaging. Learning keeps your mind sharp and your business keep up with changes and trends in the industry. One of our values is We Love To Learn<\/em> for this very reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Transparency builds trust<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Be open with your team and customers. Manage expectations – honesty results in loyalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Manage risks. Don\u2019t fear them.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Calculated risks drive growth. Don\u2019t be scared to take a few chances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

12. Stay true to your core values<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your values ultimately shape your culture and brand – keep them front and centre. Ours are: We work smart, We solve problems, We love to learn, and We are one team. We live by these every single day.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Core<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

13. Take care of your team<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A happy team will deliver great results – invest in their growth and wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask for help<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t have to do it alone. Seek mentors, advisors, and partners when needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. Failures are really lessons in disguise<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mistakes are going to happen – learn from them and keep moving forward. Try not to dwell on them for too long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

16. Keep your vision clear and make sure you remind your team of it<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sharing your vision helps keep your team motivated and can spark new ideas from everyone.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Business<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

17. Invest in quality. Not quantity.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Better products and services build lasting reputations. We\u2019re always looking at range extensions and new<\/a> additions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18. Be patient<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easier said than done, but success hardly happens overnight. Perseverance and patience are really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

19. Adapt your leadership style<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Everyone is different \u2013 one size doesn\u2019t fit all. Adapt your leadership style depending on the different personalities in your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

20. Celebrate your journey<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Take time to reflect on how far you\u2019ve come – it builds confidence for what\u2019s ahead, plus it\u2019s fun to look back at the journey. This cool website<\/a> shows you how your website has changed over the years. It’s humbling, to say the least!<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Old<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

21. Start small. Dream Big.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Set ambitious, but achievable goals. SMART goals<\/a> is something we\u2019ve used plenty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

21 years in business is a very proud moment for all of us at Paperstone. We\u2019re grateful to our customers, suppliers, partners, and team members (past and present) who have been part of this incredible journey. Here\u2019s to many more years of growth, learning, and success together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What lessons have you learned on your own journey? We\u2019d love to hear your thoughts. Share with us in the comments or email us at hello@paperstone.co.uk<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Paperstone<\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This August marks a special milestone for Paperstone – our 21st birthday! Yes, we\u2019re getting old! It\u2019s been quite an adventure from humble beginnings to becoming a trusted name in our industry. We\u2019ve learnt a lot about running a business over the years, so we\u2019ve decided to share 21 lessons that have shaped our business […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6604,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-Uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n21 lessons in business: Insights from 21 years of Paperstone<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Celebrating 21 years of Paperstone with 21 key business lessons - insights on leadership, growth, and resilience to inspire your own journey.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.paperstone.co.uk\/News\/articles\/21-lessons-in-business-insights-from-21-years-of-paperstone\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"21 lessons in business: Insights from 21 years of Paperstone\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Celebrating 21 years of Paperstone with 21 key business lessons - 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