I remember the first time I told my Dad I had co-founded a publishing company with my boyfriend. It was five years ago. I was twenty-three and fresh out of college. He sat me down and told me I was making a big mistake and that it was foolish to mix my personal life with my professional life.

Flash forward several years later, and my personal life is nearly indistinguishable from my work life. My boyfriend constantly jokes, “all you do is talk to your friends on Facebook all day and somehow you make money doing it.”

That’s because many of my friends are contributing to my business. The speakers, attendees, and team behind my international accelerator events are all those who I’ve met over the years, or who i’ve been connected to online, or who’ve been connected to me through another friend.

For my Dad’s generation, personal and professional were two distinct categories that didn’t mix.

But it doesn’t look this way anymore for millennials—we’re preferring to integrate all areas of our life, resulting in successful business collaborations with trusted friends and more time spent with those we love.

If you’ve been searching for the perfect business partners, they could be already among you.

Three millennial co-founders who have been best friends since elementary school are illustrating this concept perfectly.

Meet Russell Howard, David Lasman and Adam Malka, the co-founders of Signature Tracks, a music production company focused on bringing current sounds to TV series. Signature Tracks has served major TV networks like MTV, ABC, and CNBC, shows like Keeping Up With the Kardashians and The Bachelorette, as well as celebrity artists like Jay-Z, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Miley Cyrus.

This week on the Unconventional Life Podcast, Howard, Lasman, and Malka share why running a business with your friends can be extremely rewarding both professionally and personally.

Below, discover why friends make the best business partners.

You’re Highly Compatible

The benefit to working with your closest friends rather than a strictly “work-specific” team is that you and your friends have already established a high degree of compatibility. 67% of American workers say having tight-knit relationships at work makes their job more fun and enjoyable, which can also increase productivity.

The key to a successful collaboration is combining your greatest strengths. A team comprised of your closest friends can perform highly by identifying where you each excel, and localizing your tasks to that specific area. “Russell is the head creative of our group, responsible for branding our sound” Malka says. “Each of us have our own function. Our synergy is based on friendship..”

You Know How To Navigate Conflict

According to a survey by the HBR, half of all employees surveyed said they didn’t feel safe to speak up at their place of work. Within traditional companies, it’s not uncommon for there to be a “fear culture” around voicing unpopular opinions, especially among lower levels of the ladder.

When it comes to the innovation and expansion of any business, open dialogue is essential. With your closest friends by your side, you can trust that you’ll be able to speak your mind without fear of reprehension or losing your job. Chances are, you’ve already navigated conflicts in your friendship, and your bond has the fortitude to withstand any challenges that arise within the work environment in a way that honors all parties and promotes business development.

“With three best friends, there’s little things you’re fighting over in the beginning, but it’s also amazing. We each own 33% of the business, so there’s no boss. Defining roles has been good for us,” says Lasman.

You’re Able To Strike A Healthy Work-Life Balance

The average worker falls disappointingly short of work-life balance—with 80% failing to get the recommended amount of weekly exercise, and 38% missing important life events. But for Howard, Lasman, and Malka, work-life balance is an everyday reality.

Working with friends can help create a built-in structure around balance, whether it’s holding one another accountable to setting aside time for self care or time to relax and unwind. “I start every day with putting me first,” Howard says. Some call it the “power hour.” I have to get in some meditation, some reading, some exercise. That self care—kind of like a chiropractor—aligns me so I can focus on what I want to do, rather than what I have to do.”

Malka adds, “We make sure we spend time the three of us together, really doing stuff that’s fun, and also taking our team out and having that break where we can all hang out and have a little bit of fun, sometimes a work trip back east.”

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This article originally appeared on Forbes.com

In the last week I have been blown away by the leadership of women, especially millennial women. From the #MeToo campaign that went viral on social media last week, to the increasing amount of female entrepreneurs creating impact-driven businesses, it is clear that a new wave of female leadership is here.

As of 2016, it is estimated that there are now 11.3 million women-owned businesses in the United States, employing nearly 9 million people and generating over $1.6 trillion in revenues.

Women have evolved from homemakers, to women as corporate success stories, to women now being the CEO of their own lives and businesses.

A good friend of mine, Nadav Wilf, calls these new women the “shero”, defined as a female innovator who embodies gentle power and intuition while demonstrating dynamic execution.  

Modern examples of the shero include Jessica Alba, whose company Honest is raising the bar in brand transparency with simple products that perform, and Iskra Lawrence, a plus-sized model who is empowering young women and girls around the world to embrace themselves at any size.

The “shero” is not to be confused with the archetypal “alpha businesswoman who is career obsessed and makes little time for family or herself.” On the contrary—the shero embraces both the feminine and masculine aspects of herself in balance, attaining greater success in career without sacrificing her personal life.

This week on the Unconventional Life Podcast, I interviewed one woman who is a true shero. Meet Molly Montgomery, the auditor-turned-entrepreneur who founded a consulting business called Ascension, which helps high-performing entrepreneurs and visionary leaders grow their companies with confidence. Montgomery is also a world traveler and fitness enthusiast who is working on launching her next big project, Founders Haven.

Below, discover 5 lessons in leadership that will enable you to embody the shero and experience greater success in your professional and personal lives.

1. Know The Difference Between Yes And No. The shero is a woman who is deeply attuned to herself. Jackie Knechtel, co-founder of the Flow Mastery Program says, “Be aware of how a ‘yes’ and a ‘no’ each register to you within your body. A yes will register as feeling light, free, open and expansive where a no will feel dark, heavy, closed and contracted.”

If you are uncertain, wait for further clarity be patient with yourself and give yourself the space you need to discern how you truly feel. While society’s social imperatives for women have been to be “nice” and “polite,” the modern millennial women is not willing to mask her authentic opinion. Recognize that you have a voice and don’t be afraid to use it. Speak up on your own behalf, even when what you need to say may not be well-received.

2.Prioritize Your Self Care. The shero prioritizes her self care, knows her limits, and sets aside time for herself to recharge. Montgomery says, “taking care of yourself is the most critical part of the process, because that self care is what allows creativity to flow through you.”

I myself don’t start work until around 12pm each day. I make space in the mornings for a workout, to read, have a nourishing breakfast, and do creative activities. I find that by following this self care routine I am most productive in the 4-6 hours that I work each day, which studies have confirmed can optimize productivity.

3.Be Ambitious. According to recent research, two-thirds of women between the age of 18 and 34 rank having a successful career high on their list of priorities, compared to just 59% of men.

While the HBR reports that men in 2017 still prefer a partner who is less professionally ambitious than them, the shero does not let this hold her back. The shero is a go-getter in her career who acts upon her own volition, and does not need others’ permission or approval.

4. Be Secure In Your Value. Messages for women have suggested that they need to fix themselves in order to be valuable. But the shero knows her self-worth is intrinsic. As Eleanor Roosevelt so eloquently put it, “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

Do not internalize externally-imposed insecurities. Regard yourself highly and embraces yourself in all of your strengths and weaknesses. Remember that you deserve to take up space and do not shrink yourself to accommodate others.

5.Lead With Your Heart. The shero does not harbor resentment within her; she knows she must release toxicity or else it it harms her, too. The #MeToo campaign reveals that forgiveness and transformation are made possible through open dialogue and compassionate listening. Shero Jennifer Lawrence demonstrates that this approach can be effective in raising awareness about shifting cultural norms towards equality.

Montgomery says, “It can be so hard when something happens where somebody did something, whether it was intentionally or not, they messed up royally. People think that forgiveness means allowing or being ok with what happened, but it’s actually a matter of letting to and being ok with the fact that you cannot change what happened. It’s just letting go.”

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This article originally appeared on Forbes.com.

As a 28-year-old millennial I often feel old. When I look at the success I’ve had in the last 10 years founding multiple six and seven figure companies, speaking on many international stages, singing and performing spoken word for influential global thought leaders, I’ve realized that my age has never been a factor.

When I look at how many young people are starting companies or accumulating millions of followers, like 23-year-old viral content creator Julius Dein, or 26-year-old founder of the worldwide fitness program BBG Kayla Itsines, it seems the age of success keeps getting younger.

It is clear that age is no longer becoming a barrier to entry like how it used to be in our parents generation. Millennials are quickly becoming the majority today, comprising 53% of the workforce, and setting their own standards for success.

The truth I’ve seen is—the younger you are, the greater the advantage you have in terms of standing out.

I spoke with one 20-year-old who is living proof of it. Meet Manu Goswami, a serial tech entrepreneur and innovator, UN Youth Ambassador, TEDx speaker, and LinkedIn campus editor. He’s a former Gary Vaynerchuk employee and the COO and co-founder of Dunk, a sports media company with 10M followers across Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat that works with top brands like EA Sports, Nike Basketball, Warner Music, and Gatorade.

Goswami was awarded the UN’s Outstanding Youth Leadership Award and Plan Canada’s Top 20 Under 20 Award, among other notable titles.

This week on the Unconventional Life Podcast, Goswami shares about what it takes to create success at an early age and why you’re never too young to launch your career.

Below, learn some of the ways you can use your age to your advantage.

1. Successful People Want To Help You Out. “I got a meeting with Gary by emailing him every single day letting him know what I liked about his content that he posted… I bet you he didn’t care what this 19-year-old kid in Toronto thought of his content but he took note of the fact that I was engaging a dialogue and invited me to chat for 15 minutes,” Goswami says.

Goswami proves you don’t need to be ultra-successful to get a response from influential entrepreneurs and figureheads—you can just be a 19-year-old kid from Toronto who cares. Consider reaching out to those who you look up to and admire, because their insight can be invaluable. Even if they seem out of reach, they may surprise you, and in fact many will likely be willing to speak to you out of desire to help younger millennials

2. You’re At The Perfect Place To Build Good Habits. Goswami says he swears by a few daily practices to keep his mind in the right shape. First and foremost, start the day with an affirmation of gratitude. Rather than reaching for your smartphone before you get out of bed, like 46% of Americans do, take some time to deliberately check in with yourself and start your day on purpose. Goswami is also a huge fan of yoga, which has been shown to decrease stress and improve brain function.

3. You’re Directly Connected To Other Millennials. One of the advantages to being a millennial is that you don’t need to guess about what other millennials are currently finding relevant. While corporate companies have to dig for millennial trends and often miss the mark, you’re directly connected to and embedded within a network of other millennials.

Take a pulse for millennials and aim to stroke a chord of resonance with the collective. Take note of what others are finding interesting or relevant.

You might also consider striking up an engaging online conversation, like Goswami did with his “Let’s Get Honest Campaign” on LinkedIn, which encouraged millennials to talk openly about their vulnerabilities. “I noticed people were scared to talk about their failures,” he said.

4. You Have A Built-In Network. While you’re still young, you have access to built-in networking opportunities where meeting people is effortless. Goswami says one of the best places to take advantage of this is college campuses, and the best part is you don’t even need to be a student of the college; Goswami met his co-founder, a non-student, the University of Toronto. Look for an individual who has a complementary skillset to your own and whom you will be able to work well with long-term.

You might also consider attending events that bring diverse groups of people together in one place. That’s why I created my signature 5-day international business accelerators with my company Unconventional Life—I wanted to provide a space for collaboration.

5. You Can Provide Value To Others. You can easily create a win-win for someone to share their knowledge with you by offering to expose them to your millennial audience or publishing an article about what they share. Many people will be happy to connect with you because they want to get plugged into an audience of younger people. “Every transaction you go into you should provide as much value as you can. If you see every relationship you’re making in your professional life as a value exchange, you’ll be much better off,” Goswami says.

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This article originally appeared on Forbes.com

While most of us are worried about how many Twitter followers we have, or whether or not we should get the new tesla, or swipe right on Bumble, one millennial I spoke with has had a few other things on his mind.

Meet Daniel Wallock, a 21-year-old college student at Sarah Lawrence College who was born with a rare heart condition called dextrocardia, which means his heart is on the right side of his body. Dextrocardia affects just 1% of the population.

Throughout his life, Wallock has undergone several open-heart surgeries and lived with the reality that any given day could be his last.

“I really didn’t think I’d live past high school,” he says. “I was really convinced that there was no possibility I’d have life beyond that. For me it’s always been every single day, I feel sort of intense urgency.”

Wallock’s unique perspective has driven him to start his career early—and fearlessly. He taught himself marketing in his early teens, and since has consulted high-profile clients like BMW Ventures, Amazon Studios, and the American Heart Association. Not to mention, he’s also a published author and an honoree of Inc.’s Top 8 Marketers to Follow in 2017.

This week on the Unconventional Life Podcast, Wallock shares his story and gives millennial listeners a few of his top-performing strategies for creating create rapid results in their business, which you can read in the section below.

If you’re looking to kick your career into gear, the horsepower this young cardiac patient brings will help you.

Master The Art Of Cold Outreach.

As a mere 21-year-old, Wallock has a spiffy rolodex of contacts including figureheads like Neil Patel and Arianna Huffington. How’d he do it?

You wouldn’t believe it, but Wallock says it was a product of cold outreach. If your cold emails aren’t converting, consider the following strategies.

#1 Use Multi-Channel Engagement. Touch base with your target on every platform they use. A quick tweet here, an in-depth comment there, and frequent likes and shares will do the trick. “In my experience, eventually they’ll intro themselves to you because you are always in front of them,” Wallock says.

The key is to add value for the other person without having been asked. Study their recent posts and see what’s relevant to them. In one case, Wallock marketed a Forbes editor’s recent article and it blew up on several popular sites as a case study, benefiting Wallock with both marketing exposure and a new relationship.

#2 Don’t Expect Instant Gratification. According to Wallock, a little investment goes a long way. “I think people underestimate the power of the nurturing process. People want the relationship right now. Nobody knows who you are and they don’t just wanna give something to you.” Commit to dedicating time and energy to properly nurture the relationship in its early stages and it will pay off down the road.

#3 Quality Over Quantity. If your cold emails don’t typically yield results, consider this quick fix. ”Don’t send 50-100 with the same template. Send 25 custom emails and it will outperform,” says Wallock. Plus, don’t be over-the-top when you first initiate contact. The last thing you want to do is ask the other person for a favor or try to sell them something straight off the bat. Instead, gauge their interest by offering value or suggesting to get on a 15-20 minute call.

Case Studies Are Your Best Friend.

Results speak louder than words. Nowadays, 9 out of 10 people are consulting online product reviews and posts on social networks before making a purchasing decision.

Don’t underestimate the power of social influence—Wallock says you’d be wise to use it to your advantage.

Have Others Vouch For You. 92% of consumers trust recommendations from others, even people they don’t know, over branded content. Consider asking influencers to publish a review of your product on their blog or social media account. Encourage them to be objective and to disclose that they are working with you to their audiences, because data shows consumers rate being genuine as an important factor in brand-sponsored content.

“Some brands are doing paid posts with other people’s testimonials on Facebook, and it’s working really well,” Wallock says.

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This article originally appeared on Forbes.com