For our first business feature, we interviewed Akil Cole. Cole, 20, is the founder of Your Better Four, a business focused on helping students with personal and skill development. We interviewed Akil to learn more about him, his business, and why he started it.

What is the name and purpose of your business? 

Cole: My business is Your Better Four. The purpose of Your Better Four is to transform students’ high school and early college experience by improving their lack of confidence, giving them direction, and ultimately giving them genuinely helpful life skills. Not just things they can use in school, but things that they can use in whatever career path, educational path, or set of passions that they may have. So, we really focus on giving them things like goal setting strategies, time management, public speaking, things that they can transfer regardless of what they are pursuing.

What have you found to be the most difficult thing about being in business?

Cole: Well, as a business owner you have to do everything. I’m only 20 and I started this business when I was 18 and you know, trying to take after the business owners in my own life (including my mom), I’m realizing that there is so much more to [business] than just having the idea. There’s executing on every front, marketing your services, actually having the services, and knowing that you actually have to be up to date on information and resources so that you are providing quality services to your clients. I think it’s really just the comprehensive set of responsibilities as a business owner that I find most difficult.

What tip or advice would you give to a young business owner like yourself? 

Cole: First and foremost, just start. You’re going to have every excuse to not start your business. At the end of the day, if you adhere to the excuses before your action, you’re never going to take action. So, sometimes you have to start before you’re ready and by starting before you’re ready at times, that gives you the initiative and pressure to follow through with whatever you started…

Once you’ve started, be consistent. Whatever the focus of your business is, take as much time as you possibly can to be consistent in all the aspects that matter. Make sure your money is tight, make sure you make as many connections as possible, and make sure that you’re up to date on the information so that your services and products are cutting edge.

To learn more about Your Better, feel free to visit their website at yourbetterfour.com or reach out at [email protected]. Support his business — because that’s what this website is all about.