BespokeHR

15 Lessons from 15 Years in Business: The Heart of BespokeHR

At BespokeHR, we’ve spent the last 15 years learning, evolving, and growing. Along the way, we’ve faced triumphs and trials that have shaped us into the organisation we are today. In celebration of our anniversary, we want to share the 15 key lessons that have become the pillars of how we operate, lead, and serve our clients. These lessons are not only woven into our own journey but are also insights we’ve gathered from the hundreds of businesses we’ve worked with across industries.

1. Never judge a book by its cover

First impressions matter, but they don’t always tell the full story. We’ve learned that the true value of a person, partnership, or opportunity often lies beyond the surface. The magic happens when you take the time to dig deeper, ask more questions, and discover the real potential beneath.

2. There are always at least two sides to a story

In business, it’s easy to rush to conclusions. Over the years, we’ve been reminded time and again that every issue or conflict has multiple perspectives. Pausing to listen and understand all sides leads to better decisions and stronger relationships.

3. Trust your gut—but verify it

Instincts can be a powerful guide but backing them up with facts is critical. We’ve learned to trust our intuition, especially when making tough decisions, but also to validate it through research, feedback, and data. Balancing instinct with insight has kept us on the right path.

4. Choose to see the good, not the bad

In business and in life, what you focus on expands. We’ve learned that a mindset shift toward positivity can completely transform a challenge into an opportunity. By actively seeking the good in people, projects, and even problems, we’ve found solutions we never thought possible as well as being much more enjoyable.

5. 24 hours can change everything

If there’s one certainty in business, it’s that things can change in an instant. One day’s disappointment can turn into the next day’s opportunity. We’ve embraced the ebb and flow of entrepreneurship, knowing that a single day—whether for better or worse—can completely alter the course.

6. Always take the human approach

No matter how complex a situation is, we’ve always found that leading with empathy and compassion delivers the best results. In our experience, the right decision is the one that helps you sleep soundly at night, knowing you stayed true to your values and treated others with respect.

7. Failures are your most effective lessons

It’s easy to shy away from failure, but we’ve learned that the best lessons often come from our hardest falls. These moments push us to innovate, grow, and refine our processes. We’ve come to view failure as not the opposite of success, but a vital part of it.

8. The standard you walk past is the standard you accept

In BespokeHR, we believe that small things matter. If you ignore poor behavior or subpar performance, you silently endorse it. We’ve learned to hold ourselves and our team accountable to high standards—because if you let something slide, it becomes the new normal.

9. Whether you’re happy or not, it comes back to you—make different choices

Happiness and success in business aren’t just outcomes—they’re choices. When we’re unhappy with a result or situation, we’ve learned to reflect on the choices that led us there and take action to make better ones moving forward. Happiness isn’t passive; it’s proactive.

10. Always be true to your personal brand

Authenticity is everything. Over 15 years, we’ve discovered that staying true to who we are and what we stand for has been our greatest asset. People connect with brands—and businesses—that are real, consistent, and unapologetically themselves.

11. Cash flow management and customer value are king

The health of any business depends on these two pillars: cash flow and customer value. We’ve experienced firsthand that without steady cash flow and a laser focus on delivering continual client value, even the best businesses can falter. This lesson remains our compass in every decision we make.

12. Surround yourself with a tribe that lifts you up

Who you surround yourself with can make or break your journey. The right people push you outside your comfort zone, teach you what you don’t know or didn’t think was possible, inspire and challenge you. We’ve learned to seek out partnerships, clients, and team members who share our values, lift us up, and push us to be better. A supportive network is essential to enduring the inevitable ups and downs of business.

13. The only person you need to be better than is who you were yesterday

Comparison is the thief of joy and can lead to distractions that take you off path. At BespokeHR, we focus on continuous improvement. Here in BespokeHR, we love to continually learn from other businesses and entrepreneurs however our goal is simple: to be better today than we were yesterday. This mindset has fueled our innovation and sustained our drive for growth and excellence.

14. Understand why people do what they do

In HR, it’s not enough to know what people are doing—you need to understand the why behind it. We’ve learned that unlocking motivation, values, and personal drivers is the key to effective leadership, strong teams, and sustainable success.

15. Be humble – take responsibility and be a player, not a victim

Humility has been one of our greatest teachers. Taking ownership of challenges, celebrating successes as a team, and approaching each situation with a ‘player’ mentality rather than a ‘victim’ mindset has helped us navigate even the toughest of times with resilience and grace.

Moving forward with these lessons

These 15 lessons have shaped the heart of BespokeHR and will continue to guide us into the future. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a business leader, or someone navigating your career, we hope these insights inspire you to reflect on your own journey and embrace the growth that comes with each challenge.

As we celebrate 15 years of BespokeHR, we remain committed to applying these learnings to everything we do, always striving to create better workplaces, stronger teams, and a more fulfilling future for our clients and ourselves.

Here’s to the next chapter—and the lessons still to come!