Your first opportunity might not be your dream job. It might not even be in the industry you eventually want to work in. And honestly, that’s okay.

Some of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt have come from internships, job shadowing and simply being around people who were doing things I hadn’t experienced before. Those opportunities gave me a better idea of how businesses actually work, and they helped me understand what I enjoyed and what I didn’t.

That experience has been valuable while building my T-shirt business.

Starting a clothing business has made me realise how many different skills go into making an idea work. There’s design, marketing, finance, customer service, dealing with suppliers and a whole lot of problem-solving. You don’t learn all of that by sitting around waiting for the perfect opportunity.

You learn by getting involved.

So if your first opportunity is working at a shop during the holidays, take it seriously. If you get offered an internship that isn’t exactly what you imagined, learn as much as you can. If someone gives you a chance to shadow them, ask questions and pay attention.

You never know what that experience might lead to.

Also, don’t be afraid to learn from jobs you don’t enjoy. Sometimes discovering what you don’t want is just as useful as discovering what you do.

Your first opportunity is not your final destination. Think of it as an experience you can take with you.

Build your skills. Meet people. Learn how things work. Take every lesson you can.

You don’t have to have your whole career figured out at 18, 19 or 20.

Just make sure that whatever opportunity comes your way, you use it to get a little closer to where you want to be.

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