Thanks to the lovely Jill Clark for once again having me on the fun and fabulous internet TV show that is Twenty Something! This time we discussed the struggles of entrepreneurship. Anyone with romantic notions about running your own company needs to throw those away. Being an Entrepreneur takes a lot of hard work and it is a constant series of highs and lows. One minute you are ecstatic because a deal has gone through and the next someone is like, "Excuse me, who are you? No we're not interested in your promotion!"

You have to have balls of steel and let every "no" motivate you to try harder and never give up. I really believe in what we're doing, so any time I face negativity I just tell myself they don't get it and move on. That doesn't mean there aren't days were I totally feel like crap about it. It is especially hard if you work from home because you don't have the energy of other people about you in the office. I have found a few tricks to stay positive that really work for me:

1. When the going gets rough, go to a cafe with wireless internet and ample beverage selection. A favourite hot drink enjoyed in a bustling cafe can really lift your spirits and inspire creativity. Just save your receipts so you can write it off!

2. Reach out to others who have succeeded in your industry. Before I started at Ryerson, I bought a bunch of $5 Starbucks coffee cards and sent them around to Producers and station managers at shows I was interested in working on. I then follow up relentlessly (yet politely). That is how I got my internship at Fashion File.

In my last couple of years in school I stepped it up a notch and started taking influential women out for manicures. They were happy to oblige and shared some great advice with me. I have also taken people for lunch, coffee or a drink. The key there is to respect their time - they don't owe you anything - and to pick up the tab. Do not ask someone out and then expect them to pay for it. They are doing you a favour, so you should show your appreciation by covering the bill.

3. Ignore the hate. It is impossible to start a successful business and never hear a peep of negativity. Whether it is jealousy, indifference or an angry customer, this just comes with the territory. If you are conducting yourself and your business with integrity you may feel especially inclined to take this stuff personally because you have done everything right to the best of your ability.

Differentiate between negative garbage and constructive criticism. Then work it out, go for a walk, breathe. Smile, pick up the phone and move on to your next call. If you're doing it right there will be enough wins to compensate for any losses.

Above all, remember that anything worth doing is going to have it's challenges. If it were easy, everyone would do it. If you know you can do it, go for it and give it your best shot. The worst case is it doesn't pan out, but now you have all of these great experiences and skills under your belt that you can take with you into your next career.