I didn’t do a single thing on this 10 Things to Know About Starting a Production Company list when I started Center Street Productions more than ten years ago. Not that they are bad ideas. Mine was a very soft startup in many ways, with many lessons learned along the way.

My “Top 8” list for a new entrepreneur in any field would look more like this:

1) Learn to listen to & understand your God-given gifts (and limitations) – Ephesians 2:10

2) Don’t be afraid to take steps toward an unknown destination – Joshua 3:13-15

3) Work as if you’re working for the Lord – Colossians 3:23-24

4) Trust God, not your ego. Your ego will lie to you. – Proverbs 3:5

5) Listen to your customers. – Philippians 2:3

6) Hard times serve to prepare you for a better future. – Romans 5:3-5

7) Work in order to learn, not to get rich fast. Understanding is something you keep forever, but cash goes quick. – Proverbs 16:16

8) Be mindful of how you define ‘success’. – Philippians 3:8

It’s impossible for me to keep all these things in the front of my mind every day, which is partly why I’ve compiled this list tonight, but I’ve worked hard to make these passages and ideas an integral part of how I run my business.

Phil Gioja