Lessons on the Blackboard, Lessons in Business

Our teachers weren’t just preparing us for exams—they were preparing us for business.I still remember sitting in a classroom that smelled faintly of chalk dust and old books. My teacher, Mrs. Sharma, had a habit of pausing mid-lesson, walking to the blackboard, and writing a short phrase in big, looping letters. She always turned back to us with that look—the one that said, “Pay attention. This matters.

One day, she wrote:

“Practice makes perfect.”- At the time, it was about multiplication tables. Endless drills, reciting until we could say them in our sleep. I didn’t love it then, but years later, standing in a boardroom practicing a product pitch for the tenth time, I realized how right she was. Revenue growth doesn’t happen in a single attempt—it’s the product of iteration, refinement, and practice until you get it right.

Then came the classic:

“Don’t copy.”- Back then, it was about honesty during exams. But in business, it’s about differentiation. You can’t grow by mimicking competitors. The real breakthroughs come when you carve your own path, when your strategy isn’t a mirror but a vision.

And my favorite:

“Check your work.”- It seemed like a small thing—re-reading before handing in your paper. But in business, this principle has saved me countless times. Reviewing proposals, validating data, stress-testing a forecast—small corrections prevent big losses. That blackboard lesson has probably saved millions in revenue.

Looking back, I realize those chalkboard lessons weren’t just about school. They were about life. About business. About growth. Mrs. Sharma wasn’t just teaching me how to pass exams—she was preparing me for boardrooms, clients, and revenue strategies I hadn’t even imagined yet. The wisdom of our teachers lives on every time we lead a team, build a strategy, or close a deal. The blackboard, in many ways, was our first business plan.

Which blackboard lesson has stayed with you—and still shows up in how you do business today?

Let’s build a business that grows even when you take a breath.

— Ishleen Kaur Business Coach for IT Agencies & SaaS Founders Creator of the SCORE‑B™ Framework Helping service businesses 3X revenue in 6 months — without burnout.

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