Dina LaPolt is a rockstar music lawyer who has spent the last 20 years doing incredible work that has changed the landscape of the music business as we know it. Recently honored with the Agent of Change Award by the Black Music Action Coalition, LaPolt took some time to share 20 lessons she’s learned over her 20-year career in the business with Variety’s Strictly Business podcast.

1. What not to do. You don’t have to make the mistakes yourself to learn from them. 
2. Don’t burn bridges with lies or exaggerations when doing deals. 
3. Know yourself. Stick to your principles in the face of big names and egos and don’t take anything personally.
4. Don’t make up nor embellish negativity. There’s plenty of negativity to go around already.
5. Consistency is the key to a long, successful career.
6. One area to focus your consistency is in communication. Consistently get back to people and be helpful. It’ll come back to you just when you need it.
7. Keep up to date with laws, rights, and how deals are structured.
8. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer 
9. There are two types of business: my business and none of my business.
10. To keep it — you have to give it away. Hold the door open for those coming up behind you.
11. Have no fear, or at least, don’t let it stop you.
12. You always have three choices – you can either give up, give in, or give it all you’ve got
13. Tough times don’t last, tough people do
14. Whatever is for me will not pass me by – the inverse is true as well.
15. Self-care and physical exercise keep you balanced.
16. Have balance – everyone needs a break.
17. If you want to really understand a subject then teach it (or become a mentor)
18. “No” is a complete sentence. Set boundaries.
19. Sometimes it’s important to just show up, it doesn’t always have to be all about you
20. Empower your people to build relationships that will help them and you’ll find they help you as well.

While this advice is geared towards other attorneys, you can apply it to how you work and approach your business. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in the music business with the integrity, commitment, and success that Dina LaPolt has demonstrated her career. Now that you’ve read or listened to the advice, how will you implement it? Get to it!

Please visit Variety to view the full article by Shirley Halperin.