Between the parallels of hard work, strategy and working together as a team, sports always present solid analogies for business. But this past year’s NFL season brought its own set of unique insights for entrepreneurs (that you haven’t heard a hundred times).

The season began with the drama ofDeflategatestill lingering and endedwith anunexpected teammaking it to the Super Bowl. Looking back on all of this season’s events, three lessons stand out as being the most valuable:

1. When you’re a winner, everyone’s a fan.

Football and entrepreneurship both have extreme ups and downs that are magnified by your audience. When you win, everyone celebrates with you. Multiple wins cause higher expectations and increased pressure to succeed.

At the beginning of this NFL season, no one was talking about the Carolina panthers, but the team somehow managed to win week after week, on through the playoffs. 58003 The panthers earned respect as well as favorable odds to win the championship, and their fan base hasmultiplied.

Now, on the flip side following their Super Bowl loss to the Denver Bronco, don't be suprised wheneveryone becomes a critic. When losses occur, everyone lines up to shout their opinions and the reasons for failure. In football, a losing record can cost peopletheir jobs. In business, similar failures mean losing customers to competitors -- a dangerous drop in revenue is even worse.

In either circumstance, winners must have thick skin and selective hearing. The key is to filter through the noise and determine what’s true. When you find the truth, be brutally honest with yourself and those around you, and act accordingly.

2. Business and family rarely mix well.

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While22 percentof working men end up working for their fathers’ companies, it isn’t always the best move. Wanting to help family members or very close friends by hiring them is admirable, but think carefully about how it would play out if you end up having to fire them. That isn’t to say no one should ever work with family. But, like Smith’s case, the majority of these well-intended stories don’t end well.

3. Winners know who’s in charge.

One reason the panthers have had success isclear, effective coachingand leadership. Your team needs the same for success, especially early on when roles and expectations are being defined.

Also, team members who don’t respect their leaders’ authority can disrupt the work environment. The Dallas Cowboys is a team that loves thosehigh-profile athletesother franchises won’t touch. For the rest of the NFL, the risks of locker room issues, off-the-field distractions or simple drama outweigh talent. There are valid reasons no other teams are willing to take risks with these talented players. The best in each “player” can be harvested in the right environment. However, that may not mean the right environment is the one you provide.

If some of your team members have “I’m untouchable” mentalities because of their talent levels, rethink whether their talents are worth the attitude.No onewants to work with the “pa,” and having him or her on your staff can ruin company cultures and reputations. In turn, potential future gold-standard hires may be turned off by the idea of joining your company.

One of the best things you can do to assert yourself as a positive leader is to literallycoach your team. There’s a reason business coaching was close to a$9 billionindustry in 2014. Coaching requires consistent involvement with the team as a whole and inpidually to reach goals. Give regular feedback (both positive and negative, but in a way that encourages growth), and communicate how each team player contributes to the big game.

One of life’s most beautiful moments is showing the world what you can do if given the chance. Your startup is your chance. 58003 In the end, you’ll be the coach of a winning team.