11 Quotes For Creating A Great Business

Nothing packs so much meaning into a such a short message like a great quote.  People write 500 hundred page books trying to get a message across that a single quote can relay to you in a sentence.  That's powerful stuff.

If you're thinking about starting a business, or you just started out, here are 11 great business quotes that'll give you the mindset and foundation for building a great business.

Mindset

The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is
that a warrior takes everything as a challenge, while an ordinary
man takes everything as a blessing or as a curse. ~ Carlos Castaneda's Don Juan

The analogy between a Warrior and an Entrepreneur is a perfect one. In Carlos Castaneda's chronicles of Don Juan, Warriors see themselves in complete control of their destiny and see opportunity where others see roadblocks.  A perfect mindset to have as a business owner.

Persistence

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated failures. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. ~Calvin Coolidge

If you read the biographies of famous entrepreneurs, you'll notice one common theme.  It's not their education, family wealth, or geographic location, it's the fact that they didn't give up when any normal person would have packed up their bags and went home.  If you want to hear a great story of persistence, listen to the real story of Rocky Balboa, as told by Tony Robbins.

Leadership

Not the cry, but the flight of a wild duck, leads the flock to fly and follow. ~Chinese Proverb

Real leadership is setting an example, not dictating from the corner office.  Share your vision and what's needed to get there, then be the first one in line to start doing the work.  “Well done is better than well said”  (Ben Franklin). Tweet this quote

Management

So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work. ~Peter Drucker

Great managers spend their time removing obstacles and making things easier for their people, so they are free to do their best work.  As a manager, your role isn't to do the work, but to create the best possible environment for others to do the work. Tweet this quote

Employees

Employee of the month is a good example of how somebody can be both a winner and a loser at the same time. ~Demetri Martin

A funny, but sadly true quote.  If you don't care about your people and take the time to get to know them, all of the missions statements, team building exercises and employee recognition programs you spend so much time to create are a joke and will only lead to resentment from your people. Tweet this quote

Customer Service

Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends. ~Walt Disney

From the way you greet your customers to the way you invoice them, focus on quality and delivering a great experience each and every time.  Whatever business your in, you're really in the customer service business, first and foremost. Tweet this quote

Finance

Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship. ~ Benjamin Franklin

Whether it's good times or belt-tightening times, don't let your expenses and spending get out of hand.  Don't just spend more because you have more. Tweet this quote

Marketing

Unless your campaign has a big idea, it will pass like a ship in the night. ~David Ogilvy

You can do all of the marketing in the world, if your message is lame, nobody will care. Tweet this quote.

Sales

Stop selling. Start helping. ~Zig Ziglar

Great salespeople become partners and a trusted resource for their clients.  Always give value first before asking for the sale.  Become the “go to” person or business in your industry. Tweet this quote

Family

A man should never neglect his family for business. – Walt Disney

If you find business success at the expense of your family, all your efforts were for nothing.  Many successful business people have climbed the mountain of success, but never looked back to see the important people in their lives they left behind. Tweet this quote.

Character

Character is the result of hundreds and hundreds of choices you make that gradually turn who you are, at any given moment, into who you want to be. ~Jim Rohn

Like the late, great Jim Rohn said, it's the little things, repeated every day that will make up the reputation of your business.  You can't tell people what your business is all about, you have to show them.

What are some of your favorite business quotes?

I'd love to hear the, leave'em in the comments below or tweet them to me @smallbizplaybk so I can add them to the post!

The following two tabs change content below.
My Twitter profileMy Google+ profileMy LinkedIn profile

Gary

CEO at 3Bug Media
Gary Shouldis is the founder of 3Bug Media, a web marketing company that helps businesses create 360 Marketing Strategies to dominate their market. His blog is read by over 20 thousand small business owners a month and has been featured in the N.Y. Times Small Business, Business Insider and Yahoo Small Business.