163 Pieces of the Best Business Advice

Tip of the hat to Carol Roth for compiling this list of "163 Pieces of the Best Business Advice".

Good tips, ideas and reminders for anyone in business.

Also it's a clever way to create good content - ask other experts. It's the Chicken Soup model of writing.

Yes, I contributed. My advice is below for you.


109. Best Place to Invest?

When I started my business I left my corporate job with a separation payout. They were downsizing. I visited my financial planner and asked how to best use that money- pay down my mortgage, invest in mutual funds or stocks? He first asked me to explain my new business which I had started part time two years earlier. His advice was to invest the money in my business because that would give me the best return over the next few years. I followed that advice. It was good advice.

Thanks to: George Torok of Power Marketing.

And here are some pieces of advice that resonated with me



2. Wise Words from Henry Ford

While I never met Henry Ford (I'm too young to have known him), his words live on and have inspired me on many a day:Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.Believing I could start and grow my business played a huge role in the success I am now enjoying. Thoughts become things. What thoughts are YOU thinking?

Thanks to: Randi Busse of Workforce Development Group, Inc..


9. I'm Anxious Today-- Excellent!

When you have your own business, you will never have the "right" amount of work: there will always be too much or too little. Therefore, you will always be anxious. The trick is to stop thinking of anxiety as a bad thing. Instead, say to yourself, "I'm anxious today- excellent! This means I'm alive." Thinking of anxiety as one more form of energy-- fuel-- keeps you focused, committed, and excited about achieving your goals day-to-day.

Thanks to: Frances Cole Jones of author of "The Wow Factor".


25. Attention
Pay attention to the things you can control, not to the things you cannot control.

Thanks to: John Pulsifer of Jolly John Auto City.


37. Create an Advisory Board

The best business advice I received when starting my company - Loyalty Factor LLC - was to create an advisory board of senior-level individuals who believed in me, and the business model. The board had to include marketing, sales and financial experts. I was surrounded by experts in all aspects of a business and had the support system to encourage and energize me to exceed my goals and objectives. Capitalize on other people's experiences and expertise to strengthen your own.

Thanks to: Dianne Durkin of Loyalty Factor, LLC.


105. Sweat the Little Things.

My grandfather was a craftsman and an artist. His business was to make things look good. He told me that if you don't sweat the little things, then the big picture will suck.This bit of advice isn't simply about "paying attention to the details," but this is more about having the business discipline to be meticulous about the aesthetic, the functional and even the peripheral pieces that inevitably contribute to whole of the business.The little things are what really matter.

Thanks to: Dave Racine of Pierce Cleaning.


134. Stay Dispassionate

Tip: Nothing is as good or as bad as it seems at first. I received this tip from a friend. One of the most important things in managing a business is maintaining your equanimity, not over-reacting to situations (positive or negative). Many times we faced critical problems like key contractors leaving at crucial moments in product development, issues that could have sunk us if we didn’t manage it properly. But by maintaining an unemotional approach, we turned the problems to our advantage.

Thanks to: Gaurav Bazaz of Pravega Inc..


Here's the full list of 163 Pieces of the Best Business Advice

Here's the Carol Roth site


George Torok

Host of the weekly radio show Business in Motion

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