Your advice nuggets from business books/talks?

[Frimley111R]

I don't watch many of these videos or read many of these books because they are mostly, IMO,garbage but occasionally I'll pick up a nugget from one of them. One, I think from Arnold Swarzenegger, was that commitment is doing something even when you don't want to. It could be getting up at 5am to start working on your business or going to the gym at 6am every day.

What nuggets you heard or read?

[bristolbaron]

Do the worst thing first. A day spent without the most difficult task looming over you is far more productive than any other. (He says whilst browsing PH with work to do..)

[Frimley111R]

Good one, reminds me of another about prioritising: If you could only do one thing today, what is it?

[StevieBee]

Likewise, I find most of these sorts of resources largely useless. However, when I started out many years back I borrowed a set of tapes from the library by some northern business magnate on his tips for success. From these a few have since proved to very astute and proven many times over:

Never trust someone who wears a shirt with cuffs and collar a different shade to the rest.

Never give credit to any company that has a fish tank in reception

The more business awards a company has the more likely it is to fail

Planning is what people do whilst their competitors are out winning business

Always know more and be smarter than the people you sell to - but pretend it's the other way around.

[jonamv8]

well the fishtank is a new one for me....

[loafer123]

Any company which builds a huge, glossy global HQ is about to fall on it's arse.

Also, never lend to anyone with a helicopter.

[khushy]

chicken

[StevieBee]

jonamv8 said:

well the fishtank is a new one for me....

I think the theory goes that in order to keep a fish tank looking nice, someone has to be given the responsibility to look after it, a budget allocated to it and thus managerial consideration given. This is at the expense of stuff that actually matters.

I've dealt with three companies with fishtanks where the owners were very proud of them. All fell on their arses.

How this squares with companies that make and sell fishtanks, I'm not sure!

[bristolbaron]

StevieBee said:

I've dealt with three companies that have kept fish where the owners were very proud of them. They all tanked.

FTFY.

[slipstream 1985]

StevieBee said:

jonamv8 said:

well the fishtank is a new one for me....

I think the theory goes that in order to keep a fish tank looking nice, someone has to be given the responsibility to look after it, a budget allocated to it and thus managerial consideration given. This is at the expense of stuff that actually matters.

I've dealt with three companies with fishtanks where the owners were very proud of them. All fell on their arses.

How this squares with companies that make and sell fishtanks, I'm not sure!

It's people like you that keep my fish tank wholesale showroom from growing.

On a serious note my own personal nugget is "staff are your greatest asset and the greatest liability.

[dazmanultra]

bristolbaron said:

Do the worst thing first. A day spent without the most difficult task looming over you is far more productive than any other. (He says whilst browsing PH with work to do..)

Frimley111R said:

Good one, reminds me of another about prioritising: If you could only do one thing today, what is it?

I like both of these.

[StevieBee]

Look at your monthly management accounts once a month and at your bank account twice a day.

[cheekymeerkat]

I read this recently, made me realise that currently, I own a job.

"If your business depends on you, your don't own a business - you own a job"

[Mr MXT]

loafer123 said:

Any company which builds a huge, glossy global HQ is about to fall on it's arse.

Also, never lend to anyone with a helicopter.

All of my customers have aircraft!

[NNH]

StevieBee said:

Likewise, I find most of these sorts of resources largely useless. However, when I started out many years back I borrowed a set of tapes from the library by some northern business magnate on his tips for success. From these a few have since proved to very astute and proven many times over:

Never trust someone who wears a shirt with cuffs and collar a different shade to the rest.

Never give credit to any company that has a fish tank in reception

The more business awards a company has the more likely it is to fail

Planning is what people do whilst their competitors are out winning business

Always know more and be smarter than the people you sell to - but pretend it's the other way around.

This works best if you read it to yourself in a grumpy northern voice.

[JuniorD]

Mr MXT said:

loafer123 said:

Any company which builds a huge, glossy global HQ is about to fall on it's arse.

Also, never lend to anyone with a helicopter.

All of my customers have aircraft!

Helicopter leasing?