Business

“If you hear my idea but don’t believe it, that’s not your fault; it’s mine. If you see my new product but don’t buy it, that’s my failure, not yours. If you attend my presentation and you’re bored, that’s my fault too.” ~ Seth Godin (Tribes, page 117)

“People want to be recognized.  They want to be celebrated in some way.  They want to be made to feel as if they really do count for something.  And they want a place where they can belong in the community that stands for something more than just an enterprise that makes money.” ~ Martin Coles (Starbucks International President)

“Compensation is counterintuitive:  The more treasure you give away to those who serve well, the more treasure will return to you.  But few people perceive this simple truth.  Most try to keep as much as they can for themselves and give little away.  That’s why their purses refuse to fatten.” ~ Toyotomi Hideyoshi

“There are moments in our lives when we summon the courage to make choices that go against reason, against common sense and the wise counsel of people we trust. But we lean forward nonetheless because, despite all risks and rational argument, we believe that the path we are choosing is the right and best thing to do. We refuse to be bystanders, even if we do not know exactly where our actions will lead.” – Howard Schultz (CEO of Starbucks)

“Owning a business is NOT about working your ass off for the sake of trying to squeeze out a living.  It is NOT about making tons of money at the expense of losing tons of life.  It IS about maximizing life, bettering your life and the lives of others, which, not so ironically, fattens your purse.” ~ Mike Michalowicz

“Statistics suggest that when customers complain, business owners and managers ought to get excited about it. The complaining customer represents a huge opportunity for more business.” ~ Zig Ziglar