Business Alone

I'd like to spend some time giving you what I believe are great solo business quotations. These are not my thoughts (although I wish I had the keen insight that these business savvy people express) but rather the ideas of others that are targeted to helping you in your online business.

No, most of these quotes are not specific to Internet solo business. Some were made way before the Internet was born.

But don't discount their appropriateness just because some were spoken in times long ago.

These business thoughts can help you to understand some of the timeless wisdom that other entrepreneurs have shared to help you in this day and age.

Every solo business owner knows (or should know) the needs of his business better than any other individual. The key, then, to being a smart business owner is to be able to analyze what is going on in your business and correct any deficiencies quickly.

If there was ever a more appropriate quote for a business owner than "the buck stops here" I don't know what it would be. As a solo business owner, you have the ultimate, final, and only say regarding what happens in your business.

I don't know of a large profitable corporation that doesn't regularly seek professional advice on a whole range of business issues.

As a solo business owner, you may have a tendency to rely strictly upon your own knowledge and skill for all your business needs. You may figure that since you're in business for yourself, it's up to you to find answers to your questions and problems.

In actuality, the smart business owner is one that recognizes and admits he has limitations in certain business areas and will seek out professionals who can advise and help him over the rough spots.

Another book that I like to recommend to entrepreneurs and existing small business owners is The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki, a columnist for The New Yorker magazine.

It was published in May 2004 and has 320 pages. The subtitle is: "Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations."

That's quite a mouthful and suggests that there really is wisdom, influence, and, in particular, power in the thinking and opinions of the masses, either to the benefit or detriment of every society, organization, and economy in the world.

I'm always amazed that entrepreneurs are so anxious to spend their money.

I think the traditions and practices of the past have spilled over into the Internet generation of entrepreneurs and clouded the view of some soon-to-be business owners.

They feel that the old business cliché "you have to spend money to make money" still holds true.

I want to challenge that notion and tell you that you can play that game if you want to, but I would strongly advise a different approach.

I want to suggest that you conserve as much cash as you possibly can as you begin your new small business. Look for ways to save money instead of focusing on all the possible things you could spend your money on.

I believe that every business has the opportunity to "make a difference" in the world today, even if only in a small way.

There are lots of ways of doing that besides merely providing valuable and useful products and services that help people and make their lives better.

By being productive and profitable, a company has the opportunity to contribute to the economic stability of the city and region in which it operates.

Small businesses will also have a number of opportunities to become socially responsible.

Here are a few ideas for the small business owner:

Have you ever noticed how customers like to be given very specific instructions or detailed directions from those they consider to be an expert?

I used to work retail in the sporting goods industry when I was a struggling college student trying to get my education and support my young family.

My great passion and hobby was fly fishing and I took every opportunity I could to help fly fishermen who came into the store to become better at "my sport."

I was an evangelist, a mentor, and an instructor for the sport of fly fishing even though the store was paying me to be a salesman.

Think back to the time you had your first thoughts about working for yourself by creating a business.

You probably followed your dream and started a lemonade stand out on the front curb, began delivering newspapers so you'd have some spending money, or borrowed Dad's lawnmower to take your lawn care service to the neighbors.

In it's early and very basic form, entrepreneurship means you have an idea of a way to earn some money and you act on that idea or follow through to the point that you do the work and reap the reward.

For a long time I've felt that the future of entrepreneurship in the United States is very bright. And contrary to many that feel this nation is headed toward an economy based on mega-corporations and giant conglomerates, I've always believed that the key to a strong national economy is a growing and prosperous small business sector.

Of course, an important element of small business is the solo entrepreneur, the one-person company that thrives in a very narrow and focused niche with a business built on the delivery of fresh and detailed information.

Here's a very powerful marketing strategy for every small business owner that has ever wanted to "force" his clientele to identify with him.

You realize by now the popularity and effectiveness of including stories in your ads.

Human stories, that is, where the personal emotions of pain, hurt, love, greed, jealousy, sorrow, joy, etc are particularly strong and aroused in the customer.

Gripping stories tend to break down barriers, engage customers, and humanize the sometimes sterile world of Internet business.

Today's post is a bit of rambling about a principle that all of us seek and can, at least to some degree realize, regardless of how our business endeavers pan out.

Of course, from the title of this post you know the principle in mind is that of SUCCESS.

Whether or not you feel that you are a success really depends upon how you define and measure results that you consider to be successful.

Whether in business, life, in your marriage, in your relationships with family and friends, or wherever your "counting" takes place, the level of success you reach is often determined by the standards you set.