I Found 7 Nuggets of Business Wisdom In Quotes [with Sharable Memes]

Everyone loves quotes. Little tidbits of wisdom shared by historical figures, celebrities, authors; just about anyone really.  As part of my job, I often find myself searching for quotes on various topics and turning them into shareable memes for some of my clients. In my searches, I come across quotes that are profound, funny, touching, honest and sometimes applicable to my role as a business owner.  Seriously. You’d be amazed at the business wisdom you can find.  Yes, I did find business wisdom in quotes.

And I’ve turned them into memes for you to share.

1. “Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” Albert Einstein

We all strive for success in our businesses, but what if that was the wrong thing to be striving for? Einstein had it right when he admonished us to instead seek to become of value. Whether you are providing services or products, making sure it brings value to your client/customer is wise. And by the way, focusing on value will often bring you success.

2.“Failure is the condiment that gives success it’s flavor”- Truman Capote

Fear of failure is something every new business owner is familiar with. It’s terrifying actually. Not so much if you view it the way Capote speaks of. It’s true, success would never taste as sweet if you didn’t first have a few failures to spice it up. Failure is not only a teaching tool, but it’s also something to compare your successes to when you have them. Viewing your business failures as spices to increase that sweet flavor of success can be a huge help in overcoming that fear of failure that can often be a stumbling block in the road to achieving your dreams.

3.“Don’t spend time beating on a wall hoping to transform it into a door.” – Coco Chanel

Sometimes we get an idea for our business into our head. It might be a new service or product, it might be different branding or a new marketing method. The problem is, sometimes it just doesn’t work or fit for some reason. Yet how many of us cling to it either because we were sure it would work eventually, we spent lots of money on it or we’re just in love with the idea.  It doesn’t matter how many times you beat on that “wall” it’s not going to be a door. Knowing when to let something go and move in another direction is a key factor in running a successful business.

4.“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”-Walt Disney

You’ve come up with a great new idea. Maybe it’s an information product, and online course or a new service or product.  You research your market, you create, then you fine tune it, come up with plans to market and brand it. You do everything but launch it. Planning and preparing are great, but there comes a time when you just have to ‘stop talking’ and do it. Wise words from a man who imagineered a world of magic and then made it happen.

5.“Success is not how high you have climbed, but how you make a positive difference to the world” -Roy T. Bennett

Sometimes we get so caught up in growing our business that we get tunnel vision. The outside world sort of disappears and we live, eat and breath our business. Changing your viewpoint on what exactly equals success can help you break out of that tunnel. Thinking about what kind of positive influence you and your business can be in the world widens your view and gets you involved in the community outside of your office.

6.  “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way”- Martin Luther King Jr.

I came to the conclusion pretty early in my business that I wasn’t cut out to be a Fortune 500 business owner. My face wasn’t going to grace Entrepreneur magazine as a mover and a shaker. In the world viewpoint, my business wasn’t likely to do ‘great things’. It was then I made a commitment to run my small business in a great way. I focused on the things that I could perhaps do better than the big guys. Solid communication, personal interaction and a commitment to doing everything to the best of my ability. My commitment to quality services and value for my clients are great things on a small scale.

7. “Don’t blow out another’s candle for it won’t make yours shine brighter.”- Jaachynma N.E. Agu

We’ve been taught that competition in the business world is fierce. And while it may be, business today doesn’t have to be done the ‘old-fashioned’ way. That includes the way you treat your competition.  Some old-time business owners are shocked by the growing trend of working with your competition. The thing is, trying to make your competition look bad never makes you look good. You don’t have to go so far as to work with them if that’s not your thing, but don’t go ‘blowing out their candle’ because chances are yours will get blown out by the backdraft.

There’s a reason quotes are such a popular thing.  They can often be applied to your own situation to provide inspiration and motivation. They can bring a smile to your face on a rough day. And yes, little nuggets of business wisdom can be discovered in quotes too.