When I was growing up, my mother always told me: “If you want to be a success, surround yourself with successful people.” The Internet has made this approach incredibly easy. Blogging and social media platforms, provide people with valuable and daily information; from the minds of Industry greats.
An excellent example of this, is FUBU founder Daymond John. Literally a “rags to riches” story, Daymond openly shares his experience with fans, friends and followers; in a way that the audience can understand and relate to. The lessons and information in his blog- The Daymond John Power Journal, are meant to inspire and encourage success.
With that being said, here are (my pick of) Daymond John’s Top 30 Tips for Businesses; from 2010:
- Daymond John Business Tip 1: Know Your Professional Ability (September 15, 2010). When you want something, you go after it. You survey your goal and you assess your talents and you formulate a plan of action to use your specific skill-set to take what’s yours. Being honest with yourself is of the utmost importance.
- Daymond John Business Tip 2: Be The First (April 26, 2010) Is your idea a diamond in the rough, really just a pebble in the dirt? Recognize the potential in a market, a material, a client or a concept; before anyone else. Then, tap in to that resource and get a much-needed head start.
- Daymond John Business Tip 3: The Best Laid Plans (March 26, 2010). Take the time to do your homework, and put the effort into knowing everything about your business. A good plan includes: a description of the business, products and services, organization and management, an analysis of the market, and financial documents; such as balance sheets, and income and cash flow statements.
- Daymond John Business Tip 4: Preparation is Everything (May 28, 2010) Are you prepared for the day your big opportunity arrives? Being the best never comes naturally. People become successful because they had talent, and they practiced. Work hard to be ready for the opportunity, so that when it arrives, you can perform surprisingly well.
- Daymond John Business Tip 5: Act now. Think ahead. (May 07, 2010) The business world has a long memory. A business will often feel the effects of decisions, that were made years before. Think about how your actions will be perceived now, and 10 years from now. “Don’t run your business as if its lifecycle is a sprint… think of it as a marathon and then plan accordingly.”
- Daymond John Business Tip 6: Never Expect It To Be Easy. (August 09, 2010) Success only comes before work in the dictionary. Never expect anything to be given to you. By anticipating your career to be a difficult progression, you’ll be prepared for the hard times; and unfazed by the easy ones.
- Daymond John Business Tip 7: Anything Worth Doing, Is Worth Overdoing. There is someone out there working hard to have what (you) have earned, someone willing to put in the time and effort that it takes to succeed. You need to work longer, fight harder and sacrifice more than your competitors.
- Earn it… You have to work hard in order to get the rewards you see other earn. Don’t allow yourself to take time off, without putting in the hours; punching the clock. There is no feeling, like having the knowledge you did your best, you can feel the thrill of victory; and that you may now claim your (well-deserved) prize.
- The Early Bird… (June 02, 2010) How many times has this happened to you; you’re laying in bed at night, about to fall asleep. At the moment before you drift off you remember something important: a document you need for an early meeting tomorrow, an email you needed to send out, something you left at the office or any kind of work-place emergency. You know that you can either get up out of bed, going from the warm and cozy comfort and take care of business… or put it off until the next day. You have to know that somewhere out there is a person who didn’t go back to sleep, who never went to bed at all that night. They just keep working. You have to ask yourself if you’ve prepared enough to meet the challenge that they are going to present.
- Staying On Your Game… (May 10, 2010) The fact is, when you are getting ready for the “game”, your opponent (competitor) is too. A successful business is always practicing, by making sure that the people on staff are the most qualified, they are always the one setting the trend, and that it’s style and/or product; is the one being emulated by others.
- Never Be Intimidated… (June 25, 2010) Exude “stone cold” certainty and deflect the the intimidation of others. When you have absolute confidence, it doesn’t matter how many awards, citations or framed business school diplomas; other people have on their office walls. It’s possible for anyone to make it to that level. Don’t waiver due to outside pressure. Keep your eyes on the prize.
- Face Time… (August 02, 2010) Networking and mingling, is an incredibly important way of gaining presence; in the modern business world. By meeting and socializing with people you gain insight in to their personalities, and can learn their likes and dislikes. You can find out things that you cannot learn from a spreadsheet or earnings report. At the same time that you are learning about them, they are learning about you. Stand out, be represented accurately and be memorable. Your conduct will determine whether or not, you get that call.
- Making Your Potential Known… (April 07, 2010) Being able to demonstrate your quality is of the utmost importance. Win people over by displaying your talent, and making it impossible for them to go without seeing it. “We’re all operating with the same machinery under the hood, the same engines. But it’s what we do with those engines that determine whether we succeed or fail.”
- Take What is Yours With Confidence… (July 02, 2010) Often in business, people can sense the nervousness and lack of confidence. Conduct yourself the way you want to be perceived at all times. It’s as simple as that.
- Public Confidence… (October 06, 2010) One of the most important things for a new business to consider is the general public’s confidence in your company as a worthwhile endeavor. It is important to establish credibility early on, because “The market needs to to figure out if you can be trusted… when you’re in start-up mode, it’s the first line in your asset column”.
- The Aspect of Trust… (April 09, 2010) Although being “transparent” may sound like a character weakness, you want people to know that you’re telling them the truth, that they can believe in you and most importantly; they can depend on you. Break away from lines of thought, or business plans that you know will not portray you, or represent your product; in a flattering light.
- We NEED Haters in Business…(March 30, 2010) Negative people can offer valuable insight into your product, that you may have never thought of before. There might be something you can do to change their minds, which could also lead you to a better product. You should look at the negative feedback, just as much as you would the positive.
- Nothing Motivates Like The Success Of Others… (Aug 30, 2010) It’s important to keep an eye on the competition, but you can never stress out over what they have accomplished. The most skilled and cool-headed businessmen will use that sting of defeat to push them and their team to achievement the next time around.
- Without Pressure We Have No Progression… (July 28, 2010)Pressure drives you. It forces you to perform out of your normal operating mode. Pressure shoves you in to daunting situations and tells you that if you focus, adapt and react accordingly you will come out the other side successful. Challenges are how you measure yourself, and your success.
- Pressure Makes Diamonds…(April 12, 2010) Pressure affects the way you do business. Distress causes you to make errors, flawed decisions and plans with unforeseen consequences. Eustress is positive pressure placed on you, when you are “in your groove.” It takes unimaginable pressure to make a diamond (your business). How you handle this pressure can not only define you, but it can also define your future.
- Tried and True… (July 14, 2010) What makes a strong business? Temperance. The stresses and strains of business keeps the company on it’s toes. Just like forging steel, the steady transition from offensive to defensive strategies; hardens the group.
- Never Stagnate…(June 11, 2010) What many people fail to realize is, that every second of every day is your opportunity; to change the people’s perception of you 100%. For example, celebrities constantly reinvent themselves. Keep yourself fresh, and on your toes. Never let people regard your presence, as disinteresting.
- Staying Fresh… (April 26, 2010) Making sure that (you and) your employees are content. Happiness is the number one (contributing) factor in generating creativity. Someone who enjoys what they do, who finds meaning and significance in their work; will always come up with new and exciting products.
- Be Prepared To Change It Up… (July 21, 2010) Anticipate the fact that sooner or later, you will have to make the difficult decision; to change your strategy. It’s inevitable that unexpected things will occur. In shooting for perfection you must overcompensate in order to guarantee that you’ll end up where you want to be.
- Know What To Change… (August 16, 2010) One of the most important skills that a businessperson can have is the ability to look at your work and realize what needs to be changed. When you formulate a strategy, you must be able to examine your idea with an objective eye. Never underestimate the importance of a fresh perspective. If you’re too close to the project, it’s always preferable to have someone else give you their opinion of how to trim the fat.
- Knowing What is Needed… (April 14, 2010) Evaluate your current position and decide what is necessary, and what useless processes can be eliminated.
- Seeing The Whole Picture… (July 19, 2010) It is important to step back from the day-to-day business, and take stock of everything in your scope. It’s like the old criticism of “not being able to see the forest for the trees”. When you focus too intently on one aspect of a strategy you hamper your ability to craft a well-rounded plan.
- Adapt, But Never Abandon… (September 22, 2010) There isn’t a successful company out there that can go without adapting. The important thing to establish is a significant connection through each stage of your company’s transformation. Always make sure that there is a lifeline connecting your previous self with your current self. That way you never leave the customer feeling deserted. Incorporate the user, never discard them.
- Make Connections, Maintaining What You Have…(June 16, 2010) It’s harder to gain new customers than it is to retain current ones. Similarly, it costs more to develop new customers than is takes to maintain current ones. Build a brand loyalty that encourages supporters to spread the message. A word of mouth endorsement about a product, will provide a more lasting interest; than any retweet, interactive ad or athlete sponsor ever could.
- Keeping Your Eyes Open… (April 05, 2010) Where you’re coming from is just as important as where you’re going. It’s important to have the presence of mind, to see problems and solutions from multiple perspectives; and to think with experience.
Follow Daymond John on Twitter @TheSharkDaymond.
