Good advice is good advice, but it’d be a lie to say the source of that advice doesn’t matter. So, when we talk about sage entrepreneurial advice, what better group of people to open our ears to than company-starters and leaders? They’re imaginative, fearless, bold, passionate, hard-working people—and they know a thing or two about the most helpful experiences: failure.
Use these bits of entrepreneurial advice from successful founders, CEOs, and other accomplished entrepreneurs to freshen your perspective and re-inspire you to achieve your goals.
Take Risks
“When I’m old and dying, I plan to look back on my life and say, ‘wow, that was an adventure,’ not ‘wow, I sure felt safe.’” Tom Preston-Werner, co-founder of Github
Company Culture > Individual Talent
“If someone is a high performer but a jerk, give that person the message early and in no uncertain terms. If they don’t fix it, set them free.” Andrew Housser, co-founder of Freedom Financial Network
Be Open to Criticism
“If you can’t tolerate critics, don’t do anything new or interesting.” Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon
Action Over Talk
“You can’t build a company culture on what you are going to do.” Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company
Prioritize Company Direction Over Profit
“Chase the vision, not the money, the money will follow.” Tony Hsieh, founder of Zappos
Keep Passion at the Forefront
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is to be great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, Inc
Success Isn’t Plural
“Don’t worry about failure; you only have to be right once.” Drew Houston, founder of Dropbox
Set Achievable Goals
“I don’t look to jump over 7-foot bars — I look for 1-foot bars that I can step over.” Warren Buffett, chairman & CEO of Berkshire Hathaway
Learn Through Failing
“You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing and falling over.” Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group
Exceed Expectations
“Always deliver more than expected.” Larry Page, co-founder of Google
Create New Outcomes
“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” Tony Robbins
Shift Perspective
“I hate how many people think, ‘glass half-empty’ when their glass is really four-fifths full. I’m grateful when I have one drop in the glass because I know exactly what to do with it.” Gary Vaynerchuk, co-founder of VaynerMedia
Be All-In
“Don’t start a company unless it’s an obsession and something you love. If you have an exit strategy, it’s not an obsession.” Mark Cuban, owner of Dallas Mavericks & co-owner of 2929 Entertainment
Choice Means Power
“I think it is possible for ordinary people to choose to be extraordinary.” Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, The Boring Company
Progress Over Perfection
“Waiting for perfect is never as smart as making progress.” Seth Godin, author and founder of Squidoo (now HubPages)
Resiliency Is Everything
“Timing, perseverance, and ten years of trying will eventually make you look like an overnight success.” Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter
Demystify Life
“The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.” Oprah Winfrey, founder and CEO of the Oprah Winfrey Network & Harpo Productions
That’s a lot of life success filtered through inspiring words. How will you channel it to achieve your own dreams? Let us know in the comments!
