12 Unorthodox Tips for Becoming Successful in Business

Becoming a successful businessperson is about so much more than your college degree or knowledge of finance.

Question: What is your most unorthodox tip for becoming successful in business?

Sell Joy

"Stop focusing on selling your product or service; instead, focus on the joy your company creates, and let that drive your growth. Scale the joy. Systematize how you deliver the joy. Sell the joy."


Deliver Happiness

"I am a huge fan of the Zappos "delivering happiness" movement. I think that the paradigm for how companies and customers interact is changing in a big way. When I see examples of terrible customer service, it makes me shake my head. Delighting your customers is the fastest way to grow a hugely successful business."


Don't Work All the Time

"When I was young, I used to pull all-nighters a few times a week and would average only a few hours of sleep a night. Looking back, my life was totally unbalanced. I was far less productive and extremely unhealthy in general. Now, I have dinner with my kids, work out every day, do yoga, maintain a reasonable balance and get way more done than when I "worked" more hours."


Run a Half Marathon Every Year

"When you're the founder of a startup, your company is on your mind all the time. In fact, you can run into some major personal issues by not being able to properly "shut off" from business mode. I've found that signing up for a major athletic event like a half marathon is a great way to de-stress. It forces you to train every day and focus on something besides your business."


Break Rules

"Sure, rules are great. They create momentary stability and processes we can all adhere to, but breaking them for the right reasons can lead to breakthroughs, unique experiences and stories that build businesses and brands in unimaginable ways. "


Don't Try to Do It All

"Get out of your own way. It's easy to get caught up trying to do everything in a business when really you should be focusing on removing yourself as a bottleneck. Entrepreneurs should spend their time building systems and plans for their business and watching things happen. Being CEO doesn't mean you have to be doing all the work. "


Buy a Watch

"My most unorthodox tip for becoming wildly successful in business is buying a watch (any kind!) and actually wearing it (every day!). Being punctual in business is key. No one likes to be held up or waiting on an associate who is running behind. Be early to every meeting, finish meetings on time, and never get caught saying, "I'm sorry, I lost track of the time!""


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12 Unorthodox Tips for Becoming Successful in Business

Becoming a successful businessperson is about so much more than your college degree or knowledge of finance.

Question: What is your most unorthodox tip for becoming successful in business?

Sell Joy

"Stop focusing on selling your product or service; instead, focus on the joy your company creates, and let that drive your growth. Scale the joy. Systematize how you deliver the joy. Sell the joy."


Deliver Happiness

"I am a huge fan of the Zappos "delivering happiness" movement. I think that the paradigm for how companies and customers interact is changing in a big way. When I see examples of terrible customer service, it makes me shake my head. Delighting your customers is the fastest way to grow a hugely successful business."


Don't Work All the Time

"When I was young, I used to pull all-nighters a few times a week and would average only a few hours of sleep a night. Looking back, my life was totally unbalanced. I was far less productive and extremely unhealthy in general. Now, I have dinner with my kids, work out every day, do yoga, maintain a reasonable balance and get way more done than when I "worked" more hours."


Run a Half Marathon Every Year

"When you're the founder of a startup, your company is on your mind all the time. In fact, you can run into some major personal issues by not being able to properly "shut off" from business mode. I've found that signing up for a major athletic event like a half marathon is a great way to de-stress. It forces you to train every day and focus on something besides your business."


Break Rules

"Sure, rules are great. They create momentary stability and processes we can all adhere to, but breaking them for the right reasons can lead to breakthroughs, unique experiences and stories that build businesses and brands in unimaginable ways. "


Don't Try to Do It All

"Get out of your own way. It's easy to get caught up trying to do everything in a business when really you should be focusing on removing yourself as a bottleneck. Entrepreneurs should spend their time building systems and plans for their business and watching things happen. Being CEO doesn't mean you have to be doing all the work. "


Buy a Watch

"My most unorthodox tip for becoming wildly successful in business is buying a watch (any kind!) and actually wearing it (every day!). Being punctual in business is key. No one likes to be held up or waiting on an associate who is running behind. Be early to every meeting, finish meetings on time, and never get caught saying, "I'm sorry, I lost track of the time!""


See Also: How to Motivate Your Team Through a High-Pressure Sprint

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