5 (More!) Secrets from a CEO
Last month, I shared with you five secrets to success. If you didn't see them, check them out here.
These secrets helped me Warehouse1 over the past 30 years from selling equipment out of a pickup truck to a stable, successful business. Still thinking about taking your business to the next level? Well this month, I've got five more secrets for you! Contact me and let's talk about these 10 concepts and ones you used to make your business a success! Let's grow together.
1. Focus. If your mind is like mine, you have 100 things floating around in your head every morning when you start the day. Then, there is the constant barrage of email and text and all the inbound distractions that show up every minute. Tom Hill says we can only be effective if we focus on one task or project at a time and that singular focus is the key to success for the 2% of most successful CEOs and businesses. It took me 15 years to get WH1 focused on the segment of our business that is the most profitable. I still struggle with focus every day.
2. Respect and value your customers, your associates and your vendors. I want to create sustainable success by improving the life, happiness and success of every person or organization associated with WH1. Our values are FAIR: Fun, Accountability, Integrity, Respect.
3. Mentor. Find one, find several. Reach out to the biz community and target one or several successful experts in the areas you need to gain advice, expertise and knowledge. Use your network to find them and get an introduction. Call them and invite them to lunch and ask for their help. Be clear what you expect from them as a mentor and what you are willing to commit in time and effort as a student. Join a forum, YPO, YEO, NAWBO, or any business group. Show up at meetings, participate and support them. Apply to the Helzberg Mentoring Program. My participation in this group has profoundly changed me and my business. This group of amazing business leaders, the remarkable leadership programs and Barnett have made a huge difference to me and to each other. I love these guys.
4. Risk. Take it. Rely on your intuition. Believe in yourself and your dreams. Expect some lemons and use them to make lemonade. Accept a little luck, you deserve it. Find opportunities not obstacles. Love what you do. Be positive and be passionate. Embrace all parts of your life.
5. Hire people smarter than you are in all the areas you lack knowledge. You can't afford them you say? You can't NOT afford them. Coach them, ingrain the company culture into them, mentor them, ask them and listen to their answers. Encourage them to be independent. Set defined and clear expectations and hold them accountable. Pay attention to what they say and delegate to them. Let them make your company more successful.
