I’m often asked how I got
to where I am, and how the Virgin brand achieved all that it has. While there
are no shortcuts to success, certain attitudes and actions can help. Here are
my top 10 tips for doing business the Virgin way:
1. Follow your dreams.
You will live a much better
life if you pursue your passions. People who work on the things that they love
usually enjoy life more than everyone else does simply because they are chasing
their dreams.
2. Do some good.
If you aren’t making a
difference in other people’s lives, you shouldn’t be in business -- it’s that
simple. Companies have a responsibility to make a difference in the world: They
owe this to their community, their staff, their customers, everyone. The
amazing part is that doing good is also good for business -- what are you
waiting for?
3. Believe in your ideas:
Give your venture everything you’ve got.
A passionate commitment to
your business and personal objectives can make all the difference between
success and failure. If you aren’t proud of what you’re doing, why should
anybody else be? And don’t get suckered into blindly pursuing profits and
growth. If you stay focused on being the best at what you do, it’s more likely
that the rest will follow.
4. Have fun, and make sure
that your team members are enjoying themselves too.
Fun is one of the most
important -- and underrated -- components of any successful venture. If you’re
not enjoying yourself, it’s probably time to call it quits and try something
else. If your employees are engaged and having fun, and they genuinely care
about your customers,
they will enjoy their work more and do a better job. Hire people who look for
the best in others, who lavish more praise than they dole out criticism, and
who genuinely love what they do.
5. Don’t give up.
On every adventure that I
have undertaken -- whether it was setting up a business, flying around the
world in a balloon or racing across an ocean in a powerboat -- I have faced
difficult moments when the easiest thing to do would have been to throw in the
towel and walk away. But you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve by
tenaciously sticking to your goals. When you fail, get back up, brush
yourself off and try again.
6. Listen, take lots of
notes and keep setting yourself new challenges.
If you don’t write down
your own (and others’) spontaneous ideas, they can vanish in the blink of an
eye. So be sure to keep track of your goals: make lists. And remember to listen
more and talk less. You’ll be amazed at the obstacles a listening culture can
overcome.
7. Delegate, and spend
more time with your family.
The art of delegation is
one of the key skills that entrepreneurs must master. Be sure to “hire to your
weaknesses.” Bringing on people who can do the tasks you aren’t particularly
good at can free you up to plan for your company’s future. This strategy also
allows you to spend more time with your family, which is really the most important
thing of all.
Oh yes, and don’t forget to
as your family for input on your latest bigidea -- like I should
have done before we launched Mates condoms, for instance!
8. Communicate, collaborate
and communicate some more.
Keep it simple, stupid .
and above all else, work and play with others. Mushrooms might grow when they
are kept in the dark and fed a diet of dung, but that strategy doesn’t work
with people. The Apple co-founderSteve Jobs and
companies like Pixar built open work environments that invited intermingling
and the sharing of visions -- you need that atmosphere too.
9. Turn off your laptop and
iPhone, and get out there.
Don’t sit in front of a
screen all day. Switch everything off and venture out into the world regularly.
If you’ve been neglecting this part of life, start with your own backyard, then
expand your field of vision. With so many fascinating people to meet, exciting
adventures to embark upon and rewarding challenges to undertake, there’s no
time to lose. As the saying goes: Life isn’t a dress rehearsal.
10. Do what you love, and
keep a couch in the kitchen.
As long as you are
surrounded by the people you love and you’re doing what you love, it really
doesn’t matter where you live or how much money you make. When we are on Necker
Island, my family tends to spend most of our time in the kitchen together. If
you have a roof over your head and a partner you love, you really don’t need
too much more.
Now, I really must get back
to my hammock so I can do some business - around here that’s known as the
Virgin Islands way!
No comments:
Post a Comment