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Everyone is out to screw you, so screw them first or screw them harder.

I never buy anything (anything major) unless it is worth more than I paid for it.

My business motto is: "We don't have problems, we only have solutions".

To that I say:
"A profit is only made when goods are sold, not bought."
Italo Svevo

Quote:

Originally Posted by dewolf (Post 8403312)

My business motto is: "We don't have problems, we only have solutions".

I agree. Now check out post #1 in the thread....SmileWavy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kraftwerk (Post 8403314)

To that I say:
"A profit is only made when goods are sold, not bought."
Italo Svevo

Agreed.

And I will add.....much profit can be made on the front end of a deal when goods are bought. (from a friend who worked in auto sales) Of course, I had already been practising this concept all along. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Goodman (Post 8402438)

1. Never be afraid to walk away from a deal
2. Under promise, over deliver
3. Always be closing

Good ones Dave...especially Under promise, over deliver

These exact words shared with me from a local businessman who owned a Porsche dealership in Mississippi as well as a couple other dealerships locally. I did some landscape work for him and also he located my current Silverado for me a few years ago. It stuck with me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by widgeon13 (Post 8402656)

Make the offer and then shut up. The first person to speak loses.

Yes....good one!

First one to speak loses. Ha! ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 911michael (Post 8402735)

A few I've collected over time -

1) I have made a ceaseless effort not to ridicule, not to bewail, not to scorn human actions, but to understand them. - Baruch Spinoza
2) You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions - Naguib Mahfouz
3) An error does not become a mistake until you refuse to correct it
4) Knowledge rests not upon truth alone, but upon error also. - Carl Jung
5) Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig enjoys it. - George Bernard Shaw
6) If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses. - Henry Ford
7) People that make no errors generally accomplish nothing
8) Judging a person does not define who they are, it defines who you are
9) Here is a simple but powerful rule: Always give people more than what they expect to get. - Nelson Boswell
10) Every day you’re getting better or worse ... you never stay the same - Bo Schembechler
11) Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless. - Jamie Paolinetti
12) Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day. - Sally Koch
13) If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking. - George S. Patton
14) A good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution applied ten minutes later. - George S. Patton
15) Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant with the weak and wrong. Sometime in your life, you will have been all of these.

Michael - thanks - very well done. All good. But that last one really resonates....

Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant with the weak and wrong. Sometime in your life, you will have been all of these.

It's quite humbling, isn't it?

There's a time in the history of every project when you need to shoot the engineers and begin production....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brando (Post 8402825)

A few I've learned to live by in my industry (Marketing...)

1. Always do right by your employees, the client, and the company. Mostly in that order.
2. Don't be afraid to fire a bad client.
3. Lead by example, and be willing to do everything you ask your team to do.
4. When presenting a plan of action, speak with conviction and determination.
5. Manage UP and down. Make your boss and your team both look good.

Thank you, Brando. Very impressive and spot on.

Your #1 reminds me of what I was taught over 20 years ago. Your customers are not just the ones who walk in and out the front door. They are also your co-workers and fellow associates.

#4 is also a good one to remember. To be a good leader you must be exude confidence....but not come off as an egomaniac.

Thanks again. SmileWavy

Another one I thought of today.....

You'll never get in trouble by asking questions!
(as opposed to making statements)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icemaster (Post 8402335)

NeveR pass up a golden opportunity to shut the hell up.
Let people talk. You learn as much about them from what they don't say as you can from what they do.
I use the Michael Corleone school of management; It's not personal, it's strictly business.
Be the calmest person in the room.
Lead quietly and with respect.

Sun Tzu has been helpful in guiding thru some situations.

Couple weeks ago I was at an irrigation supply house and one of the employees...actually the guy who works in the back - was sitting there very quietly while I had a discussion with the sales manager about some technical stuff. When we were finished I asked him why he was so quiet. He said when he was very young an Uncle had told him in a room full of people the one who learns the most is the one who doesn't talk - but just listens. That was GOLD.

Listening is an art form - and one I'm continuously trying and perfect. :)

Anyone...what's the difference between a FEATURE and a BENEFIT?

Only have good quality product so you only deal with good quality people.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baz (Post 8403511)

Anyone...what's the difference between a FEATURE and a BENEFIT?

People on a benefit often feature on the news?

I like to act classy so my business motto is in Latin. Oderint dum mentuant.

Reasonably translated it means Let them hate so long as they fear. I remind my wife of this maxim from time to time as well when she needs to inspire her troops. She reports that they love her.

Don't get too excited about "atta-boys" from the boss.
One "oh shoot" kills a thousand atta-boys.

"Loyalty, dedication, and reliability" have been replaced by "What have you done for me lately?".

"Don't get any on ya."
"Don't be the last one to touch it."

Some great stuff here. A couple of mine:

Put the right people in the right places. Give people the opportunity to excel at what they want to do; don't set them up for failure by giving them responsibilities they can't handle.

Set clear expectations and track them. Reward performance. Don't tolerate incompetence.

It was that way when I got here...
Always blame the guy who isn't there...