DO YOU ever wonder if starting your own business was futile? Starting a small business is hard work, and many people have provided good advice about starting a small business. In this article I’ll provide 15 inspirational quotes from successful business owners and discuss each one briefly. Hopefully it inspires you to reach new heights.
Small Business Quotes to Inspire You
If you need more fuel to run your small business, or you want to feel inspired to take the first step on a new project, look no further. Here are some of my favourite small business quotes for inspiration, along with some book recommendations to take things to that next level.
1. “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford
As a small business owner, success depends on mindset. You’re right if you think you can succeed. You’re right if you think you can’t succeed. The only way small business owners will be successful is if they become entrepreneurial-minded. If they do that, their small efforts will pay off.
- Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
2. “All you have in business is your reputation. So it’s very important that you keep your word.” – Richard Branson
As a small business owner, being honest and doing great work is crucial. Keep your word and you’ll have happy customers, which means more customers and referrals.
- Losing My Virginity: How I Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way by Richard Branson
3. “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein
This inspirational quote alludes to opportunities to create a better tomorrow by working today’s difficulties. It doesn’t matter what the cause is, whether it’s the economy or bad weather, difficulties are our greatest source of learning.
- The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz
4. “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” – John D. Rockefeller
This motivational quote is a reminder that small businesses should not be afraid to let go of something good to go for something better. Successful small business owners aren’t afraid to try new ideas to improve their business if they know they’ll see business growth.
5. “Great things in business are never done by one person.” – Steve Jobs
This quote shows that great achievements in business aren’t done by one person alone but by a small team of great people doing great work. When several people work together to achieve something, they all become successful people when they see their dream come true.
- Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
6. “It’s not an experiment if you know it’s going to work.” – Jeff Bezos
Experiments involve trying something out to see if it will produce what you think it will produce. You could try something different to save your failing business, for example. You don’t know if it will work, so it’s an experiment.
7. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain
Many businesses fail because they have trouble getting started. A business owner may not be able to devote as much time to their business as they thought they would. If they don’t start, they’ll never get ahead.
- The Young Entrepreneur’s Guide to Starting and Running a Business: Turn Your Ideas into Money! by Steve Mariotti
8. “Where do you put the fear when you choose to innovate? The fear is there, but you must find a place to put it.” – Seth Godin
Every entrepreneur embraces fear and failure. The key is how they react to them. An entrepreneur’s ability to anticipate and react to failure makes them unique.
9. “You don’t build a business. You build people, and the people build the business.” – Zig Ziglar
This quote from Zig Ziglar speaks to the importance of successful hiring as an easy way to build a big business. When you start a business, you have many roles to play; you won’t be able to do everything well. But if you’re a good motivational speaker, perhaps you can motivate other people to help you.
10. “If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney
A great motivational quote for those just starting out as an entrepreneur. It reminds us that we can do whatever we dream about. Focus on one goal at a time and make your dream come true.
- The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger
11. “You must not only aim right but draw the bow with all your might.” – Henry David Thoreau
This quote uses an archery simile to remind us that a successful business is the result of preparation. You must take the opportunity to plan what you will do to make your business successful. You might need to talk to other good business leaders to get ideas, but once you’ve got a plan in place and start working on it, as you see results, you can start changing what’s not working.
12. “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: The fear of failure.” – Paulo Coelho
The only thing stopping us from achieving our dreams is fear of failure. If you never try, you never can fail; but you’ll never be a successful small business either. Instead of focusing on what happens if you fail, ask yourself “What if it all works out?”
13. “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
This quote reminds us that when we have success, we haven’t reached the finish line; nor have we reached it when we fail. You need to have the courage to continue to be a successful warrior. The first success in business must inspire us to keep going; even the greatest failure isn’t final. We must be brave enough to try again if we’re still breathing.
- Churchill: The Power of Words by Winston Churchill
14. “If we did all the things we were capable of, we would astound ourselves.” – Thomas Edison
This quote reminds us that we’re capable of a lot more than we do every day. Doing everything we were capable of would be an amazing way to astound ourselves.
15. “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” – Warren Buffett
This quote reminds us that the simple things we do today will benefit someone else tomorrow. So, when you get frustrated and feel like your efforts are futile, remember that they will make a difference in the long run. Maybe not immediately, but eventually, you’ll see the fruits of your efforts.
- Warren Buffett and the Interpretation of Financial Statements: The Search for the Company with a Durable Competitive Advantage by Mary Buffett
Small Business Quotes to Remember
Those are just a few motivational quotes from business owners. As you read through them, think about these small business statistics, and what the motivational quotes are saying, and find ways to apply that advice to your business. If you can do that, your business will be more successful than ever.