Six Business Lessons from my Dad

It’s funny, but my dad (and mum for that matter) have been teaching me and instilling in me great ideas about life since I was young.

For most of that time I’m not sure I was listening (or taking it in).

But maybe through some sort of osmosis, some things seeped in.

They’ve had a massive positive effect on my life, and now I’m passing these ideas on to my girls.

Live life in day tight compartments.

If you’re constantly stressing about the future, or worrying about what you coulda, shoulda woulda done in the past, you’re not present to what is right in front of you.

My dad taught me to live in day-tight compartments, enjoy what you have today, you only have enough energy to work on what you have in front of you for the next 24 hours.

Be more interested than interesting.

Take a genuine interest in others, and give everyone the time of day.

If you constantly focus on trying to impress others or talk about yourself, this is a hard way to make business relationships and friendships.

The best way to make new connections is to pay attention to what’s important to others, and ask questions.

Only work with people you like.

Business is about choices, you run your own business because you don’t want to be under someone else’s thumb for the rest of your life.

Therefore, you choose who you say yes and no to as a client.

Life’s too short for bad clients, work with people you like.

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

If it won’t matter in 5 weeks or 5 months time then don’t stress about it. Let it go.

Do right by others, treat others as you want to be treated.

I used to think it was all about ‘treat others how they treat you’

This logic is completely fucked.

If we’re to have a positive influence on the world and the people we meet, we need to raise the energy of the people we meet with.

Leave them better than before they met us that day.

Don’t let others' moods, bad days or stress affect us.

Be the energy you want more of, be kind and treat others how you would like to be treated.

Sales is about relationships

Selling and business is about relationships.

Your clients can and should become your friends.

The better relationships you make the more opportunities you will get.

And above all, selling is always positive.

It allows our clients to achieve their goals, by investing in us.

Those are six lessons my dad taught me but there have been many more.

I never used to understand his positive attitude, his affirmations, all the Tony Robbinsisms, Dale Carnegieisms and Zig Ziglarisms that dad shared with me, my mum and my sister.

I just wish I’d told my teenage brain to STFU and listen sooner.

He has the right idea.

Happy fathers day dad!