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A Billionaire’s Advice: The One Book Every Entrepreneur Should Read

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If you could ask a billionaire one question what would it be?

Dave Ramsey, a millionaire financial advisor, had his chance one afternoon. He had been looking forward to this meeting for a while and picked a simple question to ask:

What one book would you recommend for somebody who wants to achieve success?

The billionaire’s reply caught him off guard:

“When I asked him to recommend a business title, I was not prepared for his response: ‘Aesop’s Fable: The Tortoise and the Hare,’ he said. ‘Every time I read it, the tortoise wins. Slow and steady continues to win the race.’”

 

If you want to achieve insane goals, then you should practice pacing yourself. Persistence is often the secret to success.

I learned this lesson the hard way while building my first company. It was a painfully slow start. People didn’t immediately latch on to what I had to offer, and they sure weren’t ready to shell out their dollars. But I wasn’t giving up any time soon.

It took nearly 6 months to find my first paying customer. The next month I got 5 more. Today I’ve actually had to close that side of the business due to so many requests and have started building a more scalable service.

If you’re on the road towards success some stretches will feel like deserts. Keep going.

To help you make it to the finish line, and perfect your persistence here are 4 tips.

 

Be the tortoise not the hare-picture-quote

 

1. Get Creative

People like Benjamin Franklin and the Wright brothers are known for the persistence. Even against incredible odds they invented objects that have literally reshaped the human story.

What they don’t get enough credit for though is their creativity. They had to try hundreds of different solutions to solve their single issue.

When struggling against your own roadblocks, get creative. Try ridiculous methods of solving the problem. At the very least this will keep you interested and motivated to continue. At the most, you could end up in our history books.

 

2. Stoke Your Passion

It’s true that positive feelings alone will not get you to the finish line. But they can be a great source of strength.

Learn to use your passion as an anchor. Answer this question: What was your why for starting?

During those dry months of no sales I had to remember that my passion wasn’t just to have a successful business. I wanted to connect businesses and their audiences in a unique and meaningful way.

Remembering my why helped fuel my passion and which in turn made me more persistent.

 

3. Kill Doubt

In my opinion, nothing is more detrimental to a dream than a negative nancy. Don’t put up with it.

If you have friends, coworkers or even family members who are constantly pointing out your failures and hurting your motivation, shut them out. Your success is more important than other people’s opinions.

Cultivate a positive attitude in your life. Listen to podcasts, read books, and watch webinars that build into you. This will help to kill the doubt that springs out of your own head. This can be the most difficult battle to fight but you can win!

 

4. Stick to Your Purpose

It’s impossible to stick with something that is out of line with who you truly are. Finding your purpose is like finding your rhythm. It’s not easy at first, but the more you practice the more natural it becomes.

The more inline whatever it is you are trying to accomplish is with your purpose, the easier it will be to persist. Sometimes the reason you can’t see a project through is because it’s asking you to be someone you are not.

Slow and steady my friends. That is one key to success that you can begin to implement right away.

Persistence is rare. And that is why it wins.

 

Photo courtesy of Victor1558 via flickr

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Success Advice

What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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Image Credit: Midjourney

When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
Image Credit: Midjourney

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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Image Credit: Midjourney

When you think of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Ted Turner (CNN), one thing becomes clear: they are not just entrepreneurs, they are entrepreneurial leaders. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

Building a Business Empire: Lessons from the World’s Boldest Entrepreneurs

Learn essential lessons, success strategies, and mindset shifts every aspiring entrepreneur needs to overcome challenges and build a thriving business.

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how to build a business empire
Image Credit: Midjourney

Back in July 2017, I attended a business seminar on entrepreneurship in India. With my appetite for learning and meeting new people, I wanted to explore the latest developments in the entrepreneurial world. (more…)

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