‘Don’t Tell People Your Age’
“As a two young female entrepreneurs, my business partner Brittany and I realize we are a rare breed. Someone told us early on that we should never disclose our age because we would “never be taken seriously.” Some of the biggest names in innovation are well under the age of 40. I believe good ideas, no matter who they come from, trump anyone’s birth year. ”
‘You Have to Offer the Lowest Prices’
“Retail entrepreneurs think they need to price their products lower than their competition to earn business. This strategy is not sustainable because profit margins will constantly be shrinking; someone out there is always willing to cut his margins lower than you. Instead, price your products at fair market value, and provide additional value/service to your customers to differentiate.”
Anthony Saladino
Kitchen Cabinet Kings
[Related: 5 Tips for Hiring the Best Talent]
‘Keep Working Hard, and Eventually You’ll See Success’
“I worked hard for several years, and I was doing nothing more than spinning my wheels. It wasn’t until I started working smart that I achieved success.”
Andrew Schrage
Money Crashers Personal Finance
‘It Won’t Work if You Do It That Way’
“Just because you don’t do things the way others in your industry are doing them doesn’t mean you are wrong and will be unsuccessful. Part of standing out from the crowd is being different, so embrace your differences, and do what works best for your business.”
Michael Mogill
Crisp Video Group
‘It’s Better to Be Feared Than Loved’
“I had someone tell me the way I was interacting with some of my 20,000-plus independent contractors was too friendly and that they would take advantage of me. In fact, it is our personal connection to them and genuinely caring about their individual goals and dreams that has helped us build one of the strongest networks of marketers for hire in the U.S. You catch more bees with honey. ”
Vinny Antonio
Victory Marketing Agency
‘If You Build It, They Will Come’
“The worst advice EVER is “If you build it, they will come.” We all know the phrase “the best thing since sliced bread,” but in reality, even sliced bread took almost 20 years from when it was invented before it was commercially adapted because of latent customer adoption and misinformation. Don’t make the mistake of being naive or overconfident. There are a lot of factors that come into play.”