Businessman Quotes

A great business success was probably never attained by chasing the dollar, but is due to pride in one's work, the pride that makes business an art.

Henry Latham Doherty

There is no jungle in the whole of Africa like the jungle of the City of London.

Time is the most valuable thing you have - and I'm not just talking about the minutes for which you're paid.

When companies fail, or fail to grow, it's almost always because they don't invest in the people, the systems, and the processes they need.

How do you develop the subconscious of an organization?... There's no time to take decisions deep into the brain—no time to take it to the data warehouse. It has to become a reflex action. We're developing the gut.

Sumit Chowdhury

[Apple] brings to mind the idea of a corporate edifice complex. That's where a successful company builds a monument to its greatness just as it is losing touch with the realities of its market.... The construction of a $5 billion palatial headquarters when the company is — at best — between hit products does reflect a certain corporate arrogance.

We've learned and struggled for a few years here figuring out how to make a decent phone. PC guys are not going to just figure this out. They're not going to just walk in.

Only 20 countries — whose populations are smaller than Taiwan's — in the world recognize the Republic of China (ROC). What is the meaning of their recognition of the ROC?

To understand the mindset of the connected consumer, one must realize that everything begins with search and intent.

The thieves may be able to follow the design plans and produce a loom. But we are modifying and improving our looms every day. They do not have the expertise gained from the failures it took to produce the original. We need not be concerned. We need only continue as always, making our improvements.

Kiichiro Toyoda

I couldn't type on it and I still can't type on it, and a lot of my friends can't type on it. It's hard to type on a piece of glass.

We are lucky that Steve Jobs has such a bad temper and doesn't care about China. If Apple were to spend the same effort on the Chinese consumer as we do, we would be in trouble.

If there's one piece of wisdom that this simple pilgrim would like to impart upon you: have the courage to start with the customer. My biggest regrets are the moments that I let a lack of data override my intuition on what's best for our customers. This leadership change gives you some breathing room to break bad habits and deliver sustainable customer happiness — don't waste the opportunity!

Demanding immediate success invariably leads to playing the fads or fashions currently performing well rather than investing on a solid basis. A course of investment, once charted, should be given time to work out. Patience is a crucial but rare investment commodity.

Budget thy expenses that thou mayest have coins to pay for thy necessities, to pay for thy enjoyments, and to gratify thy worthwhile desires without spending more than nine-tenths of thy earnings.

George Samuel Clason

"Elementary" is a delightfully ambiguous word. It can mean that which is easily understood ("Elementary, my dear Watson") or that which is so fundamental that it is not understood at all.

Carlo De Benedetti

The geologist commences where the astronomer ends.

Joseph Prestwich

When you have mastered the numbers, you will in fact no longer be reading numbers, any more than you read words when reading a book. You will be reading meanings.

When starting out, ensure your business has adequate capital for growth.

Sudhir Ruparelia

He tries to find the exit from himself but there is no door.

Dejan Stojanovic

I've negotiated bank deals all over the globe. Everything is a compromise. … I never take anything off the table. They say good luck, put your government together. Fine — I've loved it. So we have jumped in with vigor. I have now had CEOs who have called me, several have come to visit me, and made it clear to me that I better get this workforce development fixed or they have to take other options available to them. Obviously, the biggest challenge is state government is so immense, so many different departments, so many people involved. It's a challenge but not an overwhelming challenge — I actually enjoy it. I haven't taken time off since the election. Many of my predecessors have said 'You need to do that.' It's really not my personality.

Terry McAuliffe

For over a half century now I've watched office obesity develop into a full-blown, crippling disease. As our office clutter mounts, we're ever more intimidated and frustrated by it. We engineer drainage and removal of water and liquid wastes from society to prevent hazardous buildup, but the effluent that pours into our offices-paper-is never flushed out.

Premature wealth or position cannot be retained because it has not been earned; we get only what we give, and those who try to get without giving always find that the law of compensation is relentlessly bringing about an exact equilibrium.

Charles F. Haanel

Sometimes, all the advice in the world cannot equal your own hunch on your own idea.

E. Joseph Cossman

I believe the moral losses of expediency always far outweigh the temporary gains.

Wendell Willkie