Inspirational Business Quotes

#1: Steve Jobs, Apple

“Believe that things will work out… follow your intuition and curiosity… trust your heart even when it leads you off the well-worn path… You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future… The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it… Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

#2: Oprah Winfrey, Harpo

“What I know for sure is that if you want to have success, you can’t make success your goal. The key is not to worry about being successful, but to instead work toward being significant – and the success will naturally follow… If you do work that you love, and work that fulfills you, the rest will come. And, I truly believe, that the reason I’ve been able to be so financially successful is because my focus has never, ever for one minute been money. Would you do your job and not be paid for it? I would do this job, and take on a second job just to make ends meet if nobody paid me. That’s how you know you are doing the right thing.”

#3: Tony Robbins

“A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided… The most important thing you can do to achieve your goals is to make sure that as soon as you set them, you immediately begin to create momentum. The most important rules that I ever adopted to help me in achieving my goals were those I learned from a very successful man who taught me to first write down the goal, and then to never leave the site of setting a goal without first taking some form of positive action toward its attainment.”

#4: Ted Turner, Turner Broadcasting

“All my life people have said that I wasn’t going to make it… You can never quit. Winners never quit, and quitters never win.”

#5: Anita Roddick, The Body Shop

“Whatever you do, be different – that was the advice my mother gave me, and I can’t think of better advice for an entrepreneur. If you’re different, you will stand out.”

#6: Tony Robbins

“For changes to be of any true value, they’ve got to be lasting and consistent. Any time you sincerely want to make a change, the first thing you must do is to raise your standards… If you don’t set a baseline standard for what you’ll accept in life, you’ll find it’s easy to slip into behaviors and attitudes or a quality of life that’s far below what you deserve… Whatever happens, take responsibility… The only thing that’s keeping you from getting what you want is the story you keep telling yourself.”

#7: Chris Gardner, Gardner Rich & Co.

“Find something that you love. Something that gets you so excited you can’t wait to get out of bed in the morning. Forget about money. Be happy.”

#8: Donald Trump

“I was relentless, even in the face of total lack of encouragement, because much more often than you’d think, sheer persistence is the difference between success and failure.”

#9: Isadore Sharp, Four Seasons

“Whatever you do, don’t ever use a crutch, and don’t ever think of having an excuse for not having said, ‘Yeah, I did my best.’”

#10: Trip Hawkins, Electronic Arts

“One quality of entrepreneurship is just persistence, not giving up because you have road blocks and also not giving in because other people tell you that you’re nuts. You are nuts and you should be proud of it. Stick with what you believe in.”
I started this post to share some of my favorite inspirational entrepreneurial quotes of all time. I’ll be updating this page regularly so stay tuned and come back often for more inspiration. Which are your favorites? Have your say and post a comment below!

Alan Sugar, Founder of Amstrad

Alan Sugar…

“If you take care of your character, your reputation will take care of itself.” - Alan Sugar

“Once you decide to work for yourself, you never go back to work for somebody else.” - Alan Sugar

“Don’t try to blame the rest of the world. The blame only lies with you. Recognize that immediately.” - Alan Sugar

“Love what you do and do what you love, otherwise you will become unhappy and self-defeating.” - Alan Sugar

“If you enjoy what you do, don’t be afraid of expressing your enthusiasm. Enjoyment is infectious and you will bring others along with you.” - Alan Sugar

“Start small and with your own money.” - Alan Sugar

Andrew Carnegie, Founder of Carnegie Steel

Andrew Carnegie (25 November 1835 – 11 August 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, entrepreneur and a major philanthropist. He is often regarded as the second-richest man in history after John D. Rockefeller.

“A sunny disposition is worth more than fortune. Young people should know that it can be cultivated; that the mind like the body can be moved from the shade into sunshine.” – Andrew Carnegie

“People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.” – Andrew Carnegie

“No man can become rich without himself enriching others.” – Andrew Carnegie

“Concentrate your energies, your thoughts and your capital…. The wise man puts all his eggs in one basket and watches the basket.” – Andrew Carnegie

Anita Roddick, Founder of The Body Shop

Anita Roddick (23 October 1942 – 10 September 2007) was a British businesswoman, human rights activist and environmental campaigner, best known as the founder of The Body Shop.

“If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito.” – Anita Roddick

“We were most creative when our back was against the wall.” – Anita Roddick

“Whatever you do, be different – that was the advice my mother gave me, and I can’t think of better advice for an entrepreneur. If you’re different, you will stand out.” – Anita Roddick

“It is true that there is a fine line between entrepreneurship and insanity. Crazy people see and feel things that others don’t. But you have to believe that everything is possible. If you believe it, those around you will believe it too.” – Anita Roddick

Benjamin Franklin, Founder of The Pennsylvania Gazette

Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He became a successful newspaper editor and printer in Philadelphia, the leading city in the colonies.

“Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What’s a sun-dial in the shade? ” – Benjamin Franklin

“Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.” – Benjamin Franklin

“I didn’t fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong.” – Benjamin Franklin

“When in doubt, don’t.” – Benjamin Franklin

“Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.” – Benjamin Franklin

“Never confuse motion with action.” – Benjamin Franklin

“The man who achieves makes many mistakes, but he never makes the biggest mistake of all – doing nothing.” – Benjamin Franklin

Brett Wilson, Founder of First Energy Capital

Brett Wilson (born on July 1, 1957) is a Canadian entrepreneur, philanthropist, and panelist on the Gemini Award-winning Dragons’ Den. Wilson was born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan.

“I discovered that I was pretty average, and if I didn’t get my ass in gear, I was going to be pretty much below average. ” – Brett Wilson

“Entrepreneurs have to be willing to stay the course even when those closest to you question what you’re doing.” – Brett Wilson

“Innovative thinkers are constantly asking the question: How can we make things better? No matter what stage you’re at in your career or what industry you work in, everyone around you can benefit from new ideas. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box – just because something works doesn’t mean it can’t be better.” – Brett Wilson

“Don’t expect not to be afraid. Real courage is being scared to death and going ahead anyway.” – Brett Wilson

Calvin Klein, Founder of Calvin Klein Ltd.

Calvin Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968.

“I think fantasies are for the birds. Anything I wanted to do, I did. If there’s something I want, nothing stops me.” – Calvin Klein

Chris Gardner, Founder of Gardner Rich & Co.

Chris Gardner (born February 9, 1954) is a self-made millionaire, entrepreneur who, during the early 1980s, struggled with homelessness while raising his toddler son. His memoirs, The Pursuit of Happyness, was turned into a movie in 2006.

“I was homeless, but I wasn’t hopeless. I knew a better day was coming.” – Chris Gardner

“It’s not just my story. It’s the story of a lot of people who grew up and took a lot of crap – and decided, ‘I’m going the other way.” – Chris Gardner

“Find something that you love. Something that gets you so excited you can’t wait to get out of bed in the morning. Forget about money. Be happy.” – Chris Gardner

“The cavalry ain’t coming. You’ve got to do this yourself.” – Chris Gardner

“Do something that you love. Whatever you’re going to do is going to be tough enough. Find something that gets you so excited that the sun can’t come up early enough in the morning because you want to go do your thing.” – Chris Gardner

“You have to be bold because there will be folks who will say ‘You can’t’ or ‘You shouldn’t’ or ‘Why?’ There is a certain boldness to saying ‘Well, I really don’t want to be a high-powered corporate lawyer. I’m really passionate about painting.” – Chris Gardner

“We all understand genetics. You get your eyes from your dad, your mom’s nose, there’s nothing you can do about that. But your spiritual genetics you can choose, pick, embrace and commit to. That’s what I did.” – Chris Gardner

“Though my mom had too many of her own dreams denied, deferred and destroyed, she instilled in me that I could have dreams. And not just have dreams but had a responsibility to make them reality. My mom taught me from a very early age that I could do anything I wanted to do.” – Chris Gardner

“I just wanted to make a million dollars. But I couldn’t sing and I couldn’t play ball, so I said to my mother, ‘How am I going to make a million dollars?’ And she said to me, ‘Son, if you believe you can do it, you will.’” – Chris Gardner

“Baby steps count, as long as you are going forward. You add them all up, and one day you look back and you’ll be surprised at where you might get to.” – Chris Gardner

Coco Chanel, Founder of Chanel Inc.

Coco Chanel (19 August 1883 – 10 January 1971) was a pioneering French fashion designer and was the only person in the field to be named on Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century.

“Success is often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.” – Coco Chanel
“I’ve never done anything by halves.” – Coco Chanel

Dana White, President of the UFC

Dana White is the current President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts organization based in the United States.

“Hell, forget about college. I barely finished high school.” – Dana White

“A lot of times, kids go to college and take a major because they do what they think they’re supposed to do. I told them I believe 90 percent of America gets up in the morning and drives to a job they hate. That could have happened to me in the hotel industry.” – Dana White

“I told them to find what they are passionate about and to go for that regardless of what anyone tells them. They can go to school and major in political science and say they want to be a doctor or a lawyer, but unless they’re passionate about what they do, they’re never really going to be happy or truly successful.” – Dana White

Dave Thomas, Founder of Wendy’s

Dave Thomas (July 2, 1932 – January 8, 2002) was the owner of Wendy’s. He is known for appearing in more than 800 commercial ads for the chain from 1989 to 2002–more than any other person in television history.

“There’s no one to stop you but yourself.” – Dave Thomas

“If there are things you don’t like in the world you grew up in, make your own life different.” – Dave Thomas

“You can do what you want to do. You can be what you want to be.” – Dave Thomas

“I think the harder you work, the more luck you have.” – Dave Thomas

“The more you give, the more you get in return.” – Dave Thomas

“When I was eight years old, I dreamed that I would one day own the best restaurant in the world. My restaurant would serve great tasting hamburgers made just the way you like them, and all of the customers would love the food and come back again and again. – From a school essay he wrote at 15 yrs called “The Pursuit of happiness”" – Dave Thomas

“Hard work is good for the soul, and it keeps you from feeling sorry for yourself because you don’t have time.” – Dave Thomas

“Only in America would a guy like me, from humble beginnings and without a high school diploma become successful. America gave me a chance to life the life I want and work to make my dreams come true. We should never take our freedoms for granted, and we should seize every opportunity presented to us.” – Dave Thomas

“Giving back is the right thing to do. If you can provide financial support to community groups, do that. If you can only afford to give your time and energy, that’s just as important. When you give back, you get something important in return – the knowledge you’ve made a positive change in the community and lent a hand to someone in need.” – Dave Thomas

“Everyone has an opportunity to succeed. You can be anything you want within the laws of God and Man.” – Dave Thomas

“Share your success and help others succeed. Give everyone a chance to have a piece of the pie. If the pie’s not big enough, make a bigger pie.” – Dave Thomas

“Believe in your dream. People may tell you that you won’t make it, that you’re wasting your time. If you keep your dream in mind, have done your research and are willing to work hard, you can make it come true.” – Dave Thomas

David Ogilvy, Ogilvy & Mather

David Ogilvy (June 23, 1911–July 21, 1999) was a notable advertising executive. He has often been called “The Father of Advertising.” In 1962, Time called him “the most sought-after wizard in today’s advertising industry.”

“If I stayed at the Majestic I would have faced years of slave wages, fiendish pressure, and perpetual exhaustion.” – David Ogilvy

“Don’t bunt. Aim out of the ball park. Aim for the company of immortals.” – David Ogilvy

“It takes a big idea to attract the attention of consumers and get them to buy your product. Unless your advertising contains a big idea, it will pass like a ship in the night. I doubt if more than one campaign in a hundred contains a big idea.” – David Ogilvy

“I believe in the Scottish proverb: ‘Hard work never killed a man.’ Men die of boredom, psychological conflict and disease. They do not die of hard work.” – David Ogilvy

“Raise your sights! Blaze new trails!! Compete with the immortals!!!” – David Ogilvy

“The best ideas come as jokes. Make your thinking as funny as possible.” – David Ogilvy

David Sarnoff, President of RCA & Founder of NBC

David Sarnoff (February 27, 1891 – December 12, 1971) was an American businessman and pioneer of American commercial radio and television. He founded NBC and throughout most of his career he led RCA in various capacities.

“The will to persevere is often the difference between failure and success. The thrill, believe me, is as much in the battle as in the victory.” – David Sarnoff

“Work and live to serve others, to leave the world a little better than you found it and garner for yourself as much peace of mind as you can. This is happiness.” – David Sarnoff

Debbi Fields, Founder of Mrs. Fields Cookies

Debbi Fields (born September 18, 1956) is the founder and current spokesperson of Mrs. Fields Bakeries. She began her business in 1977 in Palo Alto, California, and since it has grown into over 650 retail bakeries in the U.S.

“The greatest failure is not to try. Had I listened to all the people during the course of my life who said, “You can’t. You’ll fail. It won’t work. You don’t have…,” I wouldn’t be here today.” – Debbi Fields

“[My husband] immediately said, ‘Oh, sweetie, that is such a stupid idea.’ And then my mom and dad pipe up and say, ‘You don’t have any business going into the cookie business.” – Debbi Fields

“The only thing I had was this recipe, and with that recipe was a dream. And those were the only things that I had to build my business: a recipe and a dream. And there was no way, no way, I wasn’t going to see this dream through.” – Debbi Fields

“There’s magic in those words because when she said, ‘Debbi, just give up,’ I said giving up is the easiest thing any of us can do. I can always throw the towel in. The only thing that’s going to make a difference, the only thing that’s going to get me to my dream come true is don’t give up.” – Debbi Fields

“You do not have to be superhuman to do what you believe in. ‘” – Debbi Fields

“The most important thing is for you to believe in what you are doing. Absolutely know there are people out there who want to say yes.” – Debbi Fields

“You have to have passion when you’re finding a recipe for a career. If you love what you are doing, you’ll never work a day in your life.” – Debbi Fields

“I’m going to do whatever I have to to make this thing work.” – Debbi Fields

“I was a woman with a mission. I would stop people, even buses I would stop and say, ‘Here, you’ve got to taste these cookies. Just try them.’” – Debbi Fields

“The one thing that I think is critical in the entrepreneurial spirit is that it’s all attitude. If you think you can, then you’re half way there. If you say, ‘I can’t,’ then you’re defeated.” – Debbi Fields

“And, so, my message to each and every one of you is that I know that you all have dreams, and don’t ever lose sight of those dreams. And, more importantly, reach for the stars. And realize that it is never too late – not now, not ever – for you to pursue your passion, your pursuit of perfection. And most importantly, your perseverance for making it happen.” – Debbi Fields

Dee Hock, Founder of Visa

Dee Hock…

“Money motivates neither the best people, nor the best in people.” - Dee Hock

“Think back to the best boss you ever had and the worst boss you ever had. Make a list of all things done to you that you abhorred. Donít do them to others, ever. Make another list of things done for you that you loved. Do them for others, always.” - Dee Hock

“Given the right circumstances quite ordinary people consistently do extraordinary things.” - Dee Hock

“Failure is not to be feared. It is from failure that most growth comes.” - Dee Hock

Donald Trump, Founder of The Trump Organization

Donald Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American business magnate, socialite, author and television personality. He is the Chairman and CEO of the Trump Organization, a US-based real-estate developer.

“I was relentless, even in the face of total lack of encouragement, because much more often than you’d think, sheer persistence is the difference between success and failure.” – Donald Trump

“The most important thing in life is to love what you’re doIng, because that’s the only way you’ll ever be really good at it.” – Donald Trump
“Most people think small because most people are afraid of success, afraid of making decisions, afraid of winning. And that gives people like me a great advantage.” – Donald Trump

“Somewhere out there are a few men with more innate talent at golf than Jack Nicklaus, or women with greater ability at tennis than Chris Evert or Martina Navratilova, but they will never lift a club or swing a racket and therefore will never find out how great they could have been. Instead, they’ll be content to sit and watch stars perform on television.” – Donald Trump

Dov Charney, Founder of American Apparel

Dov Charney (born January 31, 1969) is the founder and CEO of American Apparel, a clothing manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer. Charney is known for his success as an entrepreneur and passion for simple clothing.

“Passion. That’s it. When you believe in what you’re doing, that’s it.” – Dov Charney

“When you believe in what you’re doing, that’s the first thing. And you have to be resilient, because people are going to try to knock you down.” – Dov Charney

“Anything we want to do, we can do. If we can dream it, it can be done.” – Dov Charney

Elon Musk, Founder of PayPal

Elon Musk (born June 28, 1971) is a South African-American engineer, entrepreneur and philanthropist best known for co-founding PayPal, SpaceX and Tesla Motors.

“When Henry Ford made cheap, reliable cars people said, ‘Nah, what’s wrong with a horse?’ That was a huge bet he made, and it worked.” – Elon Musk

Ernest Gallo, Founder of E&J Gallo Winery

Ernest Gallo (March 18, 1909 – March 6, 2007) was the American co-founder of the E & J Gallo Winery. He was ranked 297th on the 2006 Forbes 400 list of billionaires.

“My first-grade teacher told me I was the dumbest student she ever had. She did me a favour. If she told me I was very smart, I wouldn’t have tried to improve.” – Ernest Gallo

“We could afford one tractor and there were times I drove it for 12 hours, then turned it over to Julio who drove it for another 12 hours.” – Ernest Gallo

Estee Lauder, Founder of Estee Lauder Inc.

Estee Lauder (July 1, 1908 – April 24, 2004) was the founder of Estée Lauder, a pioneering cosmetics company. Lauder was the only woman on TIME magazine’s 1998 list of the 20 most influential business geniuses of the 20th century.

“I didn’t get there by wishing for it or hoping for it, but by working for it.” – Estee Lauder

“I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” – Estee Lauder

“Trust your instincts.” – Estee Lauder

Fred DeLuca, Founder of Subway

Fred DeLuca (born 1948) is the billionaire co-founder of the Subway franchise of sandwich restaurants. In 2007, Forbes magazine named DeLuca number 242 of the 400 richest Americans with a net worth of $1.5 billion.

“I didn’t know enough about business to realize how bad we were doing. And I didn’t have the concept that you should quit at something. I can think of so many reasons why we shouldn’t have made it. We were on the edge continuously.” – Fred DeLuca

Fred Smith, Founder of Federal Express

Fred Smith (born August 11, 1944) is the founder, chairman, president, and CEO of FedEx, originally known as Federal Express, the first overnight express delivery company in the world, and the largest in the United States.

“In retrospect it was ridiculous to try to put this system together, which required so much up front money, and required changing a lot of government regulations, but I didn’t know that at the time” – Fred Smith

“The reason I never lost confidence is because I never believed that the consequences of losing were as bad as some other people might have thought, you know? “Oh my goodness, I’ve lost my money!” or what have you. I mean, I just wasn’t motivated along those lines. And I was very, very, very sure that what we were doing was extremely important and was destined to be successful. So that’s the definition I think of an insane person, or a zealot. And most entrepreneurs, I think you would find, have that sort of green wire laid in there just a little bit cross-wise. And they begin to get focused on something, and they believe in the idea or themselves far beyond what they probably should.” – Fred Smith

“You’ve got to enjoy what you’re doing, and have some fun, and be able to laugh at yourself a bit.” – Fred Smith

“Naïveté was also a big part. I didn’t know that I couldn’t do this.” – Fred Smith

George Lucas, Founder of Lucasfilm

Geroge Lucas (born May 14, 1944) is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director. He is one of the film industry’s most successful independent directors/producers, with an estimated net worth of $3.0 billion as of 2009.

“When I first got to college, I was very interested in the social sciences, anthropology, sociology, psychology, those kinds of things. And I was still interested in art and photography. I didn’t know that I could actually put them all together in one occupation and love it.” – Geroge Lucas

“I thought it [Star Wars] was too wacky for the general public. Right or wrong this is my movie, this is my decision, and this is my creative vision, and if people don’t like it, they don’t have to see it.” – Geroge Lucas

“My first six years in the business were hopeless. There are a lot of times when you sit and you say ‘Why am I doing this? I’ll never make it. It’s just not going to happen. I should go out and get a real job and try to survive’.” – Geroge Lucas

“You have to find something that you love enough to be able to take risks, jump over hurdles and break through the brick walls that are always going to be placed in front of you. Otherwise, you’ll stop at the first giant hurdle.” – Geroge Lucas

“A lot of people like to do certain things, but they’re not that good at it. Keep going through the things that you like to do, until you find something that you actually seem to be extremely good at.” – Geroge Lucas

“You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Put blinders on and plow right ahead.” – Geroge Lucas

“If you want to be successful in a particular field of endeavor, I think perseverance is one of the key qualities.” – Geroge Lucas

“The best way to pursue happiness is to help other people. Because there’s nothing else that will make you happier.” – Geroge Lucas

“The secret is not to give up hope. It’s very hard not to because if you’re really doing something worthwhile I think you will be pushed to the brink of hopelessness before you come through the other side. You just have to hang in through that.” – Geroge Lucas

“I’ve seen again a lot of people go through this life, who are working so hard, they wake up one day and realize that those things that they said, ‘I’ll do that someday, I’ll do that someday’, well, that someday is today.” – Geroge Lucas

George Steinbrenner, Owner of the New York Yankees

George Steinbrenner (July 4, 1930 – July 13, 2010) was principal owner of Baseball’s New York Yankees. His outspokenness and role in driving up player salaries made him one of the sport’s most controversial figures.

“Winning was everything. I don’t care what they tell you.” – George Steinbrenner

“Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing. Breathing first, winning next.” – George Steinbrenner

Giorgio Armani, Founder of Giorgio Armani S.P.A.

Giorgio Armani (born 11 July 1934) is an Italian fashion designer, particularly noted for his menswear. He formed his company, Armani, in 1975, and by 2001 had a personal fortune of $5.3 billion.

“Remain true to yourself and your philosophy. Changing in the face of adversity will in fact diminish your credibility with your customers.” – Giorgio Armani

Gordon Moore & Robert Noyce, Founders of Intel

Gordon Moore & Robert Noyce Gordon Moore (born 3 January 1929) is the author of Moore’s Law. Robert Norton Noyce (December 12, 1927 – June 3, 1990) was nicknamed “the Mayor of Silicon Valley”.

“There is such a thing as a natural-born entrepreneur, for whom the entrepreneurial urge drives everything, and who can make a business out of almost anything. But the accidental entrepreneur like me has to fall into the opportunity or be pushed into it. Then the entrepreneurial spirit eventually catches on.” – Gordon Moore & Robert Noyce

“From the beginning at Intel, we planned on being big.” – Gordon Moore & Robert Noyce

Guy Laliberté, Founder of Cirque du Soleil

Guy Laliberté (born September 2, 1959) is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, poker player, space tourist and currently the CEO and 95% owner of the US $1.2 billion company, Cirque du Soleil.

“I bet everything on that one night. If we failed, there was no cash for gas to come home.” – Guy Laliberté

Harland Sanders, Founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken

Harland Sanders, better known as Colonel Sanders (September 9, 1890 – December 16, 1980) was an American entrepreneur who founded Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).

“I made a resolve then that I was going to amount to something if I could. And no hours, nor amount of labour, nor amount of money would deter me from giving the best that there was in me. And I have done that ever since, and I win by it. I know.” – Harland Sanders

Henry Ford, Founder of Ford Motor Company

Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American industrialist, founder of the Ford Motor Company and developer of the assembly line technique of mass production. If alive today he would be worth an estimated $188.1 billion.

“You can do anything if you have enthusiasm” – Henry Ford

Herb Kelleher, Founder of Southwest Airlines

Herb Kelleher (born March 12, 1931) is the founder of Southwest Airlines. During his time as CEO, his colorful personality created a corporate culture which made Southwest employees well-known for taking themselves lightly.

“[I] learned it by doing it, and I was scared to death.” – Herb Kelleher

“Everybody in Texas would tell me that they thought I was nuts trying to start Southwest Airlines. There probably weren’t 10 people in the state who would have given a plug nickel for our chances of making a dollar. So sometimes, you need a little courage, too, just to buck popular opinion.” – Herb Kelleher

Howard Schultz, Founder of Starbucks

Howard Schultz (born July 19, 1953) is best known as the CEO of Starbucks and a former owner of the Seattle SuperSonics. In 2006, Forbes Magazine ranked him as the 354th richest person in the U.S., with a net worth of $1.1 billion.

“I believe life is a series of near misses. A lot of what we ascribe to luck is not luck at all. It’s seizing the day and accepting responsibility for your future. It’s seeing what other people don’t see and pursuing that vision.” – Howard Schultz

“Risk more than others think safe. Dream more than others think practical. Expect more than others think possible. Care more than others think wise.” – Howard Schultz

“I wanted to try and build the company that my father never got a chance to work for.” – Howard Schultz

Hugh Hefner, Founder of Playboy Enterprises

Hugh Hefner (born April 9, 1926) is an American magazine publisher, founder and chief creative officer of Playboy Enterprises. In 2003, Arena magazine listed him second on the “50 Most Powerful People in Porn” list.

“Life is too short to be living somebody else’s dream.” – Hugh Hefner

Ingvar Kamprad, Founder of Ikea

Ingvar Kamprad (born 30 March 1926) is a Swedish businessman and the founder of IKEA. As of 2010, he is the 11th wealthiest person in the world, according to Forbes magazine, with an estimated net worth of around US$23 billion.

“Time is your most important resource. You can do so much in ten minutes. Ten minutes, once gone, are gone for good. Ten minutes are not just one-sixth of your hourly pay. Ten minutes are a piece of yourself. Divide your life into ten-minute units and sacrifice as few of them as possible in meaningless activity.” – Ingvar Kamprad

“The word impossible has been and must remain deleted from our dictionary.” – Ingvar Kamprad

“Making mistakes is the privilege of the active. It is always the mediocre people who are negative, who spend their time proving that they were not wrong.” – Ingvar Kamprad

Isadore (Issy) Sharp, Founder of Four Seasons

Isadore Sharp (born October 8, 1931) is a Canadian businessman and founder and chairman of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Sharp had a net worth of $540 million CDN in 2009.

“If someone had told me ‘Look, you’re going to start today and spend the next five years wasting your time trying to get this thing start’, I would have said I can’t do that. But you never think about what it’s going to take of you. Think: I’ve got it now.” – Isadore Sharp

“Whatever you do, don’t ever use a crutch, and don’t ever think of having an excuse for not having said, ‘Yeah, I did my best.’” – Isadore Sharp

J.Willard Marriott, Founder of Marriott

J.Willard Marriott (September 17, 1900 – August 13, 1985) was an American entrepreneur. He was the founder of the Marriott Corporation which became one of the world’s largest hospitality, hotel chains and food services company.

“Entrepreneurs are never satisfied. They want to do things better. They strive for perfection and use all the ingenuity to their command to achieve it.” – J.Willard Marriott

“Success seems to be connected to action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they never quit.” – J.Willard Marriott

“Good timber does not grow with ease; the stronger the wind, the stronger the trees.” – J.Willard Marriott

“A man should keep on being constructive, and do constructive things. He should take part in the things that go on in this wonderful world. He should be someone to be reckoned with. He should live life and make every day count, to the very end. Sometimes it’s tough. But that’s what I’m going to do.” – J.Willard Marriott

J.C. Penney, Founder of J.C. Penney

J.C. Penney (September 16, 1875 – February 12, 1971) was a businessman and entrepreneur. In 1902, he founded the J.C. Penney stores. He was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 1976.

“Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I’ll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals and I’ll give you a stock clerk.” – J.C. Penney

J.K. Rowling, Creator of Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling (born 31 July 1965) is a British author best known as the creator of the Harry Potter fantasy series, the idea for which was conceived whilst on a train trip from Manchester to London in 1990.

“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – J.K. Rowling

“Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve. I was determined to try. I was determined to try because, frankly, my life was such a mess at this point, what – what was the worst that could happen? Everyone turn me down? Big deal.” – J.K. Rowling

J.P. Morgan, J.P. Morgan & Co.

J.P. Morgan (17 April 1837 – 31 March 1913) was an American financier, banker and art collector who dominated corporate finance and industrial consolidation during his time. By 1901, he was one of the wealthiest men in the world.

“When you expect things to happen – strangely enough – they do happen.” – J.P. Morgan

“Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you’ll be able to see farther.” – J.P. Morgan

Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone & Evan Williams, Founders of Twitter

Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone & Evan Williams Evan Williams (born March 31, 1972) has founded several Internet companies, including Pyra Labs (creator of weblog-authoring software Blogger) and Twitter.

“Creativity comes from constraint.” – Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone & Evan Williams

Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com

Jeff Bezos (born January 12, 1964) is the founder, president, CEO and chairman of the board of Amazon.com. Bezos, a graduate of Princeton University, worked as a financial analyst for D. E. Shaw & Co. before founding Amazon in 1994.

“I knew that if I failed I wouldn’t regret that, but I knew the one thing I might regret is not trying.” – Jeff Bezos

“The framework I found which made the decision incredibly easy was what I called – which only a nerd would call – a ‘regret minimization framework’. So I wanted to project myself forward to age 80 and say, ‘Okay, now I’m looking back on my life. I want to have minimized the number of regrets I have.’” – Jeff Bezos

“If you’re not stubborn, you’ll give up on experiments too soon. And if you’re not flexible, you’ll pound your head against the wall and you won’t see a different solution to a problem you’re trying to solve.” – Jeff Bezos

“A lot of people – and I’m just not one of them – believe that you should live for the now. I think what you do is think about the great expanse of time ahead of you and try to make sure that you’re planning for that in a way that’s going to leave you ultimately satisfied. This is the way it works for me. ” – Jeff Bezos

“Things never go smoothly.” – Jeff Bezos

Jenny Craig, Founder of Jenny Craig

Jenny Craig (born on August 7, 1932) is an American weight loss guru and founder of Jenny Craig, Inc. The company became a part of Nestlé Nutrition in 2006.

“I can’t wait for tomorrow. You can do anything and be anything you want.” – Jenny Craig

Jennifer Lopez, Founder of J. Lo

Jennifer Lopez (born July 24, 1969) is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, fashion designer and television producer. She is the richest person of Latin American descent in Hollywood according to Forbes.

“You get what you give. What you put into things is what you get out of them.” – Jennifer Lopez

“The bear is what we all wrestle with. Everybody has their bear in life. It’s about conquering that bear and letting him go.” – Jennifer Lopez

“I have never been afraid of hard work and hopefully none of you guys are and you’ll be able to fulfill all of your dreams, too, just like I’ve been able to. It can be done. One person can make a difference.” – Jennifer Lopez

“I’m not the type of person who feels you only have to do one thing or choose between stuff that you love doing or things. You know what I mean? Whatever you want to do, do it!” – Jennifer Lopez

Jim Henson, Creator of Henson Associates

Jim Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer. He was one of the most widely known puppeteers in history and was the creator of The Muppets.

“Life’s like a movie, write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending.” – Jim Henson

“My hope is to leave the world a little better for having been there.” – Jim Henson

“Simple is Good.” – Jim Henson

John D. Rockefeller, Standard Oil

John D. Rockefeller (July 8, 1839 – May 23, 1937) was an American oil magnate. In 1870, he founded the Standard Oil Company and soon became the world’s richest man. He is often regarded as the richest person in history.

“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” – John D. Rockefeller

“I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity.” – John D. Rockefeller

John Ilhan, Founder of Crazy John’s

John Ilhan (23 January 1965 – 23 October 2007) was the founder of Crazy John’s mobile phone retail chain and the richest Australian under 40 years in 2003. In the 2007, he was the 126th richest Australian with a fortune of $310 million.

“I couldn’t pull out because the lease was in my name, and after a while I wanted to prove them wrong, that I could succeed no matter that they threw at me. That sort of gave me the passion.” – John Ilhan

“Don’t let anyone say you can’t do it. To be successful, you need to fail. The more failures you have, the more successes you will have. People just don’t get that.” – John Ilhan

John Johnson, Founder of Johnson Publishing Co. Inc.

John Johnson (January 19, 1918 – August 8, 2005) was an American businessman and publisher. He was the founder of the Johnson Publishing Company, and in 1982, the first African-American to appear on the Forbes 400.

“When I see a barrier, I cry and I curse, and then I get a ladder and climb over it.” – John Johnson

“Both my mother and I were determined that we weren’t going to stay on welfare. We always worked toward doing better, toward having a better life. We never had any doubts that we would.” – John Johnson

“Failure is a word I don’t accept.” – John Johnson

“I used to lock myself up in my office and say the word success out loud, over and over, like a Buddhist monk chanting his mantra. I used to say to myself, ‘John Johnson you can make it, John Johnson, you can make it, John Johnson, you can make it. John Johnson you can make it, John Johnson, you can and must make it.” – John Johnson

“Long shots do come in and hard work, dedication and perseverance will overcome almost any prejudice and open almost any door.” – John Johnson

“I would tell young people to start where they are with what they have and that the secret of a big success is starting with a small success and dreaming bigger and bigger dreams, I would tell them also that a young Black woman or a young Black man can’t dream too much today or dare too much if he or she works hard, perseveres and dedicates themselves to excellence.” – John Johnson

“Dream small dreams. If you make them too big, you get overwhelmed and you don’t do anything. If you make small goals and accomplish them, it gives you the confidence to go on to higher goals.” – John Johnson

King Gillette, Founder of The Gillette Company

King Gillette (January 5, 1855 – July 9, 1932) was founder of the Gillette Company. His true invention was an inexpensive, high profit-margin disposable blade and a unique business model that later became known as freebie marketing.

“The razor was looked upon as a joke by all my friends. A common greeting was, ‘Well, Gillette, how’s the razor?’ If I had been technically trained, I would have quit.” – King Gillette

Larry Ellison, Founder of Oracle

Larry Ellison (born August 17, 1944) is co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation, a major enterprise software company. As of 2010 he is the sixth richest person in the world, with a personal wealth of US$28 billion.

“When you innovate, you’ve got to be prepared for everyone telling you you’re nuts.” – Larry Ellison

“When you’re the first person whose beliefs are different from what everyone else believes, you’re basically saying, “I’m right, and everyone else is wrong.” That’s a very unpleasant position to be in. It’s at once exhilarating and at the same time an invitation to be attacked. ” – Larry Ellison

Li Ka Shing, Chairman of Hutchison Whampoa Limited

Li Ka Shing (born July 29, 1928) is Chairman of Hutchison Whampoa and the richest person of East Asian descent in the world and the 14th richest man in the world with an estimated wealth of US$16.2 billion in 2009.

“Broaden your vision, and maintain stability while advancing forward. That is my philosophy.” – Li Ka Shing

Lillian Vernon, Founder of Lillian Vernon Corp.

Lillian Vernon (born in 1929) founded Lillian Vernon Corp from her kitchen table in the 1950s and built a hugely successful direct mail catalog business that continues to thrive more than fifty years later.

“It was a risk. I had a husband and I was pregnant with my oldest son. But I don’t look at risk the way other people do. When you’re an entrepreneur, you have to go in feeling like you’re going to be successful.” – Lillian Vernon

“I am a stick-with-it person. It’s just my personality. I never give up. I had some buddies who taught me the jewelry business, others who taught me the mail-order business. When I went to China, friends there taught me how to import. As you go along in business, everyone will help you, but you have to ask for it.” – Lillian Vernon

“Work hard, that’s the bottom line. Don’t spend more money than you’ve got. Don’t spend money before you’ve got it.” – Lillian Vernon

“I became successful due to several reasons. I never gave up and I never let anyone or anything get in my way. I use the power of positive thinking to tackle obstacles and challenges so they don’t defeat me. Passion for my work and my business is another important reason. I really love my work and I get great satisfaction from it.” – Lillian Vernon

Madam C.J. Walker, Founder of Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company

Madam C.J. Walker (December 23, 1867 – May 25, 1919) was an African-American hair care entrepreneur and philanthropist. The Guinness Book of Records cites her as the first woman who became a millionaire by her own achievements.

“I had to make my own living and my own opportunity. But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.” – Madam C.J. Walker

“I got my start by giving myself a start.” – Madam C.J. Walker

“Perseverance is my motto.” – Madam C.J. Walker

“I am not ashamed of my past. I am not ashamed of my humble beginning.” – Madam C.J. Walker

“Magic” Earvin Johnson, Founder of Johnson Development Corp.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson (born August 14, 1959) is a retired NBA player who turned his strong work ethic into a post-basketball business empire worth millions.

“My work ethic, for sure. See, I prepared for games; I prepare for business…It comes naturally because I’m a workaholic.” – Earvin “Magic” Johnson

“You have to be persistent in business, especially for me because, like I said, doors didn’t just open right away. I almost had to kick them down. I had to keep coming back, coming back, because many corporations weren’t going into the inner cities like they are now. The theaters were like a test model, and that’s why I now have the other deals, because we’ve proved it can happen and it can work.” – Earvin “Magic” Johnson

“You’re the only one who can make the difference. Whatever your dream is, go for it.” – Earvin “Magic” Johnson

Mark Cuban, Founder of Broadcast.com

Mark Cuban (born July 31, 1958) is the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, an NBA basketball team, owner of Landmark Theatres, and Chairman of HDNet, an HDTV cable network. His net worth is over $2.3 billion.

“What does it take to e a successful entrepreneur? CUBAN: Willingness to learn, to be able to focus, to absorb information, and to always realize that business is a 24 x 7 job where someone is always out there to kick your ass.” – Mark Cuban

“I’m always afraid of failing. It’s great motivation to work harder.” – Mark Cuban

“It’s always the little decisions that have the biggest impact.” – Mark Cuban

“Do it because you love it. Then it’s not a job. I’m a geek. I love technology. I would be online working with technology regardless of what my day job is.” – Mark Cuban

“A long list. From getting cut from the high school basketball team, to getting fired from jobs, getting credit cards rejected and cut up. Rejection has only been a distraction, not a roadblock. “Every no gets me closer to a yes,” was the saying I used to use.” – Mark Cuban

“Every kid thinks they have something special about themselves. Every adult thinks they have a big idea at some point in their life. Rather than pursue every thing they possibly can to prepare themselves to enable their idea or special talent, they tend to wing it and make excuses.” – Mark Cuban

“There is very little knowledge that can’t be obtained through effort. With knowledge you can determine the state of any business or opportunity and find a course to gain an advantage.” – Mark Cuban

“It’s called working your ass off. The difference is what you are willing to sacrifice. For every writer who wants balance in their life, there is a guy like me who gives up a lot to make their dreams come true. There is always going to be someone out there that knows they have to compensate for maybe having less talent with harder work and preparation.” – Mark Cuban

“One problem people have is that they lie to themselves. You may think you are more talented then the next guy. Which is exactly what the next guy thinks as well. Rarely is talent enough. You have to find ways to make yourself stand out. You do so by playing to your strengths and making people aware of those strengths. Always remember that no matter how many times you get shot down, you will get smarter, better and you only have to be right once to be successful.” – Mark Cuban

“It doesn’t matter how many times you fail. It doesn’t matter how many times you almost get it right. No one is going to know or care about your failures, and neither should you. All you have to do is learn from them and those around you because… All that matters in business is that you get it right once. Then everyone can tell you how lucky you are.” – Mark Cuban

“Of course I was underestimated. I was young, and this was a new industry. I just used it to my advantage. I had more energy and I didn’t have any preconceived notions on how things should be. I just tried to learn the technology better than anyone else and find the best ways to help my customers.” – Mark Cuban

“Work like there is someone working twenty-four hours a day to take it all away from you, and play like it’s your last chance to play.” – Mark Cuban

“All that matters in business is that you get it right once. Then everyone can tell you how lucky you are.” – Mark Cuban

“You could be beaten down by anybody and by everybody and it doesn’t matter what everybody else thinks it’s how you see yourself and what your own dreams are. And, you know, anybody who started a business and build a business knows there’s going to be lots of times when you feel beaten down and you need some motivation and that’s when I turn to that book among others.” – Mark Cuban

Martha Stewart, Founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

Martha Stewart ( born August 3, 1941) is a television host, author, and magazine publisher. She has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising.

“This is what truly interests us, why we all come to work every day … our passion is and always should be to make life better.” – Martha Stewart

Michael Dell, Founder of Dell Computer

Michael Dell (born February 23, 1965) is an American business magnate and the founder and chief executive officer of Dell Inc. He is one of the richest people in the world, with a net worth of US$13.5 billion in 2010.

“One of the things I benefited from when I started this business was that I didn’t know anything. I was just instinct with no preconceived notions. This enabled me to learn and change quickly without having to worry about maintaining any kind of status quo, like some of my bigger competitors.” – Michael Dell

“I had to give it a full go and see what happened. I couldn’t resist the opportunity. The deal was, I would start into business full time in May, and at the end of August we would take a look and decide if it was doing well.” – Michael Dell

“Don’t spend so much time trying to choose the perfect opportunity, that you miss the right opportunity.” – Michael Dell

“Recognize that there will be failures, and acknowledge that there will be obstacles. But you will learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others, for there is very little learning in success.” – Michael Dell

“Whether you’ve found your calling, or if you’re still searching, passion should be the fire that drives your life’s work.” – Michael Dell

“The key is to listen to your heart and let it carry you in the direction of your dreams. I’ve learned that it’s possible to set your sights high and achieve your dreams and do it with integrity, character, and love. And each day that you’re moving toward your dreams without compromising who you are, you’re winning.” – Michael Dell

Milton Hershey, Founder of The Hershey Foods Corp.

Milton Hershey (September 13, 1857 – October 13, 1945) was a confectioner, philanthropist, and founder of The Hershey Chocolate Company and the “company town” of Hershey, Pennsylvania.

“One is only happy in proportion as he makes others feel happy and only useful as he contributes his influences for the finer callings in life.” – Milton Hershey

“I think if you study-if you learn too much of what others have done, you may tend to take the same direction as everybody else.” – Milton Hershey

Oprah Winfrey, Founder of Harpo Productions

Oprah Winfrey (born January 29, 1954) is a television host, actress, producer, and philanthropist, best known for her self-titled, multi-award winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history.

“I always knew I’d be a millionaire by age thirty-two. In fact, I am going to be the richest black woman in America.” – Oprah Winfrey

“The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.” – Oprah Winfrey

“If you believe you can only go so far, it is an obstacle.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Be quiet. Part of your responsibility is to honour the quiet inside yourself so you can hear the call.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Take five minutes to centre yourself in the morning…set your intention every day…if you don’t have five minutes, you don’t deserve to have the life of your dreams.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself.” – Oprah Winfrey

“It took a lot of courage to take the high road, but I would rather be significant with six million people watching a show with meaning, than everyone watching a show with no meaning.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Whatever you fear most has no power. It is your fear that has the power.” – Oprah Winfrey

“You get in life what you have the courage to ask for. Always continue the climb.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a different way to stand.” – Oprah Winfrey

“You can take from every experience what it has to offer you. And you cannot be defeated if you just keep taking one breath followed by another.” – Oprah Winfrey

“We are each responsible for our own life – no other person is or even can be.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you’re going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus.” – Oprah Winfrey

“You are built not to shrink down to less but to blossom into more. The right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege. Use it.” – Oprah Winfrey

“My constant focus is on being better. Should I be doing multimedia video production? Or seminars on the Internet? How can I do what I’m already doing in a more forceful way?” – Oprah Winfrey

“To whom much is given, much is expected.” – Oprah Winfrey

“It’s not just about being able to write a check. It’s being able to touch somebody’s life.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Making other people happy is what brings me happiness. I have a blessed life, and I have always shared my life’s gifts with others. I will continue to use my voice and my life as a catalyst for encouraging people to help make a difference in the lives of others.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” – Oprah Winfrey

“What I know is, is that if you do work that you love, and work that fulfills you, the rest will come. And, I truly believe, that the reason I’ve been able to be so financially successful is because my focus has never, ever for one minute been money.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Would you do your job and not be paid for it? I would do this job, and take on a second job just to make ends meet if nobody paid me. That’s how you know you are doing the right thing.” – Oprah Winfrey

“What I know for sure is that if you want to have success, you can’t make success your goal. The key is not to worry about being successful, but to instead work toward being significant – and the success will naturally follow.” – Oprah Winfrey

“You become what you believe. You are where you are today in your life based on everything you have believed.” – Oprah Winfrey

P.T. Barnum, Founder of Barnum and Bailey Circus

P.T. Barnum (July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was a showman, businessman, and entertainer, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and for founding the circus that became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

“A constant hammering on one nail will generally drive it home at last, so that it can be clinched. When a man’s undivided attention is centered on one object, his mind will constantly be suggesting improvements of value, which would escape him if his brain was occupied by a dozen different subjects at once.” – P.T. Barnum

“If you hesitate, some bolder hand will stretch out before you and get the prize.” – P.T. Barnum

Paul Newman, Founder of The Newman’s Own

Paul Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was a founder of Newman’s Own, a food company from which he donated all profits and royalties to charity. As of August 2010, these donations had exceeded US $300 million.

“I check my pulse and if I can find it, I know I’ve got a chance.” – Paul Newman

“Necessity is the motherfucker of invention.” – Paul Newman

“Just because you come up against a wall doesn’t mean you quit. I think, little by little, people are beginning to understand there’s a lot of pork out there, in almost every area.” – Paul Newman

Paul Orfalea, Founder of Kinko’s

Paul Orfalea nicknamed “Kinko” because of his curly red hair, born in Los Angeles, California, to parents of Lebanese descent, founded the copy-chain Kinko’s.

“If you’re going to enjoy the picnic that life really is, you’d better learn to like yourself not despite your flaws and so-called deficits, but because of them.” – Paul Orfalea

“My learning disability gave me certain advantages, because I was able to live in the moment and capitalize on the opportunities I spotted. With ADD, you’re curious. You’re eyes believe what they see. Your ears believe what others say. I learned to trust my eyes.” – Paul Orfalea

“Whenever I felt down, whenever I started wondering what homeless shelter I would die in, [my mother] would buck me up by telling me: you know, Paul, the A students work for the B students, the C students run the companies, and the D students dedicate the buildings. ” – Paul Orfalea

“All my life I knew I would have a big business. That’s what I wanted from the time I was in second grade; there was never a doubt in my mind.” – Paul Orfalea

“I didn’t listen. I knew what I was going to do.” – Paul Orfalea

Keep your nose in the window long enough, and they are going to let you in.” – Paul Orfalea

“I get bored easily, and that is a great motivator. I think everybody should have dyslexia and ADD.” – Paul Orfalea

“If I find a great idea, I work on it at the beginning, then bring in other people to make things work. Actually, I’ve always been good at getting out of work.” – Paul Orfalea

“You can either complain or look for opportunity in every problem. I prefer opportunity.” – Paul Orfalea

“Trust what you see, rather than what you hear. And don’t take life so seriously – just enjoy it.” – Paul Orfalea

Peter van Stolk, Founder of Jones Soda

Peter van Stolk founded Jones Soda in 1986. In 2000, the company officially changed its name to Jones Soda and moved from its headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia to Seattle, Washington to improve US sales.

“I had a nice car, and I did it all myself. [My father] said, ‘Go to school,’ and I said, ‘Are you crazy?’” – Peter van Stolk

“Run with the little guy…create some change.” – Peter van Stolk

Pierre Omidyar, Founder of Ebay

Pierre Omidyar (born June 21, 1967) is a French-born Iranian-American entrepreneur and philanthropist/economist, and the founder/chairman of the eBay auction site. His net worth is over $5 billion.

“You’ll fail at some things – that’s a learning experience that you need so that you can take that on to the next experience. What you learn from those challenges and those failures are what will get you past the next ones…I was the pretty consistent bull and the cheerleader on eBay actually.” – Pierre Omidyar

“I was just pursuing what I enjoyed doing. I mean, I was pursuing my passion. It is not really work if you are having fun…that was the case with me.” – Pierre Omidyar

“You should pursue your passion. If you’re passionate about something and you work hard, then I think you will be successful.” – Pierre Omidyar

“You have to really believe in what you’re doing, be passionate enough about it so that you will put in the hours and hard work that it takes to actually succeed there, and then you’ll be successful.” – Pierre Omidyar

“I was raised with the notion that you can do pretty much do anything you want. I always kind of just went ahead and tried things.” – Pierre Omidyar

“A lot of people don’t just go ahead and try things. They’ll have an idea and they’ll say – they’ll convince themselves or other people will convince them that it can’t be done… the first is even more dangerous and serious. It’s convincing yourself that it can’t be done.” – Pierre Omidyar

“I just kind of had this naïve approach to – well, gee, you know, why not. I’ll just go ahead and do it.” – Pierre Omidyar

“You’re able to accomplish anything you set out to accomplish.” – Pierre Omidyar

“When you look at the accomplishments of accomplished people and you say, ‘Boy, that must have been really hard,’…that was probably hard. And conversely, when you look at something that looks easy, that was probably hard. And so you’re never going to know which is which until you actually go out and do it.” – Pierre Omidyar

“I want people to be entrepreneurs, but I want them to do it for the right reasons, because they think they can change the world, because they think they have got something of value to give to the world. Not because they think they can make a lot of money.” – Pierre Omidyar

“Be an enzyme – a catalyst for change. As a slogan, I don’t know if that’s ever going to be right up there with Ich Bin Ein Berliner, or “I Have A Dream,” but there’s a lot of truth to it.” – Pierre Omidyar

Rachael Ray, Founder of Every Day With Rachael Ray

Rachael Ray (born August 25, 1968) is a television personality, celebrity chef and author. She hosts the syndicated talk and lifestyle program Rachael Ray and three Food Network series.

“Whatever it is that you’re successful at, that has to be the No. 1 goal. In my case, it’s accessibility. So all of my products have to be usable, accessible, affordable.” – Rachael Ray

“Decide what it is that you are and then stay true to that thing. My brand is based very much on how I live my day-to-day life.” – Rachael Ray

“You have to be open-minded when those early opportunities present themselves. Take advantage of them whether they’re going to make you a lot of money or not.” – Rachael Ray

Ralph Lauren, Founder of Polo Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren (born October 14, 1939) is an American fashion designer and business executive; best-known for his Polo Ralph Lauren clothing brand.

“The best thing you can do is go away from this saying, ‘I can do this too,’ because it’s all possible and I’m living proof.” – Ralph Lauren

“The world is open to us, and each day is an occasion to reinvent ourselves.” – Ralph Lauren

Ray Kroc, Owner of McDonald’s

Ray Kroc (October 5, 1902 – January 14, 1984) was an American businessman who built McDonald’s, was included in Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century, and amassed a $500 million fortune during his lifetime.

“Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.” – Ray Kroc

“If you work just for money, you’ll never make it, but if you love what you’re doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours.” – Ray Kroc

“If you’re not a risk taker, you should get the hell out of business.” – Ray Kroc

“When you’re green, you’re growing. When you’re ripe, you rot. Are you green and growing or ripe and rotting?” – Ray Kroc

“The two most important requirements for major success are: first, being in the right place at the right time, and second, doing something about it.” – Ray Kroc

Reed Hastings, Founder of Netflix

Reed Hastings (born October 8, 1960 in Boston, Massachusetts) is an entrepreneur and education philanthropist. He is the CEO of Netflix, and on the board of Microsoft and numerous non-profits.

“I learned it is better to do one product well than two products in a mediocre way.” – Reed Hastings

Richard Branson, Founder of The Virgin Group

Richard Branson (born 18 July 1950) is a British industrialist, best known for his Virgin Group of over 360 companies. He is the 261st richest person in the world according to Forbes’ 2009 list, with an estimated net worth of US $3.9billion.

“Screw It, Let’s Do It.” – Richard Branson

“We’re going where no one has gone before.” – Richard Branson

“Above all, you want to create something you are proud of…. That has always been my philosophy of business. I can honestly say that I have never gone into any business purely to make money. If that is the sole motive, then I believe you are better off doing nothing.” – Richard Branson

“To be successful, you have to be out there, you have to hit the ground running, and if you have a good team around you and more than a fair share of luck, you might make something happen. But you certainly can’t guarantee it just by following someone else’s formula.” – Richard Branson

“My interest in life comes from setting myself huge, apparently unachievable challenges and trying to rise above them.” – Richard Branson

Robert Johnson, Founder of B.E.T

Robert Johnson (born April 8, 1946) is the founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET). In 2001 Johnson became the first African American billionaire, and the first black person to be listed on any of Forbes world’s rich list.

“Today, if I were to put on jeans and walk into a jewelry store, and I could probably buy the jewelry store ten times over, but the jeweler’s going to look at me as a black guy in jeans who probably can’t afford it, and maybe who just maybe might steal something.” – Robert Johnson

“Anything that has to do with money, I want to be in that business.” – Robert Johnson

“If there’s something I can do and I feel it should be done, I just want to do it. I just don’t want to leave it undone because I’ll sit back and say, why didn’t I do that? Why didn’t I start that business?” – Robert Johnson

“I’m in business to make money. You can do well and do good. But at first, you have to focus on the blocking and tackling of running a good business.” – Robert Johnson

Robert Kiyosaki, Founder of The Rich Dad Company

Robert Kiyosaki (born April 8, 1947) is an investor, businessman, self-help author and motivational speaker. He is best known for his Rich Dad Poor Dad series of motivational books which have combined sales of over 26 million copies.

“The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“Don’t work for money; make it work for you.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“Your mentors in life are important, so choose them wisely.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“Remember, your mind is your greatest asset, so be careful what you put into it.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“Face your fears and doubts, and new worlds will open to you.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“Inside of every problem lies an opportunity.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“If you want to go somewhere, it is best to find someone who has already been there.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“Today is the word for winners and tomorrow is the word for losers.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“Remember to dream big, think long-term, underachieve on a daily basis, and take baby steps. That is the key to long-term success.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“Great opportunities are not seen with your eyes. They are seen with your mind.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“My poor dad would say, ‘I can’t afford it,’ while my rich dad would say, ‘How can I afford it?” – Robert Kiyosaki

“Most people never get wealthy simply because they are not trained financially to recognize opportunities right in front of them. The rich have learned to recognize opportunities as well as how to create them.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“People who refuse to open their minds to new strategies seldom become rich, which I guess is why there are more critics in the world than rich people.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“The only difference between a rich person and poor person is how they use their time. The poor, the unsuccessful, the unhappy, the unhealthy are the ones who use the word tomorrow the most.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“If you aren’t practicing and playing to be first, then maybe you shouldn’t be an entrepreneur.” – Robert Kiyosaki

Ron Joyce, Founder of Tim Hortons

Ron Joyce (born in 1930) is a Canadian multi-millionaire businessman. He co-founded the Tim Hortons doughnut chain as Tim Horton’s partner and first franchisee.

“When you find the niche you love, that becomes your passion. For me it was Tim Hortons. It was my world.” – Ron Joyce

“I look at the great athletes of all time, like Michael Jordan, who went from basketball to baseball and it didn’t work. Or Wayne Gretzky, who probably wouldn’t have been great at anything but hockey.” – Ron Joyce

“I think people who excel in anything are often totally dedicated to it, but are only really good at one thing.” – Ron Joyce

Ron Popeil, Founder of Ronco

Ron Popeil (born May 3, 1935) is an inventor and marketing personality, best known for his direct response marketing company Ronco. He is known for his appearances in infomercials and for using the phrase, “But wait, there’s more!”

“People say, ‘Ron, you’re so lucky.’ Yeah, the harder I work, the luckier I am.” – Ron Popeil

Rupert Murdoch, Founder of Fox Network

Rupert Murdoch (born March 11, 1931) is an Australian-born media magnate and the founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of News Corporation. He is one of the richest people in the world with a net worth of over $6 billion.

“Nothing but hard work, taking your opportunities, taking your advantages. (How Murdoch has achieved his success).” – Rupert Murdoch

Russell Simmons, Founder of Rush Communications

Russell Simmons (born October 4, 1957) is an American entrepreneur, the co-founder, with Rick Rubin, of the pioneering hip-hop label Def Jam, and creator of the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and American Classics.

“You know, sometimes people never get to learn how successful they could have been because they give up too easily. If I’ve learned one thing in all my years in the business, it’s that often things don’t work out the way you want at first. But that doesn’t mean you should give up.” – Russell Simmons

“You’ve got to put your head down and do the work. There are no shortcuts.” – Russell Simmons

“If you don’t break a hole through the brick wall, don’t just start digging a new hole. Keep going until you break through that wall.” – Russell Simmons

“It’s all about the work. Nothing is going to fall into your lap.” – Russell Simmons

“Whatever they can imagine for themselves, they can accomplish.” – Russell Simmons

“Everybody has a great idea, but very few are successful without true focus. That’s the most basic thing: Stick with your vision. You have to stick with what you start.” – Russell Simmons

S. Truett Cathy, Founder of Chick-fil-A

S. Truett Cathy…

“Loyalty of your people is a key to most any business success.” - S. Truett Cathy

“People want to work with a person, not for a company.” - S. Truett Cathy

“We must motivate ourselves to do our very best, and by our example lead others to do their best as well.” - S. Truett Cathy

“I realized I could do anything if I wanted it badly enough.” - S. Truett Cathy

Sam Walton, Founder of Wal-Mart

Sam Walton (March 29, 1918 – April 5, 1992) was a businessman and entrepreneur born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma best known for founding the retailers Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club. At the time of his death there were 1,960 Wal-Mart stores.

“If you love your work, you’ll be out there every day trying to do it the best you possibly can, and pretty soon everybody around will catch the passion from you – like a fever.” – Sam Walton

“I think I overcame every single one of my personal shortcomings by the sheer passion I brought to my work. I don’t know if you’re born with this kind of passion, or if you can learn it. But I do know you need it.” – Sam Walton

“Ignore the conventional wisdom. If everybody else is doing it one way, there’s a good chance you can find your niche by going in exactly the opposite direction.” – Sam Walton

“Commit to your business. Believe in it more than anybody else.” – Sam Walton

Sean Diddy Combs, Founder of Bad Boy Entertainment

Sean Diddy Combs (born November 4, 1969), is a record producer, rapper, actor, and men’s fashion designer. He has won 3 Grammy Awards and 2 MTV Video Music Awards, and a Council of Fashion Designers of America award.

“I’m most concerned about is finding inner peace and happiness. All that glitters isn’t gold. And there are things better than gold — like having a meaningful conversation, seeing your kids healthy and smiling, and getting along with your mother.” – Sean Diddy Combs

“I’m trying to be somebody. I didn’t come into this business saying, I’m gonna look like the biggest black music man; I was like, I’m gonna be the biggest. I’m gonna go down in history as being one of the best music men and businessmen in entertainment. I admire Andre Harrell and Berry Gordy the most, the people who came up from the black community. But the people that I’m going to be greater than are Steven Spielberg, David Geffen, and Clive Davis.” – Sean Diddy Combs

“Keep on pushing the boundaries and reaching for higher heights.” – Sean Diddy Combs

Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Founder of Google

Sergey Brin and Larry Page - Sergey Brin (born August 21, 1973) and Larry Page (born March 26, 1973) founded Google in 1998. The both have a net worth of almost US $20 billion each.

“But you don’t need a huge company, just a computer and a part-time person. So you don’t need to have a 100-person company to develop that idea. You can do it in your spare time, you can really work on ideas and see if they take off — rather than trying to raise tons of money, millions of dollars for an idea that may or may not work. And once you have the product and people are using it, it’s very easy to raise investment.” – Sergey Brin and Larry Page

Simon Cowell, Founder of American Idol

Simon Cowell (born October 7, 1959) is a music executive, television producer and entrepreneur. He is known for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, and American Idol.

“Work hard, be patient, and be a sponge while learning your business. Learn how to take criticism. Follow your gut instincts and don’t compromise.” – Simon Cowell

Steve Case, Founder of America Online

Steve Case (born August 21, 1958) is an American businessman best known as the co-founder of America Online (AOL). He reached his highest profile when he played an instrumental role in AOL’s merger with Time Warner in 2000.

“Anything is possible if you put your mind to it and you really work hard and you bring the right perspective to it. You shouldn’t focus on why you can’t do something, which is what most people do. You should focus on why perhaps you can, and be one of the exceptions.” – Steve Case

“I just believed, and so I kept doing it…we’re going to make this happen. We were going to stick with it.” – Steve Case

“I think because there were some challenges I just redoubled my own commitments. We wanted to stay in the game.” – Steve Case

“I believed so fervently that it was the next big thing, I thought it would happen quickly. What happened then has been 10 or 15 years just slogging away at this, and there were many times where it wasn’t clear at all it was going to ever happen.” – Steve Case

“I was overestimating the pace at which it would happen early on, and then, mostly because I was a believer, was sort of underestimating exactly when it would happen. It almost never happens overnight, so then there’s a period of reflection and disappointment. Sometimes even depression, where someone says, ‘Oh, it’s never going to happen!’ and then suddenly the pieces start falling together, and then it takes off and really hits a tipping point where you see the real explosive growth.” – Steve Case

“It’s actually a relatively small number of people that really are those risk takers, and a relatively small number of people that end up really having an impact on the world, and it doesn’t take a lot of people. We said, ‘Well, rather than just sit by and wait, or fold our tent and go do something else, let’s keep at it. Maybe we can be the ones who can figure this out,’ and eventually we were.” – Steve Case

“The idea of an entrepreneur is really thinking out of the box and taking risks and stepping up to major challenges. You can be entrepreneurial even if you don’t want to be in business.” – Steve Case

“If you believe that some day it’s going to happen, some day it probably will happen. You just have to make sure you’re there when it’s happening, and ideally you’re at the front of the parade, and the principle beneficiary of when it happens, but it’s not a kind of thing where you just sort of sit back and wait. The actions you take really help influence the pace at which it gets adopted.” – Steve Case

“You stick it out. You just got to.” – Steve Case

“If you’re doing something new you’ve got to have a vision. You’ve got to have some north star you’re aiming for, and you just believe somehow you’ll get there.” – Steve Case

Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple Computer

Steve Jobs (born February 24, 1955) is an American business magnate and inventor. He is well known for being the co-founder and CEO of Apple. Jobs only draws a $1 annual salary but has a net worth of over $5 billion.

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me… Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me. ” – Steve Jobs

“I was worth about over a million dollars when I was twenty-three and over ten million dollars when I was twenty-four, and over a hundred million dollars when I was twenty-five and it wasn’t that important because I never did it for the money.” – Steve Jobs

“If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right. ” – Steve Jobs

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. ” – Steve Jobs

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. ” – Steve Jobs

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. ” – Steve Jobs

“I want to put a dent in the universe. ” – Steve Jobs

“Believe that things will work out somehow, follow your intuition and curiosity, and trust your heart even when it leads you off the well-worn path. You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” – Steve Jobs

Steven Spielberg, Founder of DreamWorks S.K.G.

Steven Spielberg (born December 18, 1947) is a film director, screenwriter, film producer and video game designer. Considered one of the most influential filmmakers of all time, he is also one of the founders of DreamWorks.

“Once a month the sky falls on my head, I come to, and I see another movie I want to make.” – Steven Spielberg

Ted Turner, Founder of Turner Broadcasting Systems

Ted Turner (born November 19, 1938) is a media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN. As a philanthropist, he is known for his $1 billion gift to support UN causes.

“Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise.” – Ted Turner

“You should set goals beyond your reach so you always have something to live for.” – Ted Turner

“You can never quit. Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” – Ted Turner

“All my life people have said that I wasn’t going to make it.” – Ted Turner

“My son is now an “entrepreneur.” That’s what you’re called when you don’t have a job.” – Ted Turner

“When you lose small businesses, you lose big ideas. People who own their own businesses are their own bosses. They are independent thinkers. They know they can’t compete by imitating the big guys; they have to innovate. So they are less obsessed with earnings than they are with ideas.” – Ted Turner

“Do something. Either lead, follow or get out of the way.” – Ted Turner

“If you’ve got an innovative idea, and the majority does not poohpooh it, then the odds are you must not have a very good idea. When people thought I was loony, it did not bother me at all. In fact, I considered that I must really be onto something.” – Ted Turner

“I decided I wanted to be a success.” – Ted Turner

Terry Matthews, Founder of Mitel

Terry Matthews (born in 1943) is a serial high tech entrepreneur, and Wales’ first billionaire. Matthews has founded over 80 companies in the United Kingdom and Canada in the high tech communications field.

“We set it up with $4,000 of borrowed money and now it’s making $1.5 billion revenues. It doubled its revenues every year for the first 11 years and generally in electronics a successful company can do that and remain stable. Anything above that can be unstable.” – Terry Matthews

“I don’t think I’m stubborn. I just focus on the task at hand and do what it takes. Persistence is the single most important thing for success.” – Terry Matthews

“That taught me a key lesson, the importance of timing. The shipping company lost the lawnmowers! By the time they showed up no one wanted them, as you can’t cut grass when it’s covered with snow.” – Terry Matthews

“And that’s the secret. Timing, hard work, smarts and partners. Using that formula, I’ve either founded or funded over 80 companies, and none have gone bankrupt. Most have done very well.” – Terry Matthews

“Right now we are in an Aspirin market, instead of a vitamin market. We call it that because vitamins are for healthy purposes and Aspirin is a pain killer. People are only making changes when there is pain, but I think…people will begin to look at business more as a vitamin market.” – Terry Matthews

“Make a mark; don’t be part of the living dead.” – Terry Matthews

“It’s important to be an enthusiast and know what’s going on. When everyone else was downsizing including Nortel, ‘dumb nuts’ [himself] was investing…People were saying, ‘This guy is a nut case.’” – Terry Matthews

Thomas Watson Jr., President of IBM

Thomas Watson Jr. (1914–1993) was president from 1952 to 1971. He led IBM into a period where it dominated the computers. He was called “the greatest capitalist in history” and a “100 most influential people of the 20th century”.

“Let’s avoid being over cautious, conservative, playing it safe. We should have the courage to take risks when they are thoughtful risks. We must try to make clear, sound, aggressive decisions, not waiting until every possible base has been touched. Each of us must aim to make his own decisions, and shun the process of decision of agreement of all possible interested parties. We should be motivated by what is right for the IBM company rather than by the niceties of internal diplomacy. We expect that there will be mistakes. We must forgive mistakes which have been made because someone was trying to act aggressively in the company’s interest.” – Thomas Watson Jr.

“There is an old staying that when you talk – you teach, when you listen – you learn. There are a lot of ideas worth listening to in this company. Let’s be sure we’re paying attention. We are never so rich in ideas that we can afford not to.” – Thomas Watson Jr.

Thomas Watson, President of IBM

Thomas Watson (February 17, 1874 – June 19, 1956) was the president of IBM. A leading self-made industrialist, he was one of the richest men of his time and was called the world’s greatest salesman when he died in 1956.

“It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You’re thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all.” – Thomas Watson

“It is better to aim at perfection and miss it than to aim at imperfection and hit it.” – Thomas Watson

“You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it. So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because, remember that’s where you’ll find success. On the far side.” – Thomas Watson

“There is no such thing as standing still.” – Thomas Watson

“You cannot stay in one place: you either go forward or go backward.” – Thomas Watson

“We must never feel satisfied.” – Thomas Watson

“Whenever an individual or a business decides that success has been attained, progress stops.” – Thomas Watson

“Our aim is higher every year and we always reach our mark. We must never think that what we have today will satisfy the demand ten years from now.” – Thomas Watson

“Solve it. Solve it quickly, solve it right or wrong. If you solve it wrong, it will come back and slap you in the face, and then you can solve it right.” – Thomas Watson

“Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker.” – Thomas Watson

“Expose your ideas to the danger of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of ‘crackpot’ than the stigma of conformity.” – Thomas Watson

“Develop your initiative. Do something no one else has done.” – Thomas Watson

“Pioneering must never cease. Yesterday we pioneered for today; today, we are pioneering for tomorrow.” – Thomas Watson

“Too many people are waiting for someone else to give them a push. We have tried to develop self-starters in IBM.” – Thomas Watson

“Your success will be determined by the manner in which you use the tools you have been given to work with. When practicing the art of selling use all your talents. Put everything you have into your efforts; above all put your personality into them. Never copy anybody. Be yourself.” – Thomas Watson

“Think. Think about your appearance, associations, actions, ambitions, accomplishment.” – Thomas Watson

“You must guard constantly against those who lack vision. You must guard against the reactionary mind. Always cultivate and associate with persons of vision and with persons who believe that things are going to be better. When you do this, you take on the kind of vision, backed by the right kind of inspiration that you need if you are going to grow in this business or any other business.” – Thomas Watson

“A man is known by the company he keeps. A company is known by the men it keeps.” – Thomas Watson

Todd McFarlane, Founder of Image Comics

Todd McFarlane (born March 16, 1961) is a Canadian cartoonist, writer, toy designer and entrepreneur, best known for his work in comic books, such as the fantasy series Spawn.

“I got sort of disinterested in working for the system.” – Todd McFarlane

“I guess we’re all just wired different. I just got to the point where I got tired of people telling me what I can and can’t do in my life.” – Todd McFarlane

“About 85 percent of what you see is just because I get on the phone and [say], ‘Let’s go do this’. I don’t do any market research or test groups or focus [groups]. I just go, ‘It’s my company; would I buy it, personally?’” – Todd McFarlane

“I didn’t become a successful businessman because I wanted to be rich and famous. I wanted to become successful enough to deliver the art to the consumer.” – Todd McFarlane

Tom Monaghan, Founder of Domino’s Pizza

Tom Monaghan (born March 25, 1937) is an entrepreneur and conservative Catholic philanthropist and activist who founded Domino’s Pizza in 1960. He owned the Detroit Tigers from 1983-1992.

“We opened up without an attorney. I didn’t even collect sales tax – didn’t know I had to.” – Tom Monaghan

“I decided we’d put three dots on the domino because we had three stores, and every time we added one, we’d add a dot. You can see I wasn’t thinking of a national chain back then.” – Tom Monaghan

“I believe everyone on earth has a certain goal/dream in life. I also believe anyone can achieve this if they set their minds to it.” – Tom Monaghan

“No matter what an individual decides to become, hard work and determination is very important in today’s competitive world. You may also encounter hardships along the way, but you must not get discouraged and you push on in order to fulfill your goals.” – Tom Monaghan

“I owe all my success to stupidity.” – Tom Monaghan

“If you want to be successful over a long period, you have to have some idea why you were born and what life is about. I don’t know how anybody can function without thinking that through.” – Tom Monaghan

Tony Hsieh, Founder of Zappos

Tony Hsieh…

“You’ve gotta love the game. To become really good, you need to live it and sleep it. ” - Tony Hsieh

“Have fun. The game is a lot more enjoyable when you’re trying to do more than just make money.” - Tony Hsieh

Tony Robbins, Founder of Anthony Robbins Companies

Tony Robbins (born February 29, 1960) is an American self-help author and success coach. Robbins’ books include Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement and Awaken The Giant Within.

“You are now at a crossroads. This is your opportunity to make the most important decision you will ever make. Forget your past. Who are you now? Who have you decided you really are now? Don’t think about who you have been. Who are you now? Who have you decided to become? Make this decision consciously. Make it carefully. Make it powerfully.” – Tony Robbins

“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” – Tony Robbins

“For changes to be of any true value, they’ve got to be lasting and consistent. Any time you sincerely want to make a change, the first thing you must do is to raise your standards. When people ask me what really changed my life eight years ago, I tell them that absolutely the most important thin was changing what I demanded of myself. I wrote down all the things I would no longer accept in my life, all the things I would no longer tolerate, and all the things that I aspired to becoming.” – Tony Robbins

“If you don’t set a baseline standard for what you’ll accept in life, you’ll find it’s easy to slip into behaviors and attitudes or a quality of life that’s far below what you deserve.” – Tony Robbins

“Live life fully while you’re here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You’re going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don’t try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.” – Tony Robbins

“Most people fail in life because they major in minor things.” – Tony Robbins

“More than anything else, I believe it’s our decisions, not the conditions of our lives, that determine our destiny.” – Tony Robbins

“It’s not what’s happening to you now or what has happened in your past that determines who you become. Rather, it’s your decisions about what to focus on, what things mean to you, and what you’re going to do about them that will determine your ultimate destiny.” – Tony Robbins

“Live with passion!” – Tony Robbins

“We can change our lives. We can do, have, and be exactly what we wish.” – Tony Robbins

“The path to success is to take massive, determined action.” – Tony Robbins

“One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.” – Tony Robbins

“The truth of the matter is that there’s nothing you can’t accomplish if: (1) You clearly decide what it is that you’re absolutely committed to achieving, (2) You’re willing to take massive action, (3) You notice what’s working or not, and (4) You continue to change your approach until you achieve what you want, using whatever life gives you along the way.” – Tony Robbins

“The secret of success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you’re in control of your life. If you don’t, life controls you.” – Tony Robbins

“Goals are a means to an end, not the ultimate purpose of our lives. They are simply a tool to concentrate our focus and move us in a direction. The only reason we really pursue goals is to cause ourselves to expand and grow. Achieving goals by themselves will never make us happy in the long term; it’s who you become, as you overcome the obstacles necessary to achieve your goals, that can give you the deepest and most long-lasting sense of fulfillment.” – Tony Robbins

“It is not what we get. But who we become, what we contribute… that gives meaning to our lives.” – Tony Robbins

“If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do and you’ll achieve the same results.” – Tony Robbins

“Success comes from taking the initiative and following up… persisting… eloquently expressing the depth of your love. What simple action could you take today to produce a new momentum toward success in your life?” – Tony Robbins

“Let fear be a counselor and not a jailer.” – Tony Robbins

“Success is the result of good judgment, good judgment is the result of experience, and experience is often the result of bad judgment!” – Tony Robbins

“The only people without problems are those in cemeteries.” – Tony Robbins

“A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided.” – Tony Robbins

“All personal breakthroughs being with a change in beliefs. So how do we change? The most effective way is to get your brain to associate massive pain to the old belief. You must feel deep in your gut that not only has this belief cost you pain in the past, but it’s costing you in the present and, ultimately, can only bring you pain in the future. Then you must associate tremendous pleasure to the idea of adopting a new, empowering belief.” – Tony Robbins

“Nothing has any power over me other than that which I give it through my conscious thoughts.” – Tony Robbins

“Everything happens for a reason and a purpose, and it serves you.” – Tony Robbins

“Your life changes the moment you make a new, congruent, and committed decision.” – Tony Robbins

“There is always a way-if you’re committed.” – Tony Robbins

“I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece. I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk.” – Tony Robbins

“There’s no abiding success without commitment.” – Tony Robbins

“People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals / that is, goals that do not inspire them.” – Tony Robbins

“Create a vision and never let the environment, other people’s beliefs, or the limits of what has been done in the past shape your decisions. Ignore conventional wisdom.” – Tony Robbins

“Success is doing what you want to do, when you want, where you want, with whom you want, as much as you want.” – Tony Robbins

“Most people have no idea of the giant capacity we can immediately command when we focus all of our resources on mastering a single area of our lives.” – Tony Robbins

“I also remember the moment my life changed, the moment I finally said, ”I’ve had it! I know I’m much more than I’m demonstrating mentally, emotionally, and physically in my life’.’ I made a decision in that moment which was to alter my life forever. I decided to change virtually every aspect of my life. I decided I would never again settle for less than I can be.” – Tony Robbins

“In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.” – Tony Robbins

“I discovered a long time ago that if I helped people get what they wanted, I would always get what I wanted and I would never have to worry.” – Tony Robbins

“The past doesn’t equal the future.” – Tony Robbins

“The meeting of preparation with opportunity generates the offspring we call luck.” – Tony Robbins

“Only those who have learned the power of sincere and selfless contribution experience life’s deepest joy: true fulfillment.” – Tony Robbins

“The quality of your life is the quality of your relationships.” – Tony Robbins

“My definition of success is to live your life in a way that causes you to feel a ton of pleasure and very little pain – and because of your lifestyle, have the people around you feel a lot more pleasure than they do pain.” – Tony Robbins

“You must know that in any moment a decision you make can change the course of your life forever: the very next person stand behind in line or sit next to on an airplane, the very next phone call you make or receive, the very next movie you see or book you read or page you turn could be the one single thing that causes the floodgates to open, and all of the things that you’ve been waiting for to fall into place.” – Tony Robbins

“What we can or cannot do, what we consider possible or impossible, is rarely a function of our true capability. It is more likely a function of our beliefs about who we are.” – Tony Robbins

“In life you need either inspiration or desperation.” – Tony Robbins

“Whatever happens, take responsibility.” – Tony Robbins

“All personal breakthroughs begin with a change in beliefs.” – Tony Robbins

“Take control of your consistent emotions and begin to consciously and deliberately reshape your daily experience of life.” – Tony Robbins

“I’ve come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy.” – Tony Robbins

“The truth is that we can learn to condition our minds, bodies, and emotions to link pain or pleasure to whatever we choose. By changing what we link pain and pleasure to, we will instantly change our behaviors.” – Tony Robbins

“If you are truly flexible and go until… there is really very little you can’t accomplish in your lifetime.” – Tony Robbins

“The most important thing you can do to achieve your goals is to make sure that as soon as you set them, you immediately begin to create momentum. The most important rules that I ever adopted to help me in achieving my goals were those I learned from a very successful man who taught me to first write down the goal, and then to never leave the site of setting a goal without first taking some form of positive action toward its attainment.” – Tony Robbins

“It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.” – Tony Robbins

“Things do not have meaning. We assign meaning to everything.” – Tony Robbins

“I’ve continued to recognize the power individuals have to change virtually anything and everything in their lives in an instant. I’ve learned that the resources we need to turn our dreams into reality are within us, merely waiting for the day when we decide to wake up and claim our birthright.” – Tony Robbins

“Many people make the mistake of thinking that all the challenges in their lives would dissipate if they just had enough money. Nothing could be further from the truth. Earning more money, in and of itself, rarely frees people. It’s equally ridiculous to tell yourself that greater financial freedom and mastery of your finances would not offer your greater opportunities to expand, share, and create value for yourself and others.” – Tony Robbins

“Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.” – Tony Robbins

“When you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears.” – Tony Robbins

“There is no greatness without a passion to be great, whether it’s the aspiration of an athlete or an artist, a scientist, a parent, or a businessperson.” – Tony Robbins

“Determination is the wake-up call to the human will.” – Tony Robbins

“If we don’t see a failure as a challenge to modify our approach, but rather as a problem with ourselves, as a personality defect, we will immediately feel overwhelmed.” – Tony Robbins

“You’re in the midst of a war: a battle between the limits of a crowd seeking the surrender of your dreams, and the power of your true vision to create and contribute. It is a fight between those who will tell you what you cannot do, and that part of you that knows / and has always known / that we are more than our environment; and that a dream, backed by an unrelenting will to attain it, is truly a reality with an imminent arrival.” – Tony Robbins

“Quality questions create a quality life. Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.” – Tony Robbins

“Once you have mastered time, you will understand how true it is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year – and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade.” – Tony Robbins

“Most people never feel secure because they are always worried that they will lose their job, lose the money they already have, lose their spouse, lose their health, and so on. The only true security in life comes from knowing that every single day you are improving yourself in some way, that you are increasing the caliber of who you are and that you are valuable to your company, your friends, and your family.” – Tony Robbins

“Questions provide the key to unlocking our unlimited potential.” – Tony Robbins

“Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy. Human beings have the awesome ability to take any experience of their lives and create a meaning that disempowers them or one that can literally save their lives.” – Tony Robbins

“Surmounting difficulty is the crucible that forms character.” – Tony Robbins

“Commit to CANI! – Constant And Never-ending Improvement.” – Tony Robbins

“Using the power of decision gives you the capacity to get past any excuse to change any and every part of your life in an instant.” – Tony Robbins

“Remember, a real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided.” – Tony Robbins

“The only thing that’s keeping you from getting what you want is the story you keep telling yourself.” – Tony Robbins

“Where focus goes energy flows.” – Tony Robbins

“To have an extraordinary quality of life you need two skills: the science of achievement (the ability to take anything you envision and make it real) and the art of fulfillment (this allows you to enjoy every moment of it.” – Tony Robbins

“Success without fulfillment is failure.” – Tony Robbins

“People’s lives are a direct reflection of the expectations of their peer group.” – Tony Robbins

Trip Hawkins, Founder of Electronic Arts

Trip Hawkins (born December 28, 1953) is a Silicon Valley American entrepreneur and founder of Electronic Arts, The 3DO Company and Digital Chocolate.

“I have a number of famous quotes, and one of them is, if you get knocked down, get back up again. I don’t really feel like I want to let anything ultimately defeat me.” – Trip Hawkins

“You know you’re gonna have failures, there’s no way to avoid it. Especially if you’re an entrepreneur, if you’re doing something new, of course there are gonna be mistakes. How can you not make mistakes? You don’t know what you’re going; it’s unchartered territory.” – Trip Hawkins

“You have to have the kind of personality where you’re resilient and you can get up and keep moving and learn what there is. What I tell my employees is, ‘I want you to make mistakes. If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not trying hard enough. But, when we make a mistake, let’s all study it. Let’s all learn from it. After that, we want to make different mistakes. We don’t want to keep making the same mistakes.’” – Trip Hawkins

“I’ve done everything possible that you could do wrong…I’ve seen what happens when the whole house burns to the round. It’s not a lot of fun. But the important thing about mistakes is to study them and figure out what learning there is that you can extract from it, and then get up off the floor and get moving.” – Trip Hawkins

“One quality of entrepreneurship is just persistence, not giving up because you have road blocks and also not giving in because other people tell you that you’re nuts. You are nuts and you should be proud of it. Stick with what you believe in.” – Trip Hawkins

“No matter what I tend to be doing, generally people always think I’m crazy, first of all, because I’m always talking about things in the future that haven’t happened yet, and people have a hard time believing what’s gonna happen. Secondly, I’m almost always a contrarian, whatever direction everybody else is going in, I’m probably figuring out a way to go in a completely opposite direction.” – Trip Hawkins

“You have to be doing something very different from what everybody else is doing, hopefully different from what’s ever been done before – something that nobody’s thought of yet.” – Trip Hawkins

“I thought, ‘Okay, what’s going to be my edge, and how am I going to define what I’m doing differently?’ Once I had that key idea of the software developer as an artist, once I had that idea, a whole bunch of other ideas flowed from that, because I realized that I need to go study the music industry, I need to study the book publishing and Hollywood and figure out how they do things, why they do them that way, and then I need to borrow, and rearrange, the things that they’re doing to fit my industry so that I can invent and create this new industry.” – Trip Hawkins

“You can’t get anywhere without incredible passion, because if you’re an entrepreneur, there’s gonna be a lot of bumps in the road. A great artist has to do their art. There’s nothing that can stop them from doing it. They just have to get it out there. It’s the same thing for an entrepreneur. If you don’t feel that way, then you’re probably not really an entrepreneur.” – Trip Hawkins

“Nobody else was doing it and they all thought we were nuts, and it wasn’t working. It was a real struggle for two years. There was this constant temptation to throw in the towel and forget the whole thing. But I stuck with it. It was very painful – I had to lay off friends, the company had a lot of financial problems, everybody was miserable. But it’s just one of the things you have to deal with – making choices like that.” – Trip Hawkins

Vijay Mallya, Founder of Kingfisher Airlines

Vijay Mallya…

“You need to be gutsy, you need to have fire in your belly” - Vijay Mallya

Vince McMahon, Founder of World Wrestling Entertainment

Vince McMahon (born August 24, 1945) is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer and former occasional professional wrestler. He currently is worth over US $1 billion.

“I’m not afraid of failing. I don’t like to fail. I hate to fail. But I’m not afraid of it.” – Vince McMahon

“I ALWAYS Win.” – Vince McMahon

“I’m an entrepreneur. I take chances in life.” – Vince McMahon

Walt Disney, Walt Disney Co.

Walt Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966) was an entrepreneur, international icon and philanthropist. As the founder of Walt Disney Co., Disney became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world.

“When you’re curious, you find lots of interesting things to do. And one thing it takes to accomplish something is courage.” – Walt Disney

“Somehow I can’t believe there are any heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secret of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four C’s. They are Curiosity, Confidence, Courage, and Constancy and the greatest of these is Confidence. When you believe a thing, believe it all the way, implicitly and unquestionably.” – Walt Disney

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney

“We did it (Disneyland), in the knowledge that most of the people I talked to thought it would be a financial disaster – closed and forgotten within the first year.” – Walt Disney

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney

Warren Buffett, Founder of Berkshire Hathaway

Warren Buffett (born August 30, 1930) is an American investor, industrialist and philanthropist. He is one of the most successful investors in the world and is consistently ranked among the world’s wealthiest people.

“Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.” – Warren Buffett

“Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.” – Warren Buffett

“It’s better to hang out with people better than you, … Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you’ll drift in that direction.” – Warren Buffett

“You’ve been drafted into a war you didn’t start, … Focus on your customers and lead your people as though their lives depended on your success.” – Warren Buffett

Wayne Huizenga, Founder of Blockbuster

Wayne Huizenga (born December 29, 1939) is an American businessman who grew Blockbuster Video, Waste Management, Inc., and AutoNation into successful companies.

“Overcoming hardships and working around and through their obstacles to achieve an education is what I call a true success.” – Wayne Huizenga

“I really would not change anything. Have a passion for what you do, work hard, have great people with good personalities, enjoy the ride.” – Wayne Huizenga

“My father always said working for somebody else never amounted to anything. You have to be an entrepreneur.” – Wayne Huizenga

“I don’t think we are unique, we’re certainly not smarter than the next guy. So the only thing I can think of that we might do a little differently than some people is we work harder and when we focus in on something we are consumed by it. It becomes a passion.” – Wayne Huizenga

William Hewlett & David Packard, Hewlett-Packard

William Hewlett (May 20, 1913 – January 12, 2001) was an engineer and the co-founder, with David Packard (September 7, 1912 – March 26, 1996), of Hewlett-Packard, one of the world’s largest information technology companies.

“Believe you can change the world.” – William Hewlett & David Packard

“To remain static is to lose ground. ” – William Hewlett & David Packard

William Wrigley Jr., Founder of Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company

William Wrigley Jr. (September 30, 1861–January 26, 1932) was a U.S. chewing gum industrialist. He was founder and eponym of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company in 1891.

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” – William Wrigley Jr.

“I have sometimes been asked what single policy has been most profitable in our business. I have always unhesitatingly answered, restraint in regard to immediate profits. That has not only been our most profitable policy, it has been pretty nearly our only profitable one.” – William Wrigley Jr.

“A man’s doubts and fears are his worst enemies. He can go ahead and do anything as long as he believed in himself.” – William Wrigley Jr.

Wolfgang Puck, Founder of Wolfgang Puck Worldwide

Wolfgang Puck (born July 8, 1949) is a celebrity chef and restaurateur based in Los Angeles. Wolfgang Puck restaurants, catering services, cookbooks and licensed products are run by Wolfgang Puck Companies, with three divisions.

“I learned more from the one restaurant that didn’t work than from all the ones that were successes.” – Wolfgang Puck

“Only you can judge your life. You have to live up to your own expectations.” – Wolfgang Puck

Source: www.evancarmichael.com

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