Strategies for Young, Successful Careers

Business Maxims That Resonate

I recently touched base with one of my friends from high school through Facebook when I joined my graduating class's group. I thought it was awesome because I hadn't talked to her in about a year. What is really coincidental is that I was re-reading one of her father's books at the time. The book is titled "Getting It Done," "the best kept secrets for success in business and life," by John M. Capozzi. John, errr...Mr. Capozzi as I know him, has done many amazing things in his life. Most memorable for me was when he and his wife started Greenfield Healthy Foods Company which he sold to Campbell Soup Company for millions. The only reason I truly remember this is because we got a lot of free samples and they essentially started the fat free craze of snack foods before Nabisco and Snack Well's.

For over 30 years he had written and kept track of his favorite and best business maxims and shared them in multiple books. This particular book is a compilation of his other publishings. I think it's funny that I used to be shloshed on his squash court at parties his kids used to throw in high school and now I'm learning from his wise business wisdom. There are way too many great maxims to share, but here are a few I think you'll enjoy and appreciate:

Success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you get.

Try not to work for a company that makes anything you wouldn't want to give to your family...life is just too short.

If you think education is expensive, wait 'til you see what ignorance costs you.

If you don't pay attention to your customers, eventually your customers won't pay attention to you.

Obstacles are things people see when they stop watching their goal.

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.

If you want to get ahead at work, do your job as if you owned the business.

If you want it tomorrow, ask for it yesterday.

In business, people take different roads to achieve success. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost.

Find a job you really enjoy and you'll add five days to every week of your life.

Nothing is interesting if you're not interested.

Respect people for who they are, not what you want them to be.

Don't be afraid to go out on a limb: that's where the fruit is.