The Entrepreneur's Game: What makes these four American entrepreneurs successful? Part 2
We’re back with part two of our look at American entrepreneurs and the traits and habits that make them successful.
Entrepreneurship can be a tricky game, but there are invaluable pieces of wisdom you can glean simply from analyzing the competition.
We’ve put together a list of four very different entrepreneurs for your benefit, from founders of Fortune 500 companies to marketing gurus who occupy a very niche space, and make it their own.
For the original article, go here.
Larry Page
We all know who Larry Page is: the Google co-founder is one of the wealthiest people on earth and one of the shining lights in Silicon Valley’s gallery of stars.
So, with all his talents in mind, what’s the one thing you can emulate?
A 2013 Wired interview with Steven Levy gives an insight into Page’s meticulous quest for perfection: Page has the “10X” mentality: all Google employees are expected to produce products and services 10 times better than anything else of the market.
According to colleagues who’ve worked with Page, this unyielding pursuit of perfection is at the core of everything he does, and anything less simply doesn’t cut it.
The takeaway: Be a stickler for quality in everything you do, and aim to beat the rest
Tim Ferriss
Ferriss has risen from obscurity to become the face of the self-help generation. Part personal development guru, part marketing machine, the man from East Hampton has charted a course to the top by promising the good life.
Ferriss’ patented 4-hour workweek is world-famous, and he’s spent the ten years since the release of his debut book selling the allure of other quick-fix methods: why don’t you become a star chef overnight? Why don’t you get your ideal body in no time?
The irony is that insiders claim Ferriss works very hard indeed. He’s always at work, whether it’s writing new material or interviewing celebrities on his wildly popular podcast.
The secret? He enjoys it so much that it doesn’t feel like a grind. He’s not really working at all: he’s selling himself and getting a kick out of it too.
The takeaway: If you enjoy what you do, it doesn’t have to feel like graft. In fact, enjoy it as much as Ferriss and you’ll probably convince yourself you’re working a four-hour week after all.
Oprah
At a commencement speech back in May, Oprah took to the stage to distil the secrets to her incredible success.
Her take? Question what you’re doing and act in service of your unique talents.
There need to be a reason for your business endeavor. And most of all, there needs to be a tangible skill you possesses that you’re drawing upon.
Oprah also stresses the importance of “self-care”. There’s nothing to be gained putting yourself last and burning out trying to please others.
The takeaway: Get empowered. Identify what you’re strongest at and make this the cornerstone of everything you do.
Neil Patel
Neil is a lesser-known name on this list, but he’s here with good reason. As the founder of marketing analytics tools Crazy Egg and Kiss Metrics, he’s a dab hand at selling product. But perhaps Neil deserves more credit for his long-running blogs, Quick Sprout and Neilpatel.com.
Both portals are groaning under the weight of quality content and feature hundreds upon hundreds of articles. Check back every other day and chances are there’s a new post or podcast featuring Neil’s insights, meticulously crafted and compiled. He draws on his experience of dealing with blue-chip companies like Amazon to help you run your own company better.
In the end, what really matters? Patel is consistent. He’s built an audience through repetition and he stands as a testament to the power of staying the course.
The takeaway: Patel is always pumping out new content, and his audience has grown steadily as a result. Be consistent in anything you do, and the results will come.
