Knowing What the Movers and Shakers Know and Doing what they Do Will Make Your Professional Tax Preparation Business More Profitable and Enjoyable

I have it posted in my office. Winston Churchill said it. “Never… never… never give up.”

Winston Churchill might not be considered a “mover” or a “shaker” today, but 60 years ago when he said something, the free world listened.

I don’t think it matters what I’m doing, “never give up”, has been my mantra. Sometimes,when things are difficult and I want to throw in the towel, I remember Mr. Churchill and hear him tell me to never give up.

You may not be as big a fan of Winston Churchill as I am, but I’d like to share with you what some of the movers and shakers of today are saying. If I wanted to be a professional baseball player, I’d hang out with other professional baseball players and do everything they did, so that I could learn how to be a professional baseball player.

Let’s look at what some of the most successful business people of today have to say. You might be surprised at what they think is important. There isn’t a common theme among what these great leaders of industry have to say. However, each of them talks about some of the guiding principles that have shaped who they are and their career.

Warren Buffet
Chairman and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway
-Personal Integrity

“When you get out of bed in the morning and think about what you want to do that day, ask yourself whether you’d like others to read about it on the front page of tomorrow’s newspaper. You’ll probably do things a little differently if you keep that in mind.”

Carlos M. Gutierrez
U.S. Secretary of Commerce; former Chairman and CEO, Kellogg
-Keeping Perspective

“My experience and observation have shown that if people see you looking out only for your own best interests, they won’t follow you. You have to believe in doing good for those you serve, knowing that it will allow them to do extraordinary things. Another important lesson I learned from my father, who was the first great leader I observed. He taught me that you have to keep perspective and have a sense of humility. As he used to say, ‘Tell me what you brag about, and I’ll tell you what you lack.’”

Shelly Lazarus
Chairman and CEO, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide
-Fulfilling and Happy Work Environment

“Finding fulfilling work should be an early and deeply pursued part of everyone’s career path. This may sound soft and mushy, but happy people are better for business. They are more creative and productive, they build environments where success is more likely, and you have a much better chance of keeping your best players.”

Anne Mulcahy
Chairman and CEO, Xerox
-Don’t Forget the Customer

“Xerox’s founder, Joe Wilson, used to say this, and it’s become my own golden rule. The way I see it, if you forget the customer, nothing much else matters. The brand deteriorates, employees lose their jobs, and shareholders lose value. My mantra around Xerox is to ensure that the customer is connected to everything we do. It’s why every senior leader — from our head of human resources to our general counsel — is assigned a customer to cover.”

Craig Newmark
Founder, Craigslist
-Dealing With Mistakes

“When someone points out a mistake to you, deal with it — don’t go into denial.”

Dick Parsons
Chairman and CEO, Time Warner
-Treating People With Respect

“This came from my grandmother, and it was the best advice I ever got. If I think of anything on a daily basis, in terms of a moral compass, that is the one. You treat people the way you want to be treated. If you treat everyone with respect, somehow it comes back to you. If you are honest and aboveboard, somehow it comes back to you.”

Ivan Seidenberg
Chairman and CEO, Verizon
-Somebody’s Always Watching

“Work hard, have high standards, and stick to your values, because somebody’s always watching.”

Chris Albrecht
CEO, Home Box Office
-Effective Management

“Surround yourself with people smarter than you and be comfortable with that.”

John Chambers
CEO, Cisco Systems
-Staying Ahead of the Competition

“My golden rule is to focus almost fanatically on customer success. Living by this rule helped steer Cisco through the tremendous growth of the 1990’s. It’s allowed us to fine-tune our acquisition strategy and anticipate many challenges and market transitions to stay ahead of our competition.”

Stephen Covey
Business Consultant; Motivational Speaker; Author, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
-Courage and Wisdom

“Be extremely open and get your security from a divine source rather than human approval. It frees you. It gives you great courage; it also gives you more wisdom.”

I Couldn’t Have Said It Any Better

I hope you enjoyed reading what these brilliant men and women had to say about what has made them successful and the lessons they’ve learned over the years. I sure did.

Apply this advice to your professional tax preparation business and watch your profits soar.

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