4 Inspiring Business Quotes For Entrepreneurs

We all seek motivation to stay focused on our goals, whether it’s finding the energy to get out of bed for a normal 9-to-5 job or finding the courage to pitch a million-dollar business deal to investors.

To be fair, though, the latter usually comes with a bit more anxiety. The fact is: Entrepreneurs take big risks. It comes with the territory, and it’s what sets entrepreneurship apart from nearly everything else. Big successes don’t come without big risks, and that stress is something that all business owners must face, often on a daily basis.

That’s why it should come as no surprise that the Internet is filled with stories and quotes and anecdotes aimed at new business owners and entrepreneurs. Most entrepreneurs need constant encouragement to achieve their goals and to remind themselves why they’re taking such risks in the first place.

If you’re in this category or even just thinking about becoming an entrepreneur, here’s a few quotes to help you down the path of high-stakes business.

Quote on Motivation:

“The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.” — Nolan Bushnell quote on Inc.com

Lots of film and television representations of entrepreneurs focus on the “great idea” part of their journey. A regular person has a brilliant idea for a new business or service, and is propelled to success because of the unique need their idea fulfills.

Not so much. Coming up with an idea is actually the easy part. Execution is everything. As many historically excellent entrepreneurs have shown, you don’t really even need a great idea. You need to know how to sell the idea, and that usually starts with lots of hard work pitching the idea to investors.

Quote for Women Entrepreneurs:

“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, founder of The Body Shop on SmallBusinessBC

This quote applies to all entrepreneurs, but especially women. There’s no doubt that personality plays a huge role in the success of business owners.

There’s lots of competition out there, and the winner isn’t always the one with the best plan, but the person who “stands out,” as Roddick says. That means finding the ways you stand out, and using them to your advantage.

Quote about Leadership:

“A leader is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.” – Nelson Mandela quote on Bluleadz

As one of the most famous and successful leaders of all time, Nelson Mandela can be trusted on issues of leadership. Many first-time entrepreneurs think they have to do everything themselves, or micro-manage every detail of the business.

The reality is that good leaders delegate tasks and trust their employees and managers to accomplish them. The bigger the business, the more important this becomes.

Quote for Technology:

“Companies that invest more in digital transformation actually outperform their peers over time. These companies are more prepared for disruption, better able to monetize new digital channels, and better able to build a bigger user base. What’s more, this phenomenon exists regardless of industry.” — Geoff Cubitt, CEO, Isobar US on Salesforce

While the above quote are all general points about behavior, this is specific to the times. Technology has never moved as fast as it does now.

Businesses that don’t keep up will be left behind, said Thomas Kane, a private wealth manager based in Chicago; Thomas Kane added that the most up-to-date companies often have forward-thinking entrepreneurs leading the way.

Quotes can help us start the day right. Try writing one down and putting it somewhere you can see it throughout the day.

A little motivation from someone inspiring can go a long way.