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Bright Ways to Succeed in Business

Lee Beall
Oct 5, 2011

Not all business people are created equal. Some have a way of turning everything they touch into gold. Some shine just a little bit brighter than the rest.

The late Richard Rea was one of those people. He founded a company that later grew to be one of the top 100 of its kind, and he did it in a small Ohio town during a point in this nation's history when many businesses closed their doors and families struggled to feed their children. He managed to help businesses survive the Great Depression.

Rea retired from Rea & Associates long ago, but his words of wisdom are as relevant as ever. In fact, one of his articles gives valuable tips and advice that still apply today. Here are the characteristics that Rea thought you must have to be a bright and successful businessperson. See how you stack up, and share this list with your next generation of leaders.

• You're dedicated. You eat, sleep and breathe your business. No personal sacrifice is too great. You're never off-the-clock.
• You're humble. No task is too menial to tackle and no one on your team is too insignificant for your time.
• You're dissatisfied. You continually look for ways to improve every phase of your business. You look forward. You don't lean on the past.
• You're determined. You don't quit when something doesn't work. You learn from your mistakes and you find a brighter way.
• You're flexible. You're on the look-out for new and challenging ideas. And when you see one, you pursue it.
• You're customer-focused. You make your customers feel like they are the most important people in the world. Because they are.
• You're competitive. You're savvy. And because you offer customers "value, convenience, selection and courtesy," you don't have to have the lowest price.
• You're knowledgeable. You study your business. You're brighter because you talk to other business owners. You engage with your team. You soak up every word you can. You know your business inside and out.
• You're goal-oriented. You have a vision for the future of your business. You don't make a move without thinking of that vision. You know what it takes to make it a reality and you stick out your arm and reach for it.

Think about the successful business owners you know. Do you see these characteristics in them? I guarantee you do. Secure you own bright future by adopting these features yourself.

This article was originally published in Smart Business, November 2011.

Note: This content is accurate as of the date published above and is subject to change. Please seek professional advice before acting on any matter contained in this article.

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