If you are looking to start your own business you might want to consider the sound advice of famous entrepreneurs- those who have already trodden the path to business success. In the following list, several well-known business tycoons offer a collection of business tips and general words of wisdom to keep you and your business on the right track.

think ahead

1. All successful people have a vision. They have the ability the “see” clearly what they want before it exists.-Bill Gates, Co-founder and chairman of Microsoft Corp.

2. Some of success is luck. Just being in the right place at the right time. –Bill Gates

3. When you find a good idea act on it right away. –Bill Gates

4.  Absorb, assess, and then act. Knowledge without action is impotence. –Donald Trump, Flamboyant Chairman and CEO of Trump Organization.

5. Avoid your comfort zone — it’s probably outdated anyway-Donald Trump

6. Resolve to be bigger than your problems. Who’s the boss? –Donald Trump

7. If you’re honest, you should know the questions that should be asked, as well as the answers. That’s probably why there’s so much confusion out there today. –Donald Trump

8. Do business with people you like and who share your objectives. –Warren Buffett,  chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

9. It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently –Warren  Buffett

10. Borrowed money is the most common way that smart guys go broke. – Warren Buffett

11. Price is what you pay. Value is what you get. -Warren Buffett

12. Strive to become a market leader. Own and control the primary technology in everything you do. –Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple Corp.

13. Ask for feedback from customers of diverse backgrounds –Steve Jobs

14. Learn from failures, admit it and move on. –Steve Jobs

15. Learn continually from people within and outside of your company –Steve Jobs

16. You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new. –Steve Jobs

17. Have a clear articulation of what your value proposition is – what makes you different? –Michael  Dell, founder and CEO of Dell, Inc.

18. Tough times present new opportunities and the seeds can be sown for future successful companies –Michael  Dell

19. There’s never been an easier time to connect with customers all over the world – utilize social media opportunities like blogs, Facebook and Twitter –Michael Dell

20. Find something that works well and then replicate it –Michael Dell

21. Take advantage of the resources around you – people, technology and suppliers –Michael Dell

22. Keep your messages simple and clutter free to reach your market faster –Jack Welch, Chairman and CEO of General Electric

23. See change as an opportunity-keep an eye out for changes to your business –Jack Welch

24. Do your homework or hire wise experts to help you. Never jump into a business you have no idea about. –John Templeton, British stock investor

25. There’s no free lunch. You won’t make it big in one day but persistence will take you there. –John Templeton

26. Leadership is not about a title, degree or level. Anybody can lead at any time.-Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard and Executive Vice President at AT&T

27. Change is always hard. There is always resistance.-Carly Fiorina

28. Sustainable business planning has long term benefits for your business- Fujio Mitarai, Chairman of Canon and head of the Japanese Business Federation

29. Environmentally friendly products are sustainable for the planet and more sensible from a business perspective-Fujio Mitarai

30. When you innovate, you’ve got to be prepared for everyone telling you you’re nuts  -Larry Ellison, co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation

31. Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming.- Sir Richard Branson, founder of the “Virgin” brand of over 350 companies.

32. Big businesses will always try to crush small upstarts. To beat big businesses, use the strengths of being small. Big corporations are impersonal; staff are often not treated well. At a small company, you can make sure your staff are proud of working for you and then they’ll work hard to be successful. And small companies are more nimble- Sir Richard Branson

33. If you’re a successful entrepreneur, wealth comes with it. A responsibility comes with that wealth.-Sir Richard Branson

34. A good company runs as if it is a family. If your son messes up, you don’t kick him out of the house- Sir Richard Branson

35. There are no shortcuts. You have to work hard, and try to put yourself in a position where if luck strikes, you can see the opportunity and take   advantage of it. I would also say it’s hard not to fool yourself. Everyone tells you how they are going to be”special,” but few do the work to get  there. Do the work.- Mark Cuban, Chairman of HDNet and owner of the Dallas Mavericks NBA team

References:

http://freebusinesstips.com.au/people/three-vital-steps-to-success-according-to-bill-gates

http://www.businessknowhow.com/growth/trumpsurvivaltips.htm
http://www.christianpf.com/my-five-favorite-quotes-from-warren-buffett/
http://www.1000advices.com/guru/leader_corporate_12_success_rules_sj.html
http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/topics/topic.aspx/emea/corporate/pressoffice/2008/uk/en/2008_12_11_brk_000?c=uk&l=en
http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/mgmt_new-model_25lessons-welch.html
https://www.franklintempleton.com/retail/pdf/home/splash_PUB/TL_R16_1207.pdf
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/3384.html
http://blogs.hbr.org/hbr/hbreditors/2008/10/leading_in_tumultuous_times_ad.html
http://www.twincommas.com/business-advice-from-billionaires
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/entrepreneur/managing/article.jsp?content=20061024_115646_5640