Check out these 25 great quotes for young entrepreneurs from past and present CEOs, athletes, and other leaders that will help you to get going and keep going, whether you’re just starting out, or you’ve been running a business for a while.
Quotes About Starting a Business
- “The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing.” – Walt Disney, co-founder, Disney
- “Any time is a good time to start a company.” – Ron Conway, noted start-up investor, founder of SV Angel
- “Chase the vision, not the money; the money will end up following you.” – Tony Hsieh, Zappos CEO
- “What do you need to start a business? Three simple things: know your product better than anyone, know your customer, and have a burning desire to succeed.” –Dave Thomas, Founder, Wendy’s
Quotes About Mistakes and Challenges
- “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan, NBA legendary basketball MVP
- “Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.” – Mary Kay Ash, Mary Kay Cosmetics founder
- “Don’t worry about failure; you only have to be right once.” – Drew Houston, Dropbox co-founder and CEO
- “I knew that if I failed I wouldn’t regret that, but I knew the one thing I might regret is not trying.” – Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO
- “If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.” – Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn co-founder and venture capitalist
- “Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes playing a poor hand well.” – Jack London, author
- “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill, former British prime minister
- “You shouldn’t focus on why you can’t do something, which is what most people do. You should focus on why perhaps you can, and be one of the exceptions.” – Steve Case, AOL co-founder and CEO
Quotes about Running a Business
- “Always deliver more than expected.” – Larry Page, Co-Founder, Google
- “Trust your instincts.” –Estée Lauder, Founder, Estée Lauder
- “Wonder what your customer really wants? Ask. Don’t tell.” – Lisa Stone, BlogHer co-founder and CEO
- “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing and falling over.” –Richard Branson, Virgin Group founder
- “Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.” – Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa
- “Don’t be cocky. Don’t be flashy. There’s always someone better than you.” – Tony Hsieh, Zappos CEO
- “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t — you’re right.” – Henry Ford, Ford Motor Company founder
- “Act enthusiastic and you will be enthusiastic.” – Dale Carnegie, author and motivational speaker
- “Even if you don’t have the perfect idea to begin with, you can likely adapt.” –Victoria Ransom, Wildfire Interactive co-founder
- “High expectations are the key to everything.” – Sam Walton, Walmart founder
- “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” – Babe Ruth, baseball legend
- “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” – Bill Gates, Microsoft founder and former CEO
Final Thoughts
Running your own business can be an amazing experience. But it isn’t everything. Which brings us to one more important thing to always remember.
25. “In between goals is a thing called life, that has to be lived and enjoyed.” – Sid Caesar, entertainer
Want more inspiration? Read these profiles of young entrepreneurs.
Want more words of wisdom? Read these Q&As with entrepreneurs and mentors.
Photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash
