The team at Dynamic Business were wondering – if anyone from history, real or fictional, could give you business advice, who would you ask for? This is our list of ultimate mentors.
Gordon Gekko
Ok, so maybe you shouldn’t be copying everything that Gekko accomplishes in the famous film Wall Street, including insider trading and various other illegal activities, but sometimes everyone needs someone to tell them to take a few risks. We think that Gekko might be the person to remind small business owners to be brave.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
The ultimate mentor, Obi-Wan teaches Luke Skywalker to put emotions aside and deal with the issues at hand. We think sometimes small business owners could use the advice of Obi-Wan, that everyone needs time to sit back and take a look at the bigger picture, rather than getting caught up in the minutiae of the everyday.
Ripley
Absolute dogged determination is the one of the best lessons we can take away from the alien kicking space traveller. She oversaw the [SPOILER ALERT] destruction of her entire crew by an attack from a vicious alien, and throughout it all stayed determined to the bitter end. Remembering to stick to your convictions is an important lesson for any SMB when times are tough.
Tony Soprano
If you know what’s good for you, you know that protecting your business is just as important as establishing your business. If you don’t have a clear succession plan in place, or you haven’t established enough of a point of difference between you and your competitors, you might find yourself in trouble.
Roadrunner
In the dynamic duo that was Wil E. Coyote and Roadrunner, the character you most want to emulate is definitely the clever bird. Staying one step ahead of your competitors is one of the best bits of advice that any SMB could learn.
Homer Simpson
Sometimes you can’t do it all. When you’re Homer Simpson you don’t want to, but when you’re a small business owner sometimes you just need to learn the art of delegation. With this lesson in hand, you’ll find you have a bit more time to sit back and enjoy your success.
Muriel Heslop
If there’s one thing to learn from Muriel, the aspirational girl from Porpoise Spit, it’s to dream big. Don’t be put off by the naysayers, just stick to your guns and you’ll get everything that you dreamed of.
