Some other lessons from 25 years in business!

At the conclusion of the annual entrepreneurial lecture at The Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen earlier this year I was asked to provide any other key lessons that I'd learnt from 25 years plus in business.  After consideration my response was that:

• you need to be always selling (yourself and your business) and that if you "make a friend you’ll make a sale"!
• you need to surround yourself with quality people!  If you fly with the crows you're likely to be shot.
• you should ensure you have good counsel - NEDs and best experts & today’s man rather than yesterday’s.
• if you get out-with chartered territory you become exposed to external elements and unforeseen factors
• it was essential that you maintain values and common sense
• you need to learn to trust your gut!  Plus, if it looks too good it normally is!
• there are days, months or years when things don’t happen for you.  That’s life!  You need to learn from these situations.  Things will change!
• you don’t need to be ruthless to be successful in business
• first impressions are critical

Murray Strachan

Murray works with executives, funders and shareholders to recover & create value!  You can contact Murray via his website www.murraystrachan.co.uk or follow him on twitter @murraystrachan