So the other day I woke up and realized that BBR has been in existence for very close to 24 years — since June of 1997.
For a person whose parents chastised her for quitting every high school club that she ever joined, I asked myself, “How did I last this long running this business?” And a pretty successful one to boot. It caused me to reflect upon the philosophies that have helped me, my original business partners and my staff create an enduring firm.
So today, I am sharing the first guiding principles that came to mind when I gave this a bit of thought. I welcome you to use any of these for your own business if you like.
- Love the business.
- Treat everyone you meet with respect and dignity. From the janitor to the principal.
- It helps to like people.
- Treat your employees as you would like to be treated.
- Meet in person and listen.
- Work as hard as anyone else, or harder.
- Constantly seek to improve.
- Attempt to learn every day.
- Hire the smartest people you can find.
- Take notes.
- Be frugal.
- Have integrity. Don’t lie, cheat or steal. (Which should go without saying it is so fundamental).
- Retain a good CPA, banker and lawyer and listen to their counsel.
- Invest in professional development for your people.
- Know when to cut your losses.
- Have the stomach for hard decisions.
- Be as straightforward with your team as you can.
- Maintain a good reputation.
- Remember that sometimes shit happens that is beyond your control.
- Pick yourself up and move on.
- Get outside perspective.
- Surround yourself with a support group.
- Move forward. Don’t dwell on the past.
- Love your family.
Remember, you are creative too.
