4 Tips For The Successful Businessman

I have a passion for the bald eagle or Haliaeetus Leucocephalus
according to his scientific name. I have this passion as long as
I can remember. But it is not a logical passion. I am Dutch and
a passion for a bird of prey that is common in The Netherlands
would be more obvious. But life is full of inexplicable surprises
and left me with this passion for the bald eagle, the national
symbol of the United States of America. I have seen the
eagles only once in my life in their natural habitat and that
was during a holiday in British Columbia in Canada.

When I read about bald eagles and about the way they live, I
always start thinking about what a businessman can learn from
them in order to become successful and that is what this article
is about.

1. Vision

Bald eagles are birds that can often be found on very high
altitudes. There they soar and with their very sharp eyesight
they have a clear view on the world below them and especially
on the prey they want to catch; fish, that is what they like
most.They can see the milky white spot in the water from a
distance of many miles. In high places they build their nests.
On a rock, on the top of a tree but always on a spot where they
have a good view on the world that surrounds them. And from
their castle they see what is happening around them and that
gives security.

The businessman should also have a clear view on what is
happening in the market. From very far he should recognize his
potential customers and "attack" them at the right moment. At
the same time he should be aware of the dangers that surround
him, anticipate, absorb the environment and be prepared to act
immediately.

2. Knowledge

Bald eagles are confined to their territories. With the seasons
some migrate but you find bald eagles only in a specific habitat
namely forests, mountains and near sea and rivers. You won't
find them in the desert. In their habitat they know what to do,
where they can find prey and which dangers surround them. By
instinct and by learning they have knowledge about the way they
have to conduct their lives and about how they have to behave
in this habitat. They will never go beyond the limitations of this
frame work. If they do, they die.

This holds a lesson for the businessman. He should know
everything about his business and when I say everything, I mean
everything. He should know all about the products he sells from
beginning to end, every detail should be an open book to him.
He can never be surprised with questions on which he has no
answers. He should know about marketing techniques, the
position and plans of competitors etc., etc. And if he doesn't
possess this knowledge by nature, he has to learn it.

3. Enough is enough

When Bald Eagles catch prey, they will catch only one fish at a
time. It is not possible for them to catch more. But they know
precisely how to catch this one fish. Their flying skills, their
strong talons and their eyesight are extremely well developed
and fit for the job. Almost every attempt to catch a prey is
successful.

This phenomenom also holds a wise lesson for the businessman.
He has to restrict himself to a number of products he can handle
and products that matches his skills and abilities. To stay in
the animal world: if you are a cow don't try to jump fences like
a horse. People will only laugh at you. It is better to sell one
product very well than ten without a satisfying result.

4. Courage

Bald eagles mate for life and they are absolutely loyal to each
other. From high altitudes the two birds tumble down in a
dangerous free fall. Mocking the laws of gravity they unite.
Only just above the tree tops they separate and fly wing by wing
to the nest. This spectacular show requires great courage. A
businessman also needs courage to be successful. He has to make
decisions about difficult and uncertain subjects. And he also
needs to know when to stop his free fall. Having courage to make
difficult decisions is not synonymous for being reckless. A
decision that leads to disaster is not a decision, but a wild
guess.

You see....the businessman can learn a great deal from this
majestic bird that embodies not only beauty, strength and
freedom but that possesses also the essential conditions and
abilities to survive.

The beginning businessman as well, who is maybe starting his
business in great uncertainty about the future, can learn from
the bald eagle:

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How to become a successful businessman

So you want to engage in business, but aren't quite sure where to begin. Don't worry; here are some practical ways to begin your journey toward becoming a successful businessman:

Put your plan into writing. You may have so many different business ideas, but until you put them into writing and create a business plan of your chosen idea, chances are those ideas will simply remain theoretical. By creating a business plan you will see clearly for yourself such important details as:

• The Background.
  1. Your company's core mission - what your company will be all about
  2. A description of your products /services

• The Operations.
  1. Your proposed manner of implementation
  2. The systems you will need
  3. Your logistics

• The Financial Plans.
  1. Where the funding will be derived from
  2. Cost - benefit analysis
  3. The projected costs of putting up the business
  4. Your estimates at how much profit you will generate after about 5 months of operation

Remember, your business plan at this point does not have to follow a specific format. You just need to see for yourself what you need to prepare and plan for in order to bring your business to reality, and whether or not it is realistic and workable.

Network and study the workings within the industry. It's a good move to get to know as many players within the same industry as you can. Why? This enables you to gain access on insider information that could make your quest into business smoother than if you had to learn all that information yourself. For example, you could ask fellow entrepreneurs about the hidden costs that starting up the business could entail; the peak months of operation where you could expect the most customers; the trade fairs that occur which you could participate in for advertising purposes. You may experience other benefits such as discounts from suppliers and advertisers, knowledge of better systems for implementing the business processes, and better knowledge of the client base. Remember, knowledge and information can come in abundance just by being in the loop.

Be resourceful. It's important to be resourceful so you could take advantage of available and cost-effective means to effectively boost your business. For example, instead of allotting a huge bulk of your budget to advertising, you could opt to promote your business using low-cost methods such as posting ads in the Internet. Remember, a good businessman is creative in finding better ways the business can operate.

Believe in your company. Start by being passionate about the product or service that your company is offering. For example, if you are very interested in teaching then perhaps you could put up a tutorial center. If you love to bake then consider putting up a bakeshop. The point is you should not put up a business whose products or services you know nothing about.

That being said, you have to sincerely believe that your clients would do good in patronizing your company. Make sure though that you do continuously develop your product, services and systems so it would cater to the needs of your target clients. If you genuinely believe in your company, you will be motivated to promote it, improve it and to let it live a long life.

Be realistic. It's very rare for a company to grow overnight. You can expect losses before enjoying profits. You can even do well to expect periods of loss after some stages of gain. As long as you set realistic expectations and you prepare your business as well as possible for the "worst case" scenario, then you may be one step further in ensuring your business' longevity.

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