Need some extra motivation for the work week? Trying to start a business and feel like it’s going nowhere? Don’t worry – many of the world’s most successful businesspeople were once in that boat, too.
We researched the best business advice from history’s most influential businesspeople, from Cornelius Vanderbilt to Oprah Winfrey. Some interesting takeaways came out of our investigation. For instance, many of the people we looked at highlighted the importance of taking time to learn – lots and lots of time. They also repeatedly emphasized the value in failure, as long as one can learn from it and then move past it in terms of a bruised ego. A final takeaway was that you have to treat the people who work for you well, and they, in turn, will take care of the business. That also means people have to want to work with you.
So, here’s our best quotes from history’s most influential businesspeople, because sometimes you just need a little inspiration.