Читать книгу Business Owners' Wisdom - Brett Kelly - Страница 7

It never ceases to amaze me just how generous busy people can be with their time and wisdom. This book is the first in a two-part compilation of interviews I conducted with Australian business owners between June and September 2012.I approached thirty-four business owners, and the first sixteen conversations appear in these pages.

Each person not only carved out time from their busy schedules to sit down with me, some even met me twice. I learned plenty of valuable new lessons about running a private business, and in the process made some new friends.

I also confirmed a little understood discovery. When people become successful in business and life, they’re also happy to share their insights with others. And I don’t think it’s an ego thing. Business owners genuinely want to see other people succeed. There’s an old saying that ‘no man is an island’. Well in this case, I’ve discovered the spirit of business in Australia: No company is an island.

It’s no secret that for many businesses the past few years have been tough.In fact, I still believe many parts of the economy are in recession. The road to recovery won’t be quick for everyone.

With that in mind, I’ve been very deliberate in the way I approached these interviews. Yes, I asked people about their business strategies. But I also asked them about their personal lives. In my experience business owners live a unique existence. Their personal and professional lives become financially and emotionally intertwined.

There’s simply no way to escape this reality because the buck stops with you.At the same time, business owners are doing something completely remarkable.They’re living with passion, with intent, they’re doing something they love and often helping thousands of people improve their lives. Running a business isn’t just a job. It’s your life.

It’s a tough road sometimes, but pursuing your dreams is the only way to live. I’ve personally made a commitment to live a conscious life because I could think of nothing worse than being unconscious and disconnected from the world around me. This book reflects that pursuit, and I hope the stories of sixteen remarkable people ignite a similar passion in you to go somewhere and be the person you told yourself you would be when you grew up!

‘Do I wake up some days wondering how it all happened? Absolutely! Would I change a thing? Absolutely not! Are my dreams for Lorna Jane bigger and better? You bet!’

– Lorna Jane Clarkson