9 Warren Buffett Quotes for Start-Ups to Live By

If you are thinking of starting a business or have been reading about investing, you are sure to have come across the name, Warren Buffett. He is an American business magnate and investor who has made a massive mark in the investment world.

When someone makes it big, their words become words to live by. Warren Buffett’s quotes are no different. Here are a few quotes that are worth following for any start-up. Take these words as advice, and all put together it makes great sense and helps you pave the path to success.

“Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”

One thing that discourages a lot of people starting out is the advice that you need to know all the ins and outs of what you are doing. Most of the times, it is simply not possible. That being said, it is important to know the basics and the core of the field you want to make it big in. If it is worth taking the risk, then it is also worth knowing what risks to take.

“In the world of business, the people who are most successful are those who are doing what they love.”

One of the many reasons why people choose to do business is to get a chance to make a living  doing what they love. This is not possible for many 9-to-5ers, and some people can’t bear that. You are lucky if you find a job doing what you love, but with a business, you have the choice to get your hands on exactly what gets you excited. Doing what you love is a surefire way to achieve success, not only in business but in life as well.

“The most important investment you can make is in yourself.”

When you start anything new, take a significant amount of time to learn the craft required. Take classes, spend time reading, do everything you can to prepare yourself. You are the greatest asset to your business, so it only makes sense to invest in yourself. You are going to be with the business from the start and throughout, so to get returns you need to invest in yourself. Not only learning what is needed for the success of the business but learning things to make yourself the person needed to achieve that success.

“I don’t look to jump over seven-foot bars; I look around for one-foot bars that I can step over.”

One thing that I often advise people is to stop comparing themselves to people who are already successful. It is more than okay to be inspired by them but following their steps down to the T can often overwhelm you and make you give up. What works for them at their stage is not going to work for you now.

Suppose you sell coffee with whipped cream for $3 and you see Starbucks selling the same thing for $6. Now, you want to be like Starbucks, and your coffee even tastes better, so you start selling yours at $6 as well. Your business starts to fail; you wonder how can it when you have a better product for the same price, offering a similar ambiance, and you are even giving customers special discounts from time to time.

Well, what you fail to see is, you aren’t Starbucks. No matter how similar, you haven’t made your mark in the market yet. Think of it like this, if you have to pay the same price at two places, one is a well-known and well-established international chain, and the other is a new local place, which one will you choose? Instead of making the big leap, start with smaller ones to reach where you want to be.

“You know…you keep doing the same things and you keep getting the same result over and over again.”

Once you have taken the decision, laid down the foundation, learned the basics, and are ready to take the world by storm, you have to be willing to change your methods if they don’t work. Some people become rigid with their plans because they have spent a lot of time and effort bringing them into action, but if it hasn’t worked the five times you applied it, chances are it is never going to work. If you want more, you need to make changes. The same plan that was needed to start will not be helpful when you need to reach the next level. Make changes as your business demands.

“It is not necessary to do extraordinary things to get extraordinary results.”

When it is said that you need to make changes to reach the next level, it doesn’t have to be huge. A little something goes a long way. If you feel like you have been in the same position long enough and it is time to move ahead, then think about what can be easily achieved before thinking about something that might not even be possible at your stage.

Let’s take the example of waking up early. You got a client who is based in a completely different timezone. You decide to work late at night to accommodate him while also doing all the other work you have. Now, this results in you skipping dinner sometimes, working for hours at a stretch with a tired mind, missing your kids going to school in the morning.

This is an extreme step, this gives your mind a false sense of you doing a lot of work and being very productive, but that is not the case. Instead of making a lot of sacrifices, start waking up early, you will get to see your kids, get your work done, rest, and then talk to the said client. Now, you have grown your business without losing your sanity.

“You’ve gotta keep control of your time, and you can’t unless you say no. You can’t let people set your agenda in life.”

Let’s take the above example. If taking on that client means losing a lot of things: sacrificing your health, your personal life, your work quality, then is it really worth it? I understand the desperation to say yes to every opportunity when you are a beginner but take a moment and think about it, even if you want to say yes right away.

You will thank yourself for not rushing into it. Sometimes, the opportunities are too good to be true. You might think that it is going to help right now, but you have to take the bigger picture into account. Learning to say no from time to time is an important skill to master if you want to keep your sanity while aiming for success.

When I started, I said yes to every opportunity that came my way. They were all good opportunities but I could only do so much. I already had my hands full, so I had to learn to say no. With time I have gotten better at it. You cannot overfill your plate because it won’t do justice to either the job or you.

“The best thing I did was to choose the right heroes.”

As your business starts gaining momentum, you will realize that you need help. It is time to hire people. People are your biggest investment after yourself. The people you choose to work with or to work for you can often make or break the situation. It is not only about how much experience a person has but about the attitude that a person carries.

Is the person willing to learn, to grow from their mistakes, to give all in for the job? If you find a person like that, then don’t be afraid to shell out a few thousand more than the industry standards to hire them because that person is going to make you more profit than a couple of thousand you would have saved from hiring someone mediocre.

“It’s better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours, and you’ll drift in that direction.”

People are one of the greatest sources to learn from. While working, do not forget to spend time with humans. Human interaction is something that many people struggle with as they get more comfortable with social media. You have to be careful who you spend your time with. Their outlook on things and life has the power to shape you.

Hang out with people you admire and want to learn from. Hire people who can teach you a thing or two. It is always okay to learn from people who are not at your level yet. Everyone has something to offer, decide if that something is for you or not.

Starting a business can be stressful. The uncertainty of success, the fear of failure, the insane amount of do’s and don’ts can all be too much sometimes. Quotes are a huge source of inspiration, take the quotes and use them to motivate yourself like what I have done here.