Wednesday, January 23, 2013

40 Famous Quotes from The Mafia Manager

I want to share with you 40 famous quotes about life and business from The Mafia Manager.

The Mafia Manager is a book containing the distilled wisdom of men who have managed one of the largest, most profitable and long lived cartels in the history of capitalism. The Mafia Manager gathers for the first time in one book the knowledge of the ruthless bosses whose genius at organization and management contributed far more to profitability and growth than the brute strength or conventional wisdom of the legitimate CEO.



So if you are ready to learn from the unconventional wisdom of The Mafia Manager; then read on as I share with you 40 famous quotes about life and business from The Mafia Manager.

1.            “The best way to enter our business is to be born into it.”
2.            “The business of the mafia is business.”
3.            “If the pot is boiling over, use a long spoon. If the house is on fire; warm yourself.”
4.            “Our principles are highest; honor, solidarity and vengeance. We know there’s no justice for us except we earn it. We earn respect.”
5.            “All problems resolves themselves; given time.”
6.            “Extreme problems often require extreme solutions.”
Men stumble on stones, not mountains.
8.            “Friends are not as important as family. Do not confuse the loyalty of friendship with the bond of blood.”
The problem with friends is their candor. They will betray you if you let them and then they will tell you to your face why: ‘it’s nothing personal, just business.
10.          “Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.”
11.          “A man without enemies is a man without qualities. Even Jesus Christ had many enemies.”
12.          “The world belongs to the patient man.”
13.          “If you can’t win by fighting fair, fight foul. Or have a third party do your fighting.”
Even a mouse keeps three holes.
15.          “God will provide, but you must provide till he does.”
16.          “It takes a thousand blows to drive a nail in the dark.”

17.          “The best defense against the treacherous is treachery.”

18.          “A thousand enemies is not enough; a single enemy is. There is nothing as a ‘harmless’ enemy.”

The best armor is to keep out of range.

20.          “The best friend of a hungry buzzard is a dead horse. That is in another way of saying; even the son of a bitch has his uses.”

When you are riding a fast fresh horse, don’t get off and walk it. Ride it as long as it lasts.


22.          “Eagles don’t hunt flies.”
When you skate on thin ice, skate fast.
24.          “In a storm, pray to God but row for shore.”
25.          “When you must cut, persuade the victim you are a surgeon.”
26.          “Good medicine is always bitter.”
27.          “Every remedy of a bad situation has its bad side effects. Choose the remedy with the least.”
28.          He who pays well is well served.”
29.          “The big drum sounds good only from a distance.”
30.          “Never worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow, you might inherit a million dollars or be run over by a truck. Or inherit a million dollars and be run over by a truck.”
31.          “Money never goes to prison.”
You can be rich without knowing how to be powerful but you cannot be powerful without money.
33.          “Never reinforce failure; never marry a losing hand.”
If you are the anvil, be patient. If you are the hammer; strike.
35.   “When you compromise, you lose. When you seem to have compromise, you have taken a step towards winning.”
36.  “Fortune is on the side of the strong.”
37.  “For peace to reign, be ready for war.”
38.   “Better your enemies overestimate your stupidity than your shrewdness.”
39.   “After a victory, sharpen your knife.”
40.   “When you hunt, let the game 

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Shop Design and Atmosphere Matters


The design and atmosphere of a store is everything. If people are unwilling to even come in through the door then client potential is lost. Think of it like those first few moments when you enter an interview and the employer decides in seconds whether you will fit in with the rest of his staff. In the same way as soon as a customers look at the store they know whether it is their kind of store.
In a fast paced world people make snap decisions very quickly. So what can you do to improve a retail store?
Plan
Plan the kind of customers you wish to attract. A toy store and a music store will attract very different kinds of people. Before opening up spend some time researching other stores that fit into your type. Decide what you like about them? Don't be afraid to ask people their opinions. The worst thing they can do is knock you back but if someone shares their thoughts with you it could be life-changing.
Location
Make sure it is in an eye-catching spot so that people can find it easily.




Our laundry shop is always mistaken to be a retail store not a laundromat because of the cozy design and the lighting. When you open the door to Raspberry Laundry the first thing you notice is the coolness. Unlike the hot, humid climate found at most laundromats, the air at Raspberry Laundry is refreshing. One thing i have observe from other laundromat is they poorly design the shop. For me what your shop looks like will have an impact on the customer's first impression of your business. 
I personally design the lay out of our shop before it was constructed. By doing that it saves me a lot of time and money and i figure out how it would look like even before it was made.
Clear Signs
Nothing is more frustrating to a customer when areas aren't clearly signed or items priced. A happy customer will be able to find what they are searching for with minimum fuss. For clothes you need size and gender clearly labeled. For groceries have signs for the different kinds of products.
Friendly Staff
It may sound obvious but it is surprising how many stores you enter and the staff don't seem to care. If staff are helpful and show customer care it immediately creates a pleasant atmosphere for everyone. Potentially unpleasant situations are diffused. Shy customers don't feel afraid to ask for help and will return again.
The kind of design or atmosphere you have will make or break your store. Make it a pleasant experience for your customers.



Saturday, January 19, 2013

Mom's are great Entrepreneurs


Being an Entrepreneur mom is a pretty tough job. I struggle daily to find balance between work and motherhood. And yet, I wouldn't trade it for anything, and I believe that each somehow complements the other.

I started my home based business when I became a mom, so I think there's a connection between business and motherhood. I have found that running a business is not entirely different from running my family. In fact, my family flourishes most when I run it like my business. With my family, just like with my business, we create vision and mission statements, set goals and strategies. We meet daily and even do team-building activities. So overall, I think my business benefits from me being a mom.

I meet moms all the time who are afraid that they can't build a business because they are parents. Not true. Just because I choose to put my family first does not mean I shortchange my business.
Being a mom makes me a better businesswoman because like being a parent, owning a business is the toughest job you'll ever love. "What most people don't realize is that the right business is also one of the best ways to take control of your life."


Here are tips to help get you going:
  1. Develop a game plan. Just like you planned for the arrival of your baby, you need to plan for the birth of your business.
  2. Save your money or get used to not eating out. It takes money to make money, so you'll need to invest money into starting a business. The good news is that if your kids are young, eating out may not be a ready option, thus making it easier to avoid temptation.
  3. Line up the support squad. Many mompreneurs work while the kids are asleep, but there will be times when you need to focus on work beyond nap time. Hire someone to look after the kids.
  4. Find a business in a field you know about. The chances for a business to be successful increase when you work within an industry you know. If your skills or passions take you to an unfamiliar place, see the next secret.
  5. Ask for help. A well-kept secret: Most people will help--if you ask them. Find someone, locally or online, who has done what you want to do. Ask him or her to advise you. Learning from someone else's mistakes and successes is priceless.
  6. Include your kids where possible. Don't hide your business from your children--make it a learning experience for them. There are many ways to include them, from simply labeling and packing boxes to filing and entering data.
  7. Find your passion. Starting a business isn't easy, but neither is parenting. Find something you love, so when the going gets tough, your passion for it will keep you going.