December 17th is Wright Brothers Day, a national observation commemorating the first successful airplane flight. The Wright Brothers overcame obstacle after obstacle to succeed in their mission to create a fully functional airplane, and they were able to triumph over this adversity because of their strong belief and motivation.
Having strong belief and motivation is one of the main keys to success in business. The most prominent businesses are successful because of their passion for what they do, and communicating this passion can endear your company to other people.
Apple is a very successful company, and they continue to grow because of their strong motivation to innovate. According to Simon Sinek, Apple’s mission statement is “Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo. We believe in thinking differently.” Apple makes outstanding products because of this passion, but they have continued to grow as a business because of how they communicate this mission to consumers.
Steve Jobs said it himself: “Marketing is about values. It’s a complicated and noisy world, and we’re not going to get a chance to get people to remember much about us. No company is. So we have to be really clear about what we want them to know about us.” That’s why Apple advertisements’ are simple, focus on experiences, and properly communicate their mission to challenge the status quo. Apple doesn’t just sell a phone, they sell innovation.
For more information, click the picture above to watch Simon Sinek’s TED Talk on “ How Great Leaders Inspire Action”!
However, no one is more passionate and enthusiastic about what they do than Small Business owners. People from across the world choose to start their own businesses because of the freedom small business provides, the opportunities for lifelong learning, the ability to give back to the community, and so much more.
If Apple can succeed by communicating their passion, then so can Small Businesses, as they are the most passionate group of professionals on the planet.
At the Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence, we support innovation at all levels, and our team has the expertise and specialized skillset to help business in the Pittsburgh area and beyond.
Our Small Business Development Center provides cost-free consulting and workshops to help businesses of all sizes and at all stages, PantherlabWorks helps companies to bring new products and services to the marketplace, and the Urban & Community Entrepreneurship Program helps entrepreneurs to overcome the challenges of starting businesses in underserved neighborhoods. For any other information regarding IEE services, please call us at 412-648-1542 or email us at sbdc@innovation.pitt.edu.
Whether you have an existing business or have any desire to start your own business, there’s a program for you at the Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence. Get inspired from the success of Orville and Wilbur Wright found from their passion to create a functioning airplane and let that help guide you toward success in the future.