In recognition of Pennisi Real Estate’s 50th birthday anniversary, founder and local legend, Sam Pennisi, has created a list of 50 things he’s learned in business since opening the doors to the Essendon office in 1973.
Family is everything.
Finding the right balance between family and business is vital.
Be loyal to your family, friends and staff. Look after your staff and they will look after your business.
Building a great workplace culture is essential for success.
Be a leader, not a boss. Be a part of the team, not above the team.
As a leader, don’t expect others to do what you are not prepared to do.
Recognise and reward exceptional effort.
Celebrate birthdays and milestones.
Practise kindness, compassion and empathy daily.
Don’t be late for appointments – punctuality equals respect.
Goal setting is crucial to success – write a daily “To Do” list.
Systems are essential for growth. Make friends with technology and embrace change.
Spend time with the young – they are our future.
Never stop learning and schedule time for professional development.
People do business with people they know, like and trust. Be authentic.
Under-promise and over-deliver.
Collaborate and share your ideas.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek advice from people you trust and admire.
Remember, this too shall pass – there’s always greener pastures ahead.
Do one thing every day that makes you a better person tomorrow.
Your biggest critics are your greatest opportunity for growth.
There are many ups and downs in life and in business. It’s how you handle them that counts.
Live by the Law of Reciprocity – give and you will receive.
When you provide top service, you don’t have to discount.
Never undervalue your time or expertise.
Don’t deal with difficult clients – they cost you money.
Always do what’s ethical. Remember, something that is legal may not necessarily be ethical.
Ethics is doing the right thing, even when no-one is looking.
Consider clients’ complaints as good news. They give us the opportunity to fix problems we didn’t know existed.
Love what you do. I’ve never had a job – my job is my hobby.
It’s the one percenters that count. Find two things that your competitors do badly and do them better.
Don’t dream about success, work for it.
Always tackle the hard tasks first. Most times they are not hard at all.
Never give up. Often success is just around the corner.
Your word is everything – keep your promises.
Actions speak louder than words.
Return phone calls and answer emails before you go home.
Be thankful for what was given to us – family, friends, shelter, food, work and freedom.
Develop good time management skills and fight the temptation to procrastinate.
Focus on client satisfaction and profits will follow.
Learn from your mistakes.
Learn from other people’s mistakes and avoid reinventing the wheel.
Stay humble!
“The first one gets the oyster, the second one gets the shell.” ~ Andrew Carnegie
“If you look closely, most overnight success took a long time.” ~ Steve Jobs
“The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing.” ~ Walt Disney
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you do you will be a success.” ~ Albert Schweitzer
“Business opportunities are like busses, there’s always another one coming.” ~ Richard Branson
“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty”. ~ Winston Churchill
“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it”. ~ Henry David Thoreau
