There really are some great golden nuggets of wisdom in business biography books of Founding CEOs. And, Marc Benioff, Founder & CEO of Salesforce, does not disappoint with his book, Behind the Cloud.
I have never met Marc, but the figure of a brash, hard charging, dedicated, never-give-up figure emerges from the pages of his national best selling book.
His book offers some really powerful quotes for Founding CEOs like you.
Here are my top 15 favorite quotes from “Behind the Cloud.”
- “I realized that I didn’t have to make a choice between doing business and doing good.” Page 3
- “…a successful leader is one who is always thinking about the future, not just the present.” Page 17
- “Joining a startup is one of life’s most exciting and rewarding experiences.” Page 19
- “The most effective selling is done not by a sales team but by people you don’t even know who are talking about your products without your being aware of it.” Page 58
- “Employees are deeply invested in the organization where they work, and they often have worthy ideas about how to make it a better place.” Page 81
- “There is only one way to earn customer support: earn it.” Page 85
- “Transparency and trust became a strong part of our branding and identity.” Page 113
- “With the right outlook, I’ve found, it’s possible to transform a losing situation into a very lucky break.” Page 191
- “Stay true to your vision, but do not confuse vision with business methods and processes.” Page 198
- “More than two-thirds of the time, VCs replace Founding CEOs.” Page 205
- “It can be tough for a fast-moving entrepreneurial culture to adopt more structure.” Page 221
- “You have to plan for the company you want to be.” Page 223
- “As the company grows, the biggest challenge is the constant pressure to lower your hiring standards.” Page 240
- “The most successful business people are driven by profits – and purpose.” Page 259
- “Life grows relative to one’s investment in it.” Page 260
I highly recommend you read Marc’s book.
Which quotes are your favorite?
