50 Business Quotes to Inspire Entrepreneurs and Startup Founders

Starting and running a business is a challenging yet rewarding endeavor. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a startup founder, a business student, or a digital entrepreneur, having a source of inspiration can make all the difference. Business quotes from successful leaders and thinkers can provide the motivation and insight needed to overcome obstacles and achieve success.

Before we dive in, we’d like to mention the Blinkist collection Future-Proof Your Business. It’s packed with powerful ideas from leading experts to help you stay ahead in the rapidly evolving business landscape.

What are good business quotes?

Business quotes encapsulate wisdom, experiences, and lessons learned from some of the most successful people in the world. They offer quick bursts of insight that can help reframe your thinking, boost your morale, and provide guidance during tough times.

Here are 50 inspiring business quotes to fuel your entrepreneurial spirit.

Discover 50 Business Quotes from Inspiring Voices

1. “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”Steve Jobs, Co-Founder of Apple Inc.2. “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.”Henry David Thoreau, Philosopher and Writer3. “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”John D. Rockefeller, Business Magnate and Philanthropist4. “Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.”Chris Grosser, Photographer and Entrepreneur5. “Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.”Albert Einstein, Theoretical Physicist6. “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”Albert Schweitzer, Theologian and Philosophe7. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”Walt Disney, Co-Founder of The Walt Disney Company8. “The secret of success is to do the common thing uncommonly well.”John D. Rockefeller, Business Magnate and Philanthropist9. “I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.”Jefferson, Founding Father and Third President of the United States10. “Success is not final; failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”Winston Churchill, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom11. “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essayist and Philosopher12. “The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same.”Colin R. Davis, Conductor13. “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”Winston Churchill, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom14. “The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.”Ralph Nader, Political Activist15. “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”Steve Jobs, Co-Founder of Apple Inc.16. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”Steve Jobs, Co-Founder of Apple Inc.17. “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”John C. Maxwell, Author and Speaker18. “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”Peter Drucker, Management Consultant19. “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.”Franklin D. Roosevelt, Former President of the United States20. “Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.”Richard Branson, Founder of the Virgin Group21. “The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won’t. It’s whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere.”Barack Obama, Former President of the United States22. “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”Vidal Sassoon, Hairstylist and Businessman23. “Entrepreneurship is neither a science nor an art. It is a practice.”Peter Drucker, Management Consultant24. “Chase the vision, not the money. The money will end up following you.”Tony Hsieh, Former CEO of Zappos25. “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.”Amelia Earhart, Aviation Pioneer26. “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.”Sam Levenson, Humorist and Author27. “There’s no shortage of remarkable ideas, what’s missing is the will to execute them.”Seth Godin, Author and Entrepreneur28. “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”Arthur Ashe, Professional Tennis Player29. “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”Zig Ziglar, Motivational Speaker30. “If you are not willing to risk the usual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.”Jim Rohn, Entrepreneur and Author31. “Success is not how high you have climbed, but how you make a positive difference to the world.”Roy T. Bennett, Author32. “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.”Babe Ruth, Professional Baseball Player33. “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.”Henry David Thoreau, Philosopher and Writer34. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”Walt Disney, Co-Founder of The Walt Disney Company35. “Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.”Richard Branson, Founder of the Virgin Group36. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”Colin Powell, Former U.S. Secretary of State37. “Success is not final; failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”Winston Churchill, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom38. “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”John D. Rockefeller, Business Magnate and Philanthropist39. “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.”Franklin D. Roosevelt, Former President of the United States40. “Success is not in what you have, but who you are.”Bo Bennett, Author and Motivational Speaker41. “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”Peter Drucker, Management Consultant42. “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”Vidal Sassoon, Hairstylist and Businessman43. “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”Steve Jobs, Co-Founder of Apple Inc.44. “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”Winston Churchill, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom45. “The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.”Ralph Nader, Political Activist46. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”Steve Jobs, Co-Founder of Apple Inc.47. “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”John C. Maxwell, Author and Speaker48. “The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won’t. It’s whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere.”Barack Obama, Former President of the United States49. “The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same.”Colin R. Davis, Conductor50. “Success is not how high you have climbed, but how you make a positive difference to the world.”Roy T. Bennett, Author

These quotes provide valuable insights and inspiration for anyone involved in business and entrepreneurship. Remember, success is a continuous journey that requires perseverance, innovation, and a willingness to learn from both successes and failures.

If you’re looking for more insights to future-proof your business, check out the Blinkist collection Future-Proof Your Business. Transform your business with ideas from leading experts and get ready for the digital transformation ahead.

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