Wake up - it’s business time!

There’s been a lot going on this week with a bit of a refresh of the paper’s design, new publishing systems to learn, and even a sponsorship deal with the business awards.

By Dan Hutchinson

OPINION: It was in the middle of all that, that I opened my mind to Google which, in due course, led me to a whole lot of inspirational business quotes.

There’s no harm in looking, I figured. As long as I don’t say them out loud or print them off and laminate them. Dad is a journalist and I was raised as an unorthodox sceptic, so it is somewhat of a betrayal of my beliefs.

“Mistakes are the growing pains of wisdom,” says William George Jordan.

Normally I’d double over laughing at that, but it’s been all business lately, and I seem to be mucking things up more than getting it right. It’s nice to find out that’s a good thing.

Winston Churchill had a few good zingers including this one; “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

I’m pretty sure failure was fatal for a lot of people, but I can kind of see what he’s getting at; you’ve got to keep going.

When Michael LeBoeuf says, “A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all,” it was like Google had been milking my brain and feeding me the juice.

Because we have literally just snapped up the opportunity to sponsor the Unison Great Lake Taupō Business Awards People’s Choice Award. 

The winner of this award gets a $1000 marketing package from Taupō & Tūrangi News, substantial bragging rights and we’ll even throw in an inspirational quote or two – laminated if that’s the way you roll.

The value of this sort of award is that nobody can be mean to you after that. You just need to gesture at the award on the wall, and explain that you’re the people’s favourite, and who are you again?

There’s nothing better than a compliment, especially one on this scale and the morale boost that comes with it shouldn’t be underestimated.

The top 15 most-nominated finalists will be announced in less than a week.

Head to taupobusinessawards.co.nz to cast your vote but you will need to do it by 5pm Friday this week at the latest.

Michelle Obama says “Success isn’t about how your life looks to others. It’s about how it feels to you,” but there’s no way she could have known about the People’s Choice Award before she said that. This is a good quote to stash away if you don’t make the list of finalists.

The top 15 will be announced at a function on July 8, which is my birthday week incidentally (I prefer cash or tax credits).

The winner will be crowned at the Unison Great Lake Taupō Business Awards Gala Night on August 8, alongside the winners of all the other categories.

We do business with many other businesses, so choosing a favourite is hard. It’s a bit like picking your favourite parent or child – you tell them they are loved equally, but that does vary throughout the year, and what if one of them buys you a jet ski for your birthday and the other one gives you socks?

When it comes to picking your favourite, I think we can reliably fall back on the words of Albert Schweitzer who is described as an ‘Alsation polymath and theologian’ – now that sounds like a fun job

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

Okay, sorry about that last one. I’ll need some therapy now. Maybe a copy of Vincent Ryan Ruggiero’s Beyond Feelings – A Guide to Critical Thinking.

Happy voting!

dan@tauponews.co.nz