Aleem Ashraf’s Post

Sam Walton opened the first Walmart on July 2, 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas. Walton, who got his start working at J.C. Penney and then bought a Ben Franklin Five and Dime franchise for $25,000, boiled down his success to doing ten things: 1. Commit to your business. Believe in it more than anything else. 2. Share your profits with all your associates, and treat them as partners. 3. Motivate your partners. 4. Communicate everything you possibly can to your partners. 5. Appreciate everything your associates do for the business. 6. Celebrate your success and find humor in your failures. 7. Listen to everyone in your company, and figure out ways to get them talking. 8. Exceed your customer's expectations. 9. Control your expenses better than your competition. 10. Swim upstream. Ignore conventional wisdom. In other words, ambition, humility, hard work – and self-discipline. Walmart stores generated $611 billion in 2023. Sam passed away on April 5, 1992. #Whatalife!

Take the right decision at the right time.

Never when we sat down for that coffee all those years ago did I think we would end up here. Very proud of all that we have achieved over the past two years, the incredible team we have and the wonderful group of clients we have built. Smartest, most genuine, hardworking bloke there is. Honour and privledge to learn and spend majority of most days with you! Could write a list as long as the Nile about what I’ve learnt from JB, here’s 5 points that first come to mind; 1. Listen, listen more, take notes, summarise in writing, engage any expert you can to upskill and better understand the problem, turn the world over to find the most powerful solution. 2. If you find yourself with a few spare minutes having finished a meeting early, driving or walking to lunch, spend this time calling your team members to check in, this will be invaluable to both you and them. 3. No matter how busy you are, always make the time to stay connected and engaged with your network, a quick text is all it takes. 4. Respect and celebrate the achievements of our peers, their success makes us better and drives us forward as an industry. The quote I love from JB most is, “there’s enough clients out there for everyone.” 5. Always remember, we aren’t saving lives. Your family and your health always come first. One of a kind JB. James Bartold

With the Original Tommy's celebrating its 78th anniversary, it seems right to share this story again before the month is over: Tom Koulax opened the Original Tommy's shack on Beverly and Rampart back in 1946. In time, Tommy's opened new locations, sold merch, and purchased the land at all four corners of Beverly and Rampart. Two are used by the restaurant and two are leased. Why am I sharing this story? To remind you to look for additional revenue streams instead of relying on one. If you have a steady job, you're in the best position to do something on the side. Start a side hustle and take advantage of the tools at your reach to make it successful. It may even become your main revenue stream in due time. If you're looking to start a side hustle and could use free marketing advice, sign up for my newsletter here: https://bit.ly/3ZWoVaZ #bizowners #sidehustle #tommysburgers #buildsomething

☝ Reflecting on Humility and Purpose with Lamar Trailers Inc. I want to share a special moment with the incredible leaders of Lamar Trailers, located in the heart of rural Texas. Here, humility, hard work, and faith are deeply rooted. Despite their significant success—almost reaching the milestone of dispatching a thousand trailers a month—the key leaders of Lamar Trailers remain humble and purpose-driven. Lessons from Lamar Trailers: 🔸 Unwavering Commitment: Their dedication to honoring God, serving humbly, keeping it simple, and treating others with kindness is truly inspiring. 🔸 Staying Grounded: This experience reminded me of the importance of staying grounded and humble, no matter how successful we become. 🔸 Contrast with Metro Areas: It’s a stark contrast to the often frantic and sometimes arrogant atmosphere of larger metro areas. Business Insight: 🔹 Consistency in Branding: Ongoing efforts like those of Lamar Trailers reinforce brand recognition and trust. 🔹 Investing in People: Investing in smart, humble, God-honoring people will yield great results in the long run. To all business owners out there, let’s take a moment to reflect: ▪ Are we honoring God with our actions? ▪ Are we treating others with the dignity and respect they deserve? Success doesn’t need to change who we are at our core. Join me in celebrating this new chapter for Lamar Trailers and let’s strive to live our values out loud every day! ROJO 032 #LamarTrailers #BrandStrategy #Humility #BusinessGrowth #RuralBusiness #Inspiration #SanAntonioTX #VibrantCultures

The Business of Sports includes some incredible real estate development projects. Former Dallas Cowboys CFO George Mitchell and Ron Patterson, Former President of City of Frisco Economic Development Corporation, discuss how a public-private partnership between the Dallas Cowboys and the City of Frisco made the vision of The Star in Frisco a reality.    For more videos exploring the Business of Sports, visit: https://bit.ly/41qVAZh   #DallasCowboys | CohnReznick LLP #BusinessofFootball #BusinessofSports

Jonathan Lazarow is quoted in an article in Progressive Grocer titled “2nd Foxtrot Reopens in Chicago.” The article discusses the return of the upscale urban market and café five months after it suddenly closed all its stores and filed for bankruptcy.   Following the dissolution of its short-lived parent company, Outfox Hospitality, Foxtrot is back in the hands of its founder and chairman, who plans to re-open additional sites in the coming weeks and months.   "Foxtrot’s return reflects what makes America special, our ability to give and support a second chance,” says Lazarow.   “Foxtrot was a unique retail concept that leveraged the best of specialty retail. It made mistakes and maybe was a bit too ambitious. Its return demonstrates an understanding of what went wrong. Who knows if Foxtrot 2.0 will soar, but the company seems to be following a playbook that plays to its strengths and will open doors slowly and as they are earned. I look forward to seeing how this plays out."   Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gZ-95x8k   #Foxtrot #FoxtrotMarket #Retail #Corporate #M&A #PrivateEquity #VentureCapital

I haven't posted in some time but it's my 3-year anniversary since taking the plunge into business ownership, and what a ride it has been! With the help of my exceptional team, we've turned an initial investment of $350K into a thriving $2.2M business so far this year. If we continue to grow at the same rate, we're on track to reach $2.4M. Further expansion and another solid sales year will allow for additional growth in 2025 of $800K-$900K. I'm sharing this to encourage others who may be feeling frustrated in their corporate roles or at risk of layoffs to consider taking control and exploring ownership options. Working with a great franchise can help limit risk and allow you to focus on growth, rather than getting bogged down in the minutiae of starting a business from scratch. Most important, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has supported me along the way, from my advisors and mentors to my friends and family. Successful business ownership is unbelievably fulfilling and life-changing in every way one could measure. One of my dearest friends once asked me, "Do you believe in yourself, you know, like more than the stock market?" This question provided perfect clarity for me and ultimately led me to where I am today. How would you answer this same question? Bottom line: there are other options out there beyond frustrating corporate roles, and for me, business ownership was the absolute best option.

Turning challenge into opportunity and a short (10min) story about a highly coveted and low-in-supply product in an underground market…How do market dynamics, pricing models and customer impact determine success? Watch and find out!

☝ Reflecting on Humility and Purpose with Lamar Trailers Inc. I want to share a special moment with the incredible leaders of Lamar Trailers, located in the heart of rural Texas. Here, humility, hard work, and faith are deeply rooted. Despite their significant success—almost reaching the milestone of dispatching a thousand trailers a month—the key leaders of Lamar Trailers remain humble and purpose-driven. Lessons from Lamar Trailers: 🔸 Unwavering Commitment: Their dedication to honoring God, serving humbly, keeping it simple, and treating others with kindness is truly inspiring. 🔸 Staying Grounded: This experience reminded me of the importance of staying grounded and humble, no matter how successful we become. 🔸 Contrast with Metro Areas: It’s a stark contrast to the often frantic and sometimes arrogant atmosphere of larger metro areas. Business Insight: 🔹 Consistency in Branding: Ongoing efforts like those of Lamar Trailers reinforce brand recognition and trust. 🔹 Investing in People: Investing in smart, humble, God-honoring people will yield great results in the long run. To all business owners out there, let’s take a moment to reflect: ▪ Are we honoring God with our actions? ▪ Are we treating others with the dignity and respect they deserve? Success doesn’t need to change who we are at our core. Join me in celebrating this new chapter for Lamar Trailers and let’s strive to live our values out loud every day! #LamarTrailers #BrandStrategy #Humility #BusinessGrowth #RuralBusiness #Inspiration #SanAntonioTX #VibrantCultures