Ancient Wisdom for Entrepreneurial Success: Insights from Great Thinkers

Bryce Welker is a CPA and CEO of multiple companies, including Accounting Institute of CPAs.

Search anywhere online—from Google to YouTube to TikTok—and you'll find someone promising the secret to business success. Whether you're starting out, looking to climb higher, or considering quitting the corporate world, there's no shortage of advice. But is this a good thing?

In the words of Socrates, “A multitude of books distracts the mind,” and most of what you find online feels recycled from old wisdom rather than fresh ideas. This used to leave me confused and overwhelmed. However, I’ve come to realize that Marcus Aurelius was right when he said, “The problem is the way,” and we can use the wise ones as a guide in business today

Tip Number One: Embrace the Role of Servant Leadership

Quote: "He who is not a good servant will not be a good master." - Plato

Tip: True leadership is rooted in serving, understanding, and empathizing with others. Plato, through his documentation of Socrates' teachings, highlights the concept of servant leadership as fundamental to any successful career.

What this looks like in action:

Start by implementing quarterly initiatives that engage your team (or just you if you’re solo) in community service projects. I do this with every business I start. It could involve organizing team events to clean up local parks, volunteering at community centers, or running workshops. Such actions benefit the community and build a team culture that values contribution, leadership through service, and the importance of giving back.

Tip Number Two: Cultivate Self-Reflection Through Others

Quote: "When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves." - Confucius

Tip: Utilize encounters with differing opinions as mirrors for self-reflection and growth. Confucius teaches us that meeting individuals with opposing views is not just a challenge but an opportunity for introspection and personal development. This practice encourages us to look beyond surface-level disagreements and delve into the deeper lessons they offer about our own beliefs, biases, and vulnerabilities.

What This Looks Like in Action:

Encounter a peer or market competitor whose strategies or viewpoints diverge from yours. Pause and reflect rather than immediately judging or dismissing their approach. Consider the underlying reasons for your reaction.

Transform these moments into lessons by asking yourself critical questions:

• What can I learn from their differing viewpoints?
• What does this disagreement reveal about my own preconceptions or areas for growth?
• How can I integrate this understanding to enhance my leadership, teamwork, or innovative capacity?

Tip Number 3: Finding Clarity in Chaos

Quote: "In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity." Sun Tzu

Tip: Look for opportunities in market fluctuations and disruptions. Times of uncertainty can be leveraged for strategic gains if approached with a calm and analytical mind. Sun Tzu, a master of strategy, reminds us that even in turmoil, there is potential for advantage.

What this looks like in action:

Start with a competitive analysis during these times of market fluctuation. Identify where your competitors are pulling back and evaluate how you can step in. If a competitor slows down their product development, accelerate yours. Take advantage of lower advertising costs to increase your marketing efforts and improve your market visibility.

Investing in innovation or doubling down on your marketing when others are retreating can set you apart and position your business for greater success when stability returns.

Tip Number Four: Embrace Flexibility and Adaptability

Quote: "Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong." Lao Tzu

Tip: Cultivate flexibility and resilience in your entrepreneurial journey. Lao Tzu’s wisdom highlights the strength inherent in adaptability and the ability to remain flexible in the face of challenges. 

What This Looks Like in Action:

In practice, this means being open to changing your business model in response to market demands or feedback. Here are specific actions you can take:

• Regularly review and assess your business strategies, being willing to make changes as needed.
• Encourage a culture of innovation within your team where new ideas are welcomed and tested.
• When faced with obstacles, brainstorm alternative paths to your goal rather than giving up or forcing a single solution.

Tip Number Five: Mastering Time Management with Seneca

"It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it." - Seneca

His observation of life's fleeting nature is especially relevant in today's fast-paced business environment. He argued that people often lament their lack of time while squandering much of it. 

What mastering your time might look like:

• Prioritize Tasks: Use the Eisenhower Box (urgent-important matrix) to differentiate between urgent, important, both, or neither tasks. Focus on what will truly move your business forward.
• Set Clear Boundaries: Define work hours and personal time to ensure you're not always "on." This has really helped me prevent burnout and keeps me mentally sharp when I am working.
• Implement a 'No' Policy: Learn to say no to meetings, opportunities, and tasks that do not align with your goals or values. Every 'yes' should be intentional.
• Reflection and Downtime: Incorporate short periods of reflection into your daily routine to assess what you've accomplished and what needs adjusting. This is also a time to practice gratitude, another concept Seneca strongly advocated for.

Final Thoughts

In wrapping up, the ancient sages offer wisdom that's not just relevant but essential for today's entrepreneurial landscape. Embracing servant leadership, fostering self-reflection, finding clarity in chaos, valuing flexibility, and mastering time management are not just strategies but foundational principles that can guide us through the tumultuous journey of building and leading businesses. As we sift through the sea of advice available online, let's anchor ourselves to the timeless insights of these great thinkers. Their wisdom, distilled through centuries, provides a compass for navigating the modern business world with integrity, resilience, and a deep sense of purpose.