It’s a classic garage-to-greatness story. Michael Dell started the now renowned computer business while at the University of Austin Texas with $1,000 in start-up capital. He’d sold $80,000 worth of computers by the second half of his freshman year and, seeing the potential in this operation, dropped out of college at age 19.
Within four years (by 1988), Dell Computer Corporation was publicly listed. The company eventually became the world’s largest PC manufacturer though their online sales platform, as well as by cutting costs, reducing delivery times, and providing excellent customer service.
“It’s through curiosity and looking at opportunities in new ways that we’ve always mapped our path.”
– Michael Dell
The founder stepped away from his position as CEO in the early 2000s with some turbulence in the years following. He rejoined in 2014 focussed on some big opportunities: growing market share in server tech; merging Dell with EMC Corp.; and, investing around $1 billion in IoT research and development. Michael Dell now holds a 15% stake in his namesake company, with a personal net worth of $40.1 billion, according to Forbes.
Opportunity is everywhere, not just for the betterment of your bank balance or business, but to help others, the opportunity to offer advice or a different perspective. Turning up with your curiosity set high allows you to tune-in to see what others might be missing, and better fill that gap.
Opportunity — is the first of our ‘O’ words in our second-last article in the series Reframing ISO. It’s what we’ll be looking for in 2021, and helping create for our clients.
Another is Outstanding — we aim to be outstanding in all the small ways we need to be on the way to the goals we’ve chosen.
“A person with an outstanding attitude makes the best of it while he gets the worst of it.”
– John C. Maxwell
Our choice to hone an outstanding attitude relates to yet another ‘O’ word: ownership. That is: stepping up and taking control of one’s destiny. While some may feel like 2020 has been ‘the year that happened to us’, in reality it’s how we responded to the uncontrollables (with wins and learnings) that has prepared us for the road ahead.
“Taking complete ownership of your outcomes by holding no one but yourself responsible for them is the most powerful thing you can do to drive your success.”
– Gary W. Keller
In our next — and final — article for 2020, we’ll demonstrate how to take your notes from our most recent articles and turn them into an action plan to build a bridge to the new year.
