One thing I learned in the NBA is that the No. 1 job of a general manager is to keep his job. They are only 30 positions where you make millions and hang around with basketball players all day.
Don’t start a company unless it’s an obsession and something you love. If you have an exit strategy, it’s not an obsession.
It’s not in the dreaming, it’s in the doing.
It’s not about money or connections. It’s the willingness to outwork and outlearn everyone.
I was lucky. I grew up knowing that hard work and smart work have a greater impact on results than being passionate about something.
Find something you love to do. If you don’t make money at it, at least you love going to work.
Never follow your dreams. Follow your effort. It’s not about what you can dream of. That’s easy. It’s about whether or not it’s important enough to you to do the work to be ready to be successful in that business.
I’d rather be tired than broke!
You’ve got to be very cognizant of the correlation between social media links and business because they don’t always correlate as highly as people would like.
Can’t say no one makes money from Twitter now. The NBA does.
One thing we can all control is effort. Put in the time to become an expert in whatever you’re doing. It will give you an advantage because most people don’t do this.
Linking without permission is stealing. Period, end of story.
When I got to the Mavericks people were all giving me advice – change this, change that – and one thing that I didn’t do was fire anybody.
If there was a template for success in sports, everyone would follow it. You do the best you can and trust the people you trust.
In business, one of the challenges is making sure that your product is the easiest to experience and complete a sale.
I think political people are afraid of me.
You never quite know in business if what you are doing is the right or the wrong thing. Unfortunately, by the time you know the answer, someone has beaten you to it and you are out of business.
I’m the type that thinks if you don’t learn from history, you’re doomed to repeat it.
Recessions are the best time to start a company. Companies fail. Others hold back capital. If you are willing to do the preparation and work, it is the best time to invest in yourself and start a business.
Time is the most valuable asset you don’t own.
Know your core competencies and focus on being great at them. Pay up for people in your core competencies. Get the best. Outside the core competencies, hire people that fit your culture but aren’t as expensive to pay.