1. Think Big In college, Michael Dell said he wanted to beat IBM. While you may not desire to take your small business to such heights, be sure not to limit what you might achieve.

2. Draw Your Own Map Michael Dell, Steve Jobs, Richard Bransoneach took a different approach to doing better what someone else was doing. Blaze your own trail to success.

3. Learn From Mistakes Every company makes big ones including Dell and the best use mistakes as opportunities to grow and improve their people, products and services.

4. Simplify Great leaders have a great ability to break big things into small parts. Share your vision and the steps for getting there with your small business teamin language they understand.

5. Read Michael Dell said, Just work to understand the world around you. Read books. Read websites. Read other people...then build a vision of how it could all be better

6. Open New Doors Dell continues to innovateoffering cameras, printers, MP3 players, TVs and other electronics. Look for ways to increase what you provide current and future customers.

7. Cultivate Relationships Theres no such thing as a self-made success, Michael Dell said. The best opportunity you have to grow your small business is by widening your network.

8. Seek Harmony Michael Dell is married with four children, and, when asked about his legacy, said, That this is a guy who was a great dad and a great husband.

9. Strategize With 40,000 employees, Michael Dell admits his ability to impact any other area besides strategy is relatively small. Take time to think about the direction of your small business, because no one knows how to get there better than you.

10. Its All About Winning Not about victory over opponents, Michael Dell said; its about winning the contest with your own potential to achieve all you can in life.

11. Dont Be The Smartest Person In The Room And if you are, I suggest you invite smarter peopleor find a different room, said Michael Dell. Surround yourself with talented people.

Copyright 2005 by Success Handler, LLC. All rights reserved.

David Handler

The Coach, David Handler, is the founder of Success Handler, LLC, and specializes in helping franchisees, franchisors and business leaders find clarity and take action. He understands the challenges of running a business, because he’s been there – as a franchisee, franchisor, business owner, corporate leader and trainer. Much like sports coaches, his coaching will show you how to compete on a level playing field in your industry.

There are two “I’s” in accountability – You and Me! Together we will achieve your destiny.©

David worked with ABC Sports, ESPN and regional sports programmers HSE (now Fox Sports Southwest) and Raycom. He produced more than 700 live events, including NFL football, NCAA football and basketball, and Major League Baseball. Career highlights were broadcasting Nolan Ryan's 5,000th career strikeout and two of the 15 perfect games in MLB history (Mike Witt-1984 and Kenny Rogers-1994). The second earned a national Telly Award for best sports production and was nominated for an ESPY.

In 1988, David awoke in the middle of the night from a dream and wrote down four words: "Notre Dame, football, travel." Partnering with two lifelong friends, David helped Anthony Travel become the Official Travel Service of the University of Notre Dame, Disney's Wide World of Sports¨ complex and several other universities. Over one five-year period, Anthony Travel was named one of the 100 fastest growing privately held companies in Dallas on three occasions.

After selling his interest in the travel company in 1998, David joined the International Center for Entrepreneurial Development (ICED) - a family of franchises with nine brands and more than 1,000 locations around the world. As senior VP in charge of marketing, he developed creative programs that franchisees used to gain new customers and increase profits.

David founded Success Handler to utilize the skills gained during his 23-year business career in a coaching capacity with franchisees, franchisors and business owners.