Is Your Business Struggling? Your Ego May Be to Blame

"If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we shall become a company of giants." — David Ogilvy

"Hire people who are better than you are, then leave them to get on with it. Look for people who will aim for the remarkable, who will not settle for the routine." – David Ogilvy

Having worked with over 600 small businesses owners in the past 15 years on their small business marketing and advertising needs, I've learned a few common characteristics that extremely successful businesses owners share. And conversely, it becomes very clear what the characteristics of the mediocre businesses are.

The First Step is Admitting You Have a Problem (or a Limitation)

What does ego have to do with success? For me, it has meant never being afraid to hire people who are better than me. Like Ogilvy says, I've built my own version of a company of giants by surrounding myself with some very creative people who complement my skill sets.

Take Jeffrey Devey, my senior illustrator, as a perfect example. Jeff is a brilliant illustrator and logo designer. While typography and brand implementation are my strengths, illustration is not my forte. Together, Jeff and I make a great team when it comes to building small business corporate identities. So, instead of using my lack of illustrative ability as a crutch to explain mediocre work, Jeff has allowed us to produce great work together.