Who hasn’t heard of the late “eccentric” entrepreneur Bob Sadino? The man, with his white hair and signature short shorts, had been the buzz of the town for his accomplishment in starting a company from the ground up.
Bob Sadino, whose real name was Bambang Mustari Sadino, was born in Lampung in 1933 and was well-known for his several large enterprises. Kem Chick, Kem Farm, Kem Foods, and Chess Food were some of his notable ones in the agriculture field. Bob had also entered the real estate market by constructing The Mansion apartment complex and office building in Kemang, Jakarta.
Despite the fact that he passed away in 2015, his image would live on as an entrepreneur with a “mad” and hard mentality. Below, in the memory of Bob Sadino, we list some tips for building a business from the ground up.
Bob Sadino’s Career Journey
Before you criticize his success, you need to know that Bob had experienced the highs and lows of life. From construction workers to working abroad, he had pursued a myriad of jobs.
He came from a well-to-do family. Then, he inherited his parents’ assets after their passing when he was 19 years old. Instead of spending the money to start a business, he decided to travel the world and work in different countries.
Bob, who never completed college, went to work for Unilever. He then moved to the Netherlands and settled there for about 9 years. He worked for a shipping company during that time.
He returned to Indonesia with the money he earned abroad and started a repair shop and car rental business. Due to the failure of this venture, he was forced to work as a construction worker. Following that, Bob began to experiment with the poultry industry after a friend suggested the potential of imported layer chickens. He started with selling eggs from door to door.
His business began to flourish and generate revenue and investors left and right. With the help of his expatriate colleagues, he also ventured into other industries, from farming to property.
Bob Sadino’s Success Tips
The late business mogul was finally able to reap the benefits of all his hard work and struggles. A number of his still existing companies are still profitable even today. We should learn from his efforts and ideas in this regard. Here are a few tips we can take away from him;
1. Dare to Start
If you look at Bob Sadino’s career journey, you’ll notice that he frequently switched careers and businesses. This indicates that he was not afraid to start anew. He didn’t let failure stop him from building another business. That was what prompted him to get up time and time again in order to pursue a better opportunity.
Before even starting, many new entrepreneurs worry too much about failure or the risks they would face. In fact, the most crucial thing is to force yourself to start by taking action first. Bob would not attempt to open a repair shop and car rental business until he had the courage to act. In fact, he was apprehensive about attempting the industry that had made him wealthy, that was the poultry industry. Yet, he managed to do it successfully.
2. Learn from Anyone Anywhere
Bob Sadino chose to drop out of college. He even considered himself fortunate not to have gained knowledge at the collegiate level. Bachelors, he believed, have too much education since they have been exposed to everything in college.
This does not, however, imply that he had ceased learning. Through everyone he encountered, he continued to learn about business and life. He listened to their stories and took notes on what he learned.
Bob believed that learning may come from many different sources other than formal education. We must be receptive to all of life’s stories and lessons. When he met someone, he always thought of himself as an empty glass. This way, his mind was open to all new life experiences. This also helped him in better appreciating and respecting others.
3. Have Big Dreams
Bob Sadino constantly highlighted the need of dreaming big and beyond the realm of possibility. He stated that dreams should never be limited, and that whether or not problems are solved is irrelevant. Bob, on the other hand, might draw strength and resolve from that big dream to continue his ventures. Despite his several failures, Bob did not abandon it.
“Smart people tend to do a lot of calculations,” Bob explained, “so they don’t dare to dream.” He wanted to underline the need of thinking big while dreaming, even if it appears unattainable. Dreams may also serve as a powerful motivator for entrepreneurs to grow their enterprises. They would most likely fail if they didn’t have dreams.
4. Work Hard and Work Smart
It’s no secret that working hard is crucial to a company’s success. Without doing so, Bob Sadino would not be remembered in the same way as he is now.
He worked really hard, peddling chicken eggs from door to door, driving cabs, and working in constructions. Even though he had failed numerous times and was depressed, Bob persisted in working hard.
However, he also emphasized one extra thing; working smartly. This entails working in a way that is both effective and efficient. Effectiveness comprises the ability to make full use of all available resources. While efficient means employing the least amount of time or resources while producing something of higher value.
Read also: Kisah Sukses Membangun Startup Hingga Unicorn
5. Free Yourself from Expectations
Despite his lofty ambitions, Bob Sadino maintained he never expected to succeed. He merely dared to dream, tried everything, and discovered that he could do far more than he had dreamed.
This is also something we can take away from his achievements. We can be calmer in accepting failure if we are free of expectations. Taking life’s challenges lightly can also be a strategy for avoiding depression.
“Don’t expect too much,” Bob Sadino constantly remarked. We all know that being successful is everyone’s dream. Overly high expectations, on the other hand, might lead to disappointment.
You need to focus on your main goals, but don’t be afraid to fail. Because, not all efforts are successful right away. They all need to progress naturally. Expectations are overwhelming, causing you to lose focus.
These are five tips from veteran entrepreneur Bob Sadino on how to start a business successfully. The idea is that, whatever your business goals are, you must be brave and ready to confront any risks that may arise in the future.
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