“Don’t mix business with pleasure.” Ever heard it? I did, and I almost lived my life by it.
Then one day, early in my career, I was reading a wonderful book by John Byrne called The Headhunters. Byrne was interviewing the top headhunters in the world, including Gerard Roche, one of the most successful executive recruiters of the 20th century and senior chairman of Heidrick & Struggles.
They asked Gerry if he knew why he was so successful. He said he wasn’t sure why, but perhaps it was because he never worked, yet he was always working. What did he mean by that? He said that he didn’t separate business from pleasure. “My friends are my clients and my clients are my friends.”
Instantly I changed my philosophy. After all, my only reason to stick by that other philosophy, “Don’t mix business with pleasure,” was that it sounded catchy. I wondered how much money it had cost me.
Now, 20 years later, having borrowed one philosophy from the legendary Gerard Roche, I can say that my friends are my clients and my clients are my friends. I take them to Warriors games, Giants games, I take them to lunch, dinner, concerts, church, everything. I do everything with my clients I might do with a friend. They are my friends. Did you know that Aristotle Onassis had no casual relationships? He came to America with $63 in his pocket and became one of the richest men in the world. Besides, studies show that most people would rather do business with someone they know.
I like to adopt philosophies that will serve me. Philosophy comes from two Greek words (love of knowledge/wisdom). Always try to learn as much as you can and stay flexible in your philosophy and adopt the philosophies you like. The great modern-day business philosopher Jim Rohn says, “You don’t have to be original; you just have to be good.”
I know you are open to adopting new philosophies and love knowledge or you would not be a TFL subscriber, which I myself have been during my 20 years in the recruiting business. I am, like you, always looking for new ideas. This love of knowledge puts us in the top 10% if we stay flexible in our philosophy.
The Buddhist monks say that knowledge should be like water, free flowing. They never say, “This is my belief . . .” They say, “This is my current belief . . .”
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Examine all your ways of thinking and remember that you’re never too old to learn and never too young to teach. And it’s never too late to adopt a new philosophy.
Here’s another philosophy I like: “If it is to be, it is up to me!” – William Shakespeare
Joe Pelayo is a true “self-made” man. He began in the recruiting business in 1986 at the ripe old age of 17, when he says he “found every way to fail in the recruiting business.” After finding success with two recruiting firms, he started his own in 1990. As CEO of Joseph Michaels, Inc., Joe works an active desk recruiting CFOs and related financial and accounting executives. He is a longtime member of the Pinnacle Society, an organization of the top 75 recruiters in the United States.
Joe is also author of the new book Work Your Network!, which has received excellent reviews from Les Brown, Brian Tracy, and industry leaders, speakers, and trainers including Terry Petra, Bill Radin, Paul Hawkinson, and others. He writes a monthly newsletter, The Network, sent to 50,000 executives and is the author of several motivational DVD training programs, including the soon-to-be-released training system 21 Ways to Increase Your Billings!
Joe is past president of the Young Entrepreneurs Organization, a group of million-dollar-business owners under age 40. Joe is available for speaking and training and can be reached through his website www.jpspeaking.com or contact him via email at Joe@jpspeaking.com.
