Of all the grammatical slips that really bother me, few compare to an improperly used “they.”

I’m old enough not to take a major recession lightly; on the other hand, I’ve seen them before, and I’m getting a feel for the market’s cyclical upturns and downturns. Each generation of politicians and economists tries to flatten the cycle of boom and bust, and every generation fails. I think it’s time for a new approach: Keep in mind that the economy has its ups and downs, and by investing wisely, reduce the damage a downturn can do to your business or career.

Q: If you were to list your top five rules for achieving success in business, what would they be and where would the “people factor” come in?

Nicki McKenzie, Malaga, Western Australia

Q: I’d like to ask a philosophical question: I have been trying to get my business off the ground, and I often feel that I have to get very aggressive with suppliers and service providers. I hate being aggressive, but I hate it more when my success (and survival) is hampered by others who don’t perform as they should.

I have always liked Sam Cooke’s old hit song, “Chain Gang.” It really comes in handy when I’m talking about customer service.

Entrepreneurs are innately curious people, which must be why I receive mail from readers around the world asking all manner of questions about my career and my personal life, and not just looking for advice on starting up new businesses and managing mature ones. With my focus on fun at work, the boundary between work and life does tend to blur a little! So just recently, an interviewer asked me a great many short questions about both; many of our most interesting exchanges follow.

My mother used to urge me to put on clean socks and underwear every day, reminding me, “You never know if you’re going to get hit by a bus.”

Sunt destul de batran incat sa iau in serios o recesiune majora; iar faptul ca am mai trecut prin asa ceva ma face sa percep ciclicitatea economiei de piata, cu suisurile si coborasurile ei, ca pe un lucru normal.

Recentul articol in care scriam despre importanta instituirii unui puternic etos al client service-ului intr-o companie, si care sa porneasca din biroul CEO-ului si sa se extinda pana la angajatii din front line – a retinut atentia cititorilor, care mi-au trimis, formulate intr-un fel sau altul, urmatoarele intrebari:

My recent column on the importance of establishing an ethos of strong customer service that extends all the way from the CEO’s office to the front lines touched a nerve for some readers. These two questions are typical of many of the responses I received: 

Dintre toate greselile de exprimare care ma deranjeaza cu adevarat, putine se compara cu folosirea improprie a pronumelui „ei”.

Intotdeauna mi-a placut vechiul hit al lui Sam Cooke, “Chain Gang.” Imi vine in minte ori de cate ori este vorba despre customer service.

Una dintre vorbele mele preferate este „Nouazeci la suta din viata te dai mare”. Si spun asta deoarece gasirea curajului necesar pentru a-ti urma viziunea si a incepe o noua afacere atarna greu doar la inceput.

When I look back at our early days at Student magazine, I did not have much money to pay my staff or improve our premises. In fact, we worked in a basement flat, with the furniture limited to a few beanbag chairs and some desks and phones. But the thrill and promise of possible success united us and ensured that we all worked long hours in those cramped conditions. Despite the low pay, no one complained – everyone was intent on making the magazine work.

One of my favorite sayings is, “Ninety percent of life is just showing up,” because finding the courage to pursue your vision and start a new business often hinges on just that first step.

Nu exista modalitate mai buna de a invata ce sa faci ca sa reusesti in afaceri decat invatand din greselile tale sau ale altuia. Am dat de multe ori peste studii caz referitoare la companii cu bilanturi catastrofale si bugete ruinate, care au reusit dincolo de orice imaginatie. Aceste studii au invatamintele lor, desigur, dar pe mine mă interesează cu adevarat povestile de afaceri care n-au reusit. Invat mai mult din ele.

There is no better way to learn how to succeed in business than to learn from mistakes – yours or someone else’s. I often come across case studies looking into how and why certain companies smashed records, busted budgets and succeeded beyond all imagination. Those studies have their uses, of course, but it’s the stories of businesses that didn’t turn out so well that truly interest me. I learn much more from them.

Oamenii sunt inclinati sa creada ca antreprenorul este tipul eroului singuratic, desprins din westernurile americane. Lucrurile nu stau asa in realitate. Multi se ridica la inaltimea reputatiei de iubitori de risc, altii raman in umbra.

Daca vi s-ar cere sa faceti o lista cu cinci reguli necesare pentru obtinerea succesului in afaceri, ce ar contine ea si pe ce pozitie s-ar afla factorul uman? Intrebarea mi-a fost adresata o data de Nicki McKenzie din Malaga, Australia de Vest, si alta data de Annette Moran din Wavell Heights, Queensland, in numele elevilor sai, care studiaza business la liceu.

People tend to think of entrepreneurs as lone heroes, but this isn’t how it works in real life. Many live up to their reputation as risk-takers and some remain outsiders, but despite this outlier status, entrepreneurs need support to be successful.