Here at PVC Fittings Online, we are super fans of the Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton! With roots in the Carolinas, we are extremely proud of our Carolina Panthers NFC Championship win. We can’t wait to see our Panthers continue to work hard Super Bowl 50 against the Denver Broncos!
We believe there are great lessons to learn from our home team that we can apply to running a small business, specifically from our team’s leader Cam Newton. Cam has become one of the biggest stars in the NFL. Below are 5 lessons about running a small business that we can learn from Cam Newton:
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
In high school, Cam Newton was a top ranked player who could have attended any college of his choosing. Cam chose to attend the University of Florida and play football as Tim Tebow’s successor. Unfortunately, Cam was arrested his sophomore year for buying a stolen laptop from another student and this eventually led to his suspension from the team. Cam transferred to a community college in Brenham, Texas where he played football on a field that wasn’t much larger than a high school football field.
Cam was able to eventually transfer to Auburn University and led the Auburn Tigers to a national championship, as well as becoming a winner of the Heisman Trophy. In the 2011 NFL draft, Cam was selected as the number one pick. Many did not believe in his ability to become successful as an NFL quarterback, but Cam Newton has developed into MVP level quarterback for the Carolina Panthers.
Cam Newton did not see instant success as a football player and it took him years and determination to reach the level of success he has now achieved. Owning a small business can be very similar to Cam’s experience as a football player. As a small business owner, you will face unexpected obstacles and you probably won’t see much success starting out. Believing in yourself, persevering and showing determination can prove to help you succeed in business just as Cam has succeeded in football and the NFL.
Team work makes the dream work.
When Cam Newton first joined the Panthers, he faced a lot of backlash for not being the best teammate. Although Cam always displayed leadership qualities, he once felt as though he should make every play and did not need his teammates’ help. Similar to Cam, many business leaders have a hard time with delegation and want take on all responsibilities themselves from dealing with customers, managing accounting and making strategic business decisions.
Cam Newton realized he was a bad teammate at first and learned that with the help of his teammates, friends and family, he would be able to succeed in the NFL and in life. Cam was seen wearing custom made cleats that had all of his teammate’s names on them before the NFC Championship game to further show his appreciation. As a small business leader, you must learn to allow others to become involved and help you succeed by delegating responsibilities.
Always give credit where credit is due.
In interviews, Cam is often seen giving credit to his teammates for the Panthers’ overall success and shows his appreciation for them on and off the field. As a business owner, it is also important to show appreciation for those that lend a helping hand whether it is a friend or family member or an employee.
Cam Newton also shows his appreciation for his biggest supporters – Panthers’ fans. Cam has become known for giving away footballs to kids after each score. Kids are his biggest fans and Cam returns the love by giving them a game football and interacting with them. As a business owner, you should not only show appreciation for your employees and friends and family that support you, but also to your customers. You should show your appreciation for loyal customers just as Cam shows it to his loyal fans.
Give back to your community.
As a business and business owner, you are part of larger community outside of your day –to-day. A successful business should be socially responsible and give back to their community at some capacity. Through his non-profit organization, the Cam Newton Foundation, Cam participates in various charitable activities throughout his Charlotte area community.
Cam truly understands the value of giving back to the community through not only money, but also by taking time out of his schedule to meet young people. Cam’s foundation is “committed to enhancing the lives of youth by addressing education, physical and social needs.”
Always remember to have fun.
One lesson Cam Newton has taught his fans and the world has been the importance of having fun and celebrating victories. At this point, you may be living under a rock if you are unaware of Cam’s famous celebratory “dab” dance.
Running a business can be difficult and take a lot of dedication and energy. You should remember to celebrate your accomplishments and victories. Take a moment to pat yourself on the back for all of your hard work, you deserve it – #Dabonem and #KeepPounding!
Sources:
http://theodysseyonline.com/ksu/what-we-can-learn-from-cam-newton/252064
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/o-pinion/article56456980.html
http://www.catscratchreader.com/2016/1/23/10819482/another-open-letter-to-cam-newton