The most successful entrepreneurs I know are all in the same line of work: the people business. I don’t care whether you’re a master plumber, a car dealer, a real estate broker, or a dentist managing multiple offices. If year after year, you’re meeting uncommon success, you’ve honed the secret of the masters. You insist on only win-win outcomes. Meeting and surpassing the needs of everyone with whom you do business pays dividends that rival any you’d gain in the stock market. There’s no better advice I give than to consistently impress people with what you’re able to do for them. Make no exceptions – not for your clientele, your employees, your advisory team, nor your own family members. Wow them all, and then step back and watch what happens.
It took me years to fully understand this notion and put it into practice. Not many get this concept right out the gate. Nearly everyone is taught to first look out for themselves. After all, abandoning our own needs is futile. I don’t know anyone who wants to be a professional doormat. But isn’t that funny? So often, a doormat is the first image that comes to mind when thinking about always doing right by others. However, if you feel like you’re at risk of becoming a doormat, then you’re not in the people business. I specifically mentioned win-win outcomes at the start. If you’re a successful entrepreneur, you have to be one of the winners in every equation. There can be no losers. At the close of each transaction, everyone walks away happier as a result of the deal.
Want to be the best game in town? Then your reputation must prove it. Nobody besides you unclogs drains faster, sells cars with better warranties, closes home sales with more favorable terms, or installs dental crowns that last longer and look and feel flawless. Such distinction isn’t simply good business; it’s mandatory for those who want a spot at the top. Sounds too simplistic? Realize then that you’re not only focused on winning over customers – you must continually win over your employees just the same. After all, you need your staff to be exactly like you: eager to please, and hungry to win. That’s why I interview every employee my company hires. If their eyes don’t light up when I discuss these principles, they don’t get an offer. I can’t risk hiring a lethargic employee, not when my staff comes to work every single day like I do, enthusiastic about smashing goals and winning over clients. They won’t put up with a lazy coworker, and I wouldn’t ask them to.
Perhaps not surprisingly, all of my business advisors exhibit this same principle. I refuse to associate with anyone who smells remotely unscrupulous. It’s the kiss of death, the antithesis of the win-win outcome. Each expert in my inner circle works in harmony with one another, everybody in their respective lanes but in constant communication so as to address concerns as they arise. Nobody feels left behind, and we all give credit where it’s due.
Some onlookers downplay the significance of harmony in the workplace. They chalk up success to mere chance rather than effective cooperation. In their unfortunate misunderstanding, they do themselves a grave disservice. Collaboration is key. You can’t possibly get where you aim to go without it. Nobody knows enough nor has enough hours in the day to go it completely alone. Neither can you claw your way to the top. If you try, you’ll be seen as an enemy of the people, and the ones you’ve clawed over will eventually hunt you down. Only by your reputation and accompanying track record will doors open for you. You don’t create the path. The path reveals itself to you the more effectively you engage with others.
When embarking on your mission, don’t lose your humility. You will mess up. Failure is inevitable, but it won’t be the kind of failure that ends your career. Instead, it’ll be the kind that propels you, yielding newfound clarity on how best to proceed moving forward. More than half the journey involves learning from your mistakes. A brief word of caution: Be especially mindful of what type of mistakes you allow yourself to make. Forgetting an important detail is a lot more forgivable than being dishonest. Never let your mistakes revolve around bad character. The same goes for your associates. Make no allowances for unethical behavior.
If you’re brand new to this way of thinking, it can be a bit overwhelming. I equate it to drinking from a firehose. There’s a lot to take in, yet you can only process so much in one sitting. The great thing about the written word is that you can revisit it as often as you like. So if what I’m illustrating seems insurmountable, remind yourself that anyone can adopt these principles with sufficient practice. The way to success is rooted in logic. Create sufficient value for others, and they’ll likely return the favor. You’ll not only win their loyalty, but you’ll earn good press. The best advertisement is when your clients sing your praises. Naturally, you’ll do the same for your associates, considering that you insist on only working alongside the best.
Hopefully, you can now see why it’s called the people business. It’s about much more than trading goods and services. It’s dealing in good faith, high esteem, and absolute trust that the right people usher in the best outcomes. You know this to be true. You have ample evidence of what happens when people are less than dependable. The ball gets dropped, deadlines are missed, and resources dwindle. We’ve all experienced such madness.
The way out?
Resolve to take the lead. Expect no one to change until you do. If you’re stuck, then look to others who appear to be thriving. Take notice of their work ethic, their attitude, their refusal to complain, and their unwillingness to settle for mediocrity within themselves. It’s a tall order for anyone just starting out, but know that it’s not a race. It’s a daily practice. Conserve your energy. You’ll notice an infinite array of outside forces intent on stripping you of it. Develop a daily routine that preserves your sanity, and stick to it. Your success is largely determined by your vitality. Figure out how to maintain it. Here’s a hint: tend to your basic needs first. Don’t depend on others to do that for you. They have their own well-being to manage.
Hone those fundamentals, and then watch what type of people you naturally attract into your life. When you’re a perpetual uplifter, when you consistently light up a room, you become a magnet for the best and the brightest. Highly successful people tap you on the shoulder to collaborate with them. They need you just as much as you need them, and the synergy that results generates untold future success.
It all makes perfect sense. Hardly anyone disputes the importance of work ethic, craftsmanship, cooperation, and a positive attitude. What most fail to account for are all the distractions that exist to steal your attention and make you forget that you’re first and foremost in the people business. If there’s one thing you should protect even more than your reputation, it’s your focus. When you control your focus, you control your mind. And when you control your mind, you control your mood and subsequently, your ability to uplift those around you to establish rapport among the very people with whom you most wish to collaborate.
Editor’s note: This article appeared in the June 2025 print edition of Forbes magazine. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-shook/2025/06/16/the-people-business/
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Mark B. Murphy, CEO of Northeast Private Client Group, is an accomplished author, speaker, and motivator who’s revolutionizing the financial planning and wealth management industry. He helps entrepreneurs achieve multigenerational wealth through personalized strategies, leveraging his strategic planning and financial engineering expertise. Forbes has ranked him as the number one financial security professional in New Jersey and number 15 nationwide. Additionally, his book, The Ultimate Investment, is a number one bestseller and new release on Amazon.
