Pumping his fists and shouting with enthusiasm, nationally syndicated talk show host and best-selling author Dave Ramsey took the stage Tuesday at a crowded Meymandi Concert Hall in downtown Raleigh to promote the principles in his week-old book EntreLeadership .
As Ramsey shared his experiences and strategies of running and building his business from his living room to a national brand, local business leaders and students said they found the principles practical for business and for personal life.
“Businesses need more than leaders,” Ramsey said in an email exchange with the Technician before the show. “They need the personal power of an entrepreneur combined with the passion to be a quality leader. EntreLeadership is the process of leading to cause a venture to grow and prosper.”
The principles of being an “entreleader” begin with practical lessons of Ramsey’s Christian faith.
“My faith plays a role in every part of my life. There are many biblical principles that apply to business,” Ramsey said in an email. “Because I am Christian, I know that my company is run by someone much larger than me.”
Among those principles is the Golden Rule from Luke 6:31, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
“This is our HR manual,” Ramsey told the audience Tuesday. “Treat people as you would want to be treated. People matter.”
Ultimately, Ramsey said, most problems go back to a weakness or a decision made by the leader.
“When I realized the problems in my organization were my fault, it was a breakthrough,” Ramsey said.
Ramsey said he has learned to recognize 90 percent of his ideas are bad.
“I have an idea every morning inspired by the Holy Spirit, Starbucks or last night’s pizza. I don’t know which,” he said.
Small business owners at the workshop frequently nodded their heads in agreement as they identified with Ramsey’s stories, mistakes and strategies. Laura Zande, owner of the small business Proactive Energy Systems in Raleigh, came to look for help in stabilizing her business and getting through the rough times in her business.
“It was extremely helpful and I can apply some of what he taught to the business and also to my personal life,” she said.
Brooke Baker, a senior in business administration with an entrepreneurship concentration, said she learned much she could put into practice.
“I liked that he said profit was not a dirty word,” she said. “Capitalism exists for a reason and it’s great for wealth to be spread, but you can do it in a caring way and a way that is going to employ people.”
Baker was also encouraged that Ramsey said now is perhaps the best time to start a business. He said competition thins in a down economy because “all the doofuses have gotten out of the way.”
“All you hear right now is that, ‘Oh, it’s a horrible time to graduate and try to get a job or open a business,'” Baker said, “but Dave puts a more positive spin on that and actually a more realistic approach.”
Baker, who wants to start her own business after graduating, said she appreciated the advice.
With many students graduating with debt, Ramsey suggested that students take their dreams slowly.
“You [might need] to take a full-time position at another company while doing your start-up business part-time on the side,” he said in an email to the Technician. “Not only will this ease your stress and give you money to pay your bills, but it will also help you make sure that your start-up will, in fact, be profitable.”
But EntreLeadership applies to all disciplines, start up or not, he said. Students have great resources to learn about leadership.
“Take the time to really learn how successful leaders lead,” he said. “I also suggest finding a mentor that you can trust and will help you grow your skills.”
