When studying business and trying to get one of your own off the ground, one of the most important lessons you can learn comes not from a textbook but from observation. Nothing shows the young entrepreneur what works and what doesnt by studying the most successful businesses and what they have done to reach their lofty heights. That doesnt mean you should copy their business model from stem to stern, but the examination of their practices may give you some good ideas about how to launch, maintain, and progress with your company through the life of your career.
The first company the wise entrepreneur should look at is Nike. The company is the largest sportswear provider in the world. It doesnt matter what youre trying to sell, though, be it sneakers or computers, there are lessons to be learned from Nikes history and their continued success in the American marketplace. These lessons range from successful logo and motto (there are few among us who cannot identify the Nike swoosh or the motto Just Do It), to the determined drive that the company put forth in making sure they permeated the entire sports and fashion world. While Nike may be best known for sneakers, an...