Who is Tony Hawk, you may be asking. Those who are interested in skateboarding would definitely recognize that name – ask your kid, I am pretty sure that he/she will know him. More than being a highly successful professional skateboarder, Tony Hawk has made a name for himself in the business world. To name a few of his enterprises, he sells skateboards, apparel, and action figures. He also has other things that he makes money out of, video games using his name being some of them.
Earlier this month, The Business Insider talked to him and he shared 5 business tips that have helped him get where he is right now. Here are those tips:
Make Yourself Your Target Audience. That is, find something that is lacking in the market, something that you yourself would buy. I see his point – you can get into the heads of your target market much better because YOU are part of that market.
Stay An Active Consumer In The Market You Sell In. Hawk says that becoming an active consumer is a form of market research. Again, it is easier for you to keep tabs on what the consumer wants because you are part of that group.
Don’t Mistake Buzz For Success. Common sense, don’t you think? At the end of the day, just because people are talking about your product or service, it does not mean that they are actually spending money on it. Make sure you don’t get carried away by all the hype.
Forget About The Big Picture — Live In The Details. I am not sure about this one – but then again, Tony Hawk has his success to back him up. He does make a point about setting incremental goals – achieve them one by one and you’ll get the whole picture in the process.
You Will Fall — Get A Helmet. Ahh, this one I really like. There is no such thing as foolproof. At some point, you’ll have your failures. Just make sure you’re prepared for these times, and pick yourself up.
Originally posted on November 8, 2009 @ 2:16 pm