Enjoy Success But Stay Grounded and Modest

Last week, I went to buy a new bicycle to replace a 15-year-old mountain bike that was on its last wheels.

After arriving at the bicycle store, I spent 10 minutes wandering around but never had a salesperson approach me, even though the store was quiet. With little encouragement to make a purchase, I walked out of the store.

When this bicycle store launched a few years ago, the customer service was personal good. The staff was approachable and friendly. But as the store got more successful, things changed. The staff became less engaged as if being a customer was privilege as opposed to something the store had to earned.

To me, the experience was a first-hand lesson about how to manage success. While success is a great thing, it has to be embraced with the right attitude.

Companies need to bask in their success but they need to stay grounded and remember success can be fleeting.

Success shouldn’t change how you operate and it definitely shouldn’t make you forget who you are and why you became a success.

When I look at successful entrepreneurs, the “stars” are people who always remember what it’s like to build and a grow a business.

They’re people who know the importance of sharing knowledge and being supportive within the community. They are generous with their time and they are happy to give back whenever possible.

For fast-growing companies, staying humble means staying true to the principles that allowed them to connect with customers at a time when there was little brand recognition or track record.

It can be little things such as delivering quick and personal customer service to customers of all sizes. It can involve engaging with the community to stay aligned with their needs, rather than assuming that as a successful company you have all the answers.

Being successful means remembering your roots and staying true to the things that matter as opposed to getting caught up the trappings of success.

Note: I ended up buying a new bicycle at a store that was rough around the edges but friendly and approachable.