What makes a successful business?

Recently, I purchased a hand-made greeting card online. The price was fair, the service was excellent, and when I received the card in the mail, it was beautiful. The company has a compelling brand and offering and is connected in the social media marketing world.

It’s rare that I see a business performing so “fluently” with all of these factors so I sent a quick message of thanks to the company owner and we started a little conversation.

Actuali Design is the company and it is run by a high school student from Canada named Ali. Yes, you read that correctly. At an age when most of us were rebelling from our parents and complaining about math class, Ali has launched a successful business based on a true talent she possesses.

I was really impressed by many aspects of this business, which I’ve mentioned already: service, offering, and brand. These are important aspects to a successful business and I would have almost said that they are mandatory. But it got me thinking about what the ingredients are in a successful business. While service, offering, and brand are important, I would venture to say that they are not the cause, but rather a result.

The true cause of success – the “secret herbs and spices” that make up a great business – are exemplified in Actuali Design owner Ali: In spite of her youth and her apparent lack of experience, she has ambition, drive, and maturity.

I work with business owners of all ages. The seasoned business owners draw from their experiences; the younger ones long for the day when they have experience. BUT the successful ones, like Ali, bypass experience and create something anyway with drive, ambition, and maturity.

I really think all three are needed. Ambition helps you to dream big, drive propels you forward, and maturity keeps your feet on the ground and empowers you to be thoughtful and decisive.

I would label Ali’s business successful right now and I would encourage my readers to keep an eye on her and on Actuali Design to see where it’s going to go in the future.

Want to see more of what I’m talking about?

Follower her on Twitter: www.twitter.com/actualidesign
Look at her designs and workspace on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/actualidesign/
Visit her Etsy website at www.actualidesign.com and purchase her beautiful handmade greeting cards.

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2. What Your Business Can Learn from Video Games
3. The Secret Sauce for a Successful Business
4. Successful Business Proposals in Just Ten Minutes a Day
5. The Building Blocks of a Successful Company