In these challenging business times, it is very encouraging to study other business people who are successfully moving forward to new levels of excellence and profitability.Below are seven pointers to sail out of the doom and gloom and push your business forward to new levels of success.1 “Vision without execution is hallucination,” so said Thomas Edison. It is the plan to implement the plan that makes the dollars. The world is littered with people who have great ideas. Small daily actions lead to stunning results so GET STARTED. Henry Ford said: “No one is impressed by what you are going to do”.2 EAT THAT FROG. Understand the Role of Fear in holding you back. We all have an inner saboteur gnawing away at us. Mark Twain said if the first thing you do every morning is eat a frog, it's probably the worst thing that will happen to you all day. Brian Tracy in the book “Eat that Frog” said your frog is the most difficult task on your to do list. It could be facing the reality of your financial results or making a tough decision, whatever it is, you will be elated when you have had the courage to “eat it”.3 EXCELLENCE VERSUS PERFECTION Commit to everything being excellent rather than perfect. The software companies are great at this, they launch a new beta version with excellence and wait for the bugs to perfect it. If we wait for perfection it will never happen.4 BUILD YOUR TEAM. Most of our companies can only be as good as the staff who represent it. So build up your team, make them feel valued, lead them, develop them, create a great company culture. Everyone on your team should understand your mission so that customers enter and leave at WOW.5 INNOVATE OR DIE. In these fast moving times, it is more important than ever to keep your company fresh and moving. Facebook marketing, twitter, YouTube videos, the strategic use of free, making the customer feel valued are inexpensive ways to make the consumer want to shop.6 TAKE CARE OF THE GOOSE THAT LAYS THE GOLDEN EGG. And that goose is YOU. If you don't take care of you, how can you lead your team or serve your customers well. Be better to yourself than you think you need to be, eat well, exercise, regular massage, water, sleep and self investment.7 FAITH. The role of faith is the last and most important. Tough times don't last but tough people do. So push forward in faith with humility and grace. Success will be yours.To read What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell a really fun read on fascinating business events in our lifetime.To watch - John Paul DeJoria (founder of Paul Mitchell Hair Care and Patron Tequila) address to Stanford Graduate School of Business. From homeless foster kid to $4billion net worth, this is absolutely inspirational. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hndfUwPpzyQ.The above article was written by Lois Wilson and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of The Royal Gazette.