Business Administration includes general business operations such as accounting, finance, economics, human resources, management, marketing, and other business functions. The terms “business management” and “business administration” are often used interchangeably by people, especially when referring to higher education programs.

Although the two programs share a similar curriculum and offer similar career paths, they are different. A business administration job is to carry out the day-to-day tasks for the business or one section of the business. This includes but is not limited to: overseeing and managing budget activities, providing customer support, carrying out operational policies and procedures, keeping records, preparing reports, and managing activities related to products and services. On the other hand, business management focuses on setting goals and managing people and projects.  

We all have brands that we love, trust, and go to repeatedly. Tesla, Amazon, McDonald’s, Apple, Adidas, Starbucks are just a few of the many successful brands that exist. But do you wonder how these companies reached new heights? We will look at nine inspirational quotes about change and growth in business.
 

1. “My definition of success? The more you’re actively and practically engaged, the more successful you will feel.” – Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson is a self-made UK billionaire and the founder of the Virgin Group. Success means different things to different people but to him, it is being involved in something you care and are passionate about and less to do with money or power. 

2. “The biggest risk is not taking any risk… in a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking any risks” – Mark Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg needs no introduction. He launched Facebook from his dormitory room in February 2004 and if he didn’t take that risk, the world would be a different place today. Be smart about the risks you take and treat risks as essential steps.  

3. Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.”– Sara Blakely

Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, is an inventor and entrepreneur and became the world’s youngest female self-made billionaire in 2012. She started her business in 2000 with just $5,000 in personal savings. She went all-in knowing that she did not have the answers to everything but had the confidence to handle whatever challenge came her way. It’s safe to say that she mastered the art of pivoting. 

4. “Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do” – Steve Jobs

The message that Steve Jobs highlights is that you need to have clarity. You want to be able to draw a direct line between you and the goal you are trying to achieve.  In 1997, he killed 70% of the Apple product range. He instead focused on quality, innovation and having a smaller product line. One year later, the nearly bankrupt company turned a $309 million profit. 

5. “I don’t believe in failure. It’s not failure if you enjoyed the process.” – Oprah Winfrey

Oprah believes in not looking at failure as a negative but as opportunities to learn, grow and embrace new experiences. You learn more from your ‘failures’ than your successes and by changing the way you look at failure, you can develop a fearless mindset.

6. “We’re not competitor-obsessed, we’re customer-obsessed. We start with the customer and we work backwards.” – Jeff Bezos

It’s easy to understand Amazon’s success. The tech giant is laser–focused on customers. Large selections, low prices, and fast delivery are just some of the reasons why they have gained a loyal following. “Work Backwards” conveys the company’s focus on customer satisfaction.

7. “I think it’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better.” – Elon Musk

A feedback loop is a process of obtaining employee and customer feedback and acting on feedback opportunities to create superior products and services. Giving and receiving feedback is a great way to learn new things and consider better options and ways to do things.  

8. “I’m hungry for knowledge. The whole thing is to learn every day, to get brighter and brighter. That’s what this world is about.” – Jay-Z

Jay-Z’s achievements have extended beyond music. He is a successful songwriter, rap musician, businessman, record executive, and media proprietor. His determination to learn as many skills as possible has made him the legend he is today.  

9.  “There’s no shortage of remarkable ideas, what’s missing is the will to execute them.” – Seth Godin 

The author of the popular book Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? states that ideas need to have an action plan for it to be of value. In other words, having an idea and not doing anything about it is common practice, but if you want to achieve great things execute your ideas.

These quotes for business administration students are a great reminder of how we can all achieve remarkable things if we stay focused on our goals, continuously learn, and improve. A qualification in business administration can help you develop leadership skills. You will learn the basics of how businesses operate, how to market products, how to budget and manage finances, communicate effectively, and think critically.

Are you ready to turn goals into action? Learn the fundamentals of marketing, accounting, finance, operations and gain a wide range of skills with our Business Administration Program.