1. Make sure that your company is always aligned with a major trend in the market – (and very importantly, you can clearly define what that trend is!)

2. For a rapid growth company you must be solving an unmet customer need – (and very importantly again, you can clearly define what need it is you’re solving)

3. To fight prejudice (or any obstacle) you must be passionate about what your vision – this will enable you to smash any obstacles.

4. Be proactive and move outside your comfort zone – in business (and life) you have to make it happen, rather than just wait for it to happen.

5. Don’t make excuses to not do what you’re passionate about – most excuses are unfounded and for the others you can actually turn them into your strengths.

6. “Challenging your fears is something successful business people do"

7. Whilst being passionate about your business you must be ‘unemotional’ about business decisions – wear different hats.

8. Success comes down to you being 100% yourself – never emulate anybody else otherwise you lose integrity.

9. Never let your senior management team get too far away from the customer – when was the last time your board of C-suite spoke directly to customers?

10. As a CEO (or leader of any unit of people) you must engage with your people, on both a group and an individual basis.

11. I hire “smart, passionate people that I like” – we think that says it all when it comes to getting great people around you.   

12. For great feedback ask the question “if you were in my shoes what would you do”. 

13. As you grow make sure your organization (not matter what size) is fast and agile – never let your decision making layers get too deep. 

14. As an organization – you must have some failure – if you’re not embracing failure you’re not innovating.   The key is finding out if it works early - if works  augment it, if doesn’t cut it quick.

15. When it comes to multi-channel retail – make sure that you have ONE brand, many ways to shop. 

16. During economic downturns there’s a great opportunity to negotiate, cut costs, get back to the customer and buck the trend!

17. During a downturn cut costs whilst also investing in your strategy. 

18. When cost cutting – make sure that you have team buy-in.  Your team (as long as you’re hiring well) will be smart and they will understand that during downturns you need to cost cut.  So have transparency, and you will get your team on your side.

19. Have a monthly meeting (at least) where all your staff here all the new stuff in the month – the sales, the numbers, the new

20. To avoid complacency in the organization, you C-Suite MUST be constantly driving forward.  It’s their job to make sure the staff have a vision and are energized by moving forward.

21. On competitive strategy: make sure you have a point of difference – it gives people something to talk about! – as Seth Godin says, you have to be ‘remarkable’ – i.e. people are ‘able’ to ‘remark’ about you.

22. In remaining competitive –  “you’ve got to have something that sets you aside from your competition – you have to identify what makes you different... being innovative, being first to market with new ideas”.

Jacqueline Gold in an interview with Anthony Gell.