Key Question:
A: Keep working.
There are 25 million small business owners, 8 million who employ others. The more we study this group, the more diversity we find. This is precisely the reason this segment of the population is so fascinating. Most of us are proud to sing along with Frank Sinatra, "I Did It My Way." Ebby Halliday represents the segment of business owners who are on a personal mission and the business simply supports that mission. She is one with her business. She loves people, she loves houses and she loves putting the right person in the right home.
Q: Why does Ebby want to "die with her boots on?"
A: Because work is life to her. Work is what she does every day, all day. And she brings it home with her each evening, mentally, if not physically. And this work she does is noble. She is totally dedicated to the mission of making the "American Dream" happen for all of her customers. She is not selling houses--she is selling the dream of ownership. Ebby's personal and professional lives are seamless. Her life is in order. She is focused on a purpose larger than herself.
Small business owners are a sturdy lot, they pretty much have to be. The more successful they are, the more people's lives are dependent on their future success. Most business owners take this responsibility very seriously. They are able to deal with the pressure and the stress when they have a real passion for their work, their customers, and their employees. They jump out of bed in the morning and can't wait to get to work because they love what they do. The work is the juice and the juice is the fountain of youth.
Any kind of business that has a powerful and large mission can consume you in a positive way. When IBM said the PC was a toy, Bill Gates dreamed of a PC on every desk. Big mission? Yes. Has his pursuit of his dream been worth his time? You decide.
Think about it
What jazzes you up? Does the mission of your business excite you? Do you love what you do?
Clip from: Ebby Halliday built a business and a legacy.
Dallas: Ebby Halliday is a legend in this city. She started her business in 1946 with nothing but the love of her family. Classic Americana, this is a rags to riches story. She went from the Great Depression to create a multi-billion dollar business. She is truly one of today's pioneers and quiet heroes. .Today she has over 1500 independent realtors, hundreds who have become millionaires on her watch.
Ebby will tell us how she broke through the gender barriers long before there ever was a feminist movement, how she found the person who replaced her at the top and why she gave the company to her employees.
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Ebby Halliday Real Estate
Ebby Halliday, Chairman
Visit our web site: http://ebby.com
Business Classification:
Real Estate
Year Founded:
Work Yourself Into Youth
HATTIE: (In the Studio) Ebby Halliday is one of the people who has defined the modern real estate industry. And, she's still at it, going strong at 90! (Editor's note: At the time of the filming.) We all seem to be searching for the Fountain of Youth. Some go to Palm Springs for a facelift, some join the gym, and some megadose on vitamins. Ebby showed me exactly what the Fountain of Yout" is.
Remember you learned it here: the Fountain of Youth is good work. Good work is absolutely essential to your health. It doesn't have to be work you're paid to do, but work is the most important ingredient to living a full, long and healthy life. The great thing about owning your own business is no one can make you quit. She's only 90 , and she has big plans for building up the reserves of the company and for opening new locations. Conductors and classical musicians routinely work full-time into their 80s. Find and do good work every day, as Ebby has. Then you'll be drinking from the Fountain of Youth.
HATTIE: (Voiceover): To read the entire transcript of this program, go to SmallBusinessSchool.org
