Owning a small business is a major undertaking. It’s a lot of work, and it’s easy to overlook how big a task it is—sort of a forest-for-the-trees situation.
This is all the more reason to take a step back. Small businesses support local communities, drive economic growth, and encourage innovation. No wonder it’s both hard and exciting to be a small business owner.
These small business quotes highlight the importance of your work. Use these quotes to stay motivated and focused for the long haul.
Best small business quotes
- Quotes about being a small business owner
- Customer service quotes for small businesses
- Leadership quotes for small business owners
- Strategy and advice for small businesses
- Motivational small businesses quotes
- Quotes about small businesses and the economy
- Quotes about running a local business
Here are 67 quotes for small businesses. Use them for motivation, encouragement, and insights:
Quotes about being a small business owner
1. “Small business owners are not just entrepreneurs, they are community leaders who create jobs, support local causes, and contribute to the well-being of our neighborhoods.” —Joan Lunden
2. “The most successful entrepreneurs I know are optimistic. It’s part of the job description.” —Caterina Fake
3. “Small business owners are some of the most courageous and tenacious people you’ll ever meet.” —Simon Sinek
4. “Behind every successful small business, there’s a person who poured their heart and soul into making it work.” —Andrew Yang
5. “A small business is an amazing way to serve and leave an impact on the world you live in.” —Nicole Snow
6. “One of the marks of successful people is they are action-oriented. One of the marks of average people is they are talk-oriented.” —Brian Tracy
7. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” —Thomas A. Edison
8. “Behind every successful small business is a person who believed in their vision and worked tirelessly to bring it to life.” —Jessica Alba
9. “There’s nothing wrong with staying small. You can do big things with a small team.” —Jason Fried
10. “To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business and your business in your heart.” ―Thomas J. Watson
Customer service quotes for small businesses
11. “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” —Bill Gates
12. “Make a customer, not a sale.” —Katherine Barchetti
13. “There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.” —Sam Walton
14. “A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all.” —Michael LeBoeuf
15. “If you build a great customer experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful.” —Jeff Bezos
16. “Business is not just doing deals; business is having great products, doing great engineering, and providing tremendous service to customers.” —Ross Perot
17. “Customer service is the new marketing, it’s what differentiates one business from another.” —Jay Baer
18. “Great customer service is a critical competitive advantage for a business.” —Steve Benson
Leadership quotes for small business owners
19. “Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.” —Peter Drucker
20. “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” —Steve Jobs
21. “Good leaders build products. Great leaders build cultures." —Adam Grant
22. “It’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen.” —Scott Belsky
23. “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” ―Peter Drucker
24. “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” —Thomas Jefferson
25. “A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position.” —John Maxwell
26. “One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.” —Arnold Glasow
27. "Knowing what you cannot do is more important than knowing what you can do." —Lucille Ball
28. "The best way to predict the future is to create it." —Peter Drucker
Strategy and advice for small businesses
29. “Chase the vision, not the money. The money will end up following you.” —Tony Hsieh
30. “In the business world, everyone is paid in two coins: cash and experience. Take the experience first; the cash will come later.” —Harold Geneen
31. “The biggest mistake a small business can make is to think like a small business.” —Aruna Bhayana
32. “You never achieve real success unless you like what you are doing.” —Dale Carnegie
33. “Study successful people and businesses, then do what they did to become successful while making slight modifications to fit your lifestyle, your values, your business model and your goals.” —Clay Clark
34. “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that. But the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” —Mark Twain
35. “Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” —Conrad Hilton
36. “Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field.” —Brian Tracy
37. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” —Walt Disney
38. “Dream big. Start small. But most of all, start.” —Simon Sinek
39. “There is no single recipe for success, but there is one essential ingredient: passion.” —Martha Stewart
Motivational small business quotes
40. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” —Lao Tzu
41. “Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right!” —Henry Ford
42. “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” —Steve Jobs
43. “The biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” —Mark Zuckerberg
44. “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” —Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
45. “If you can dream it, you can do it.” —Walt Disney
46. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it, and eventually, the confidence will follow.” —Carrie Fisher
47. “A big business starts small.” —Richard Branson
48. “Never ever give up! Constant effort is the key to success.” —Xavier Davis
49. “If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time.” —Steve Jobs
50. “My advice for anyone thinking of starting their own business is, above all, don’t wait. If you get an idea in the shower in the morning, try to make it the next day.” —Harley Finkelstein
Quotes about small businesses and the economy
51. “It’s not the government that creates jobs; it’s small businesses.” —Karen Mills
52. “And what most people don’t understand is that the bulk of business in this country is small business.” –Alphonso Jackson
53. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the cornerstone of our communities.” —Barack Obama
54. “Small businesses are the key to job creation and economic growth in our communities.” —Carlos Gutierrez
55. “We need to keep our small businesses healthy in order to keep our economy strong.” —Keith Haynes
56. “Small business owners are the engine of our economy, and they deserve our unwavering support.” —Maria Contreras-Sweet
57. “When you support small businesses, you’re supporting a dream.” —Jerry Greenfield
58. “Small business owners are the innovators who are driving the future of our economy, and they need our support and encouragement to succeed.” —Steve Case
59. “Small businesses are the engines of local economies and the building blocks of vibrant communities.” —Jim Hackett
Quotes about running a local business
60. “Supporting local businesses is the most direct way to make a positive impact on your community.” —Zooey Deschanel
61. “When you support local businesses, you’re supporting the creativity and ingenuity of your community.” —Olivia Wilde
62. “Shopping locally is an act of love for your community and the people who make it special.” —Dolly Parton
63. “When you support local businesses, you’re supporting a community.” —Angela Ahrendts
64. “When we support small businesses, we’re supporting the people behind them and the local communities they serve.” —Jack Ma
65. “Local business owners are the unsung heroes of our communities, and they deserve our gratitude and support.” —Robert Herjavec
66. “When we support local businesses, we’re not just supporting an individual entrepreneur or business owner, we’re supporting a whole community.” —Tony Hsieh
67. “Small businesses truly are the lifeblood of communities. When small businesses succeed, communities thrive.” —Duane Fladland
Small business quotes FAQ
What’s a good business quote?
“The most successful entrepreneurs I know are optimistic. It’s part of the job description.” —Caterina Fake
How can entrepreneurs find motivation?
Here are a few tried-and-true ways to find business inspiration:
- Revisit your vision statement
- Attend industry conferences
- Network with other local business owners
- Study business leaders you admire
What is a quote about the importance of small businesses?
Here are two motivational small business quotes:
- “A small business is an amazing way to serve and leave an impact on the world you live in.” —Nicole Snow
- “Small businesses are the engines of local economies and the building blocks of vibrant communities.” —Jim Hackett
