拉塞尔•西蒙斯：致富很简单
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拉塞尔•西蒙斯是美国商业大亨、活动家、畅销书作家。他有一个信息要传达给小企业家们。他自己也是位小企业家，而且致富要比一般人想象的容易得多。 这对大多数人来说可能难以置信。西蒙斯是街头教父唱片公司（Def Jam Recordings）和Phat Farm服装公司的创始人。早在多年以前，他就成功地将这两家公司分别以超过1亿美元的价格卖了出去。他现在经营着一家名叫Rush Communications的控股公司，这家公司为拉塞尔打理他旗下的金融、媒体和时尚业务。 据报道，这位大亨的净资产高达3.4亿美元。 尽管如此，西蒙斯仍然认为他当前的生意都是小生意。他旗下的UniRush金融公司主要经营金融产品，例如借记卡等，该公司主要瞄准了中低收入市场。他的另一家公司西蒙斯拉森媒体集团（Simmons Lathan Media Group）则是一家主要从事嘻哈音乐和城市内容的媒体公司。他的西蒙斯美国设计集团（Simmons American Design Group）主要为梅西百货（Macy's）、沃尔玛（Wal-Mart）和零售贸易公司利丰集团（Li & Fung）等提供时装。 不过西蒙斯表示，这些公司离街头教父唱片公司和Phat Farm的规模还差得很远。“我现在仍在努力让它们成长。” 成功的企业 他坚信这些公司一定会繁荣发展。在他的新书《巨富：拥有一切的指南》（“Super Rich: A Guide to Having It All”）中，西蒙斯表示，积极的态度以及对财富（无论是精神财富还是物质财富）的激情与坦率，是企业家成功的必备素质之一。 请小企业家们注意，《巨富》并不是传统意义上的那种教你如何做事的小企业指南，而是一本教你如何在经济衰退时期做出商业计划、筹集资本、重组业务模式的书。西蒙斯说，这是一本“心灵启蒙”的指南，而“心灵启蒙”是通向成功的最可靠的途径。 有些读者批评这本书花大量笔墨进行形而上学的探讨，但在商业建议方面着墨不多。 西蒙斯驳斥了这种批评，并且补充道，在新书签售会上，总是有不少企业家为书中的建议而向他道谢。 还有些人并不认为《巨富》是本好书。对于这些人，西蒙斯只是耸耸肩道：“随便吧。宝贝儿，做你自己。” 西蒙斯向所有企业家们（不管你年龄是老是少，企业是大是小）提供了以下建议。 •做你相信的业务。“我是一个被激情驱动，而不是被数字驱动的企业家。我总是能接触到能赚钱的商业创意，但如果我不相信那项业务，我也不会去做。”西蒙斯说。 •对你自己所做的事情有热情。 •积极努力，不放弃。 •免费赠送产品和服务。“欲先取之，必先与之。你需要的越少，你吸引到的就越多。”西蒙斯说。 •寻找能激起人们的兴趣的商机。 •不要担心结果。关心结果只会让企业家从业务的建设上分心。 •“让思维平静下来，”西蒙斯说，心静如水的企业家能做成任何事。 译者：朴成奎 |
Russell Simmons, business mogul, activist and best-selling author, has a message for small business owners. He's a small business owner, too, and getting rich is a lot easier than people think. That might be hard for most to believe. Simmons, the founder of Def Jam Recordings and the Phat Farm clothing empire, successfully sold those companies for more than a hundred million dollars apiece years ago. He now heads up Rush Communications, a holding company for his financial, media and fashion businesses. The mega entrepreneur's net worth is reportedly $340 million. Despite this, Simmons still views his current businesses as small. UniRush Financial, Inc. offers financial products, such as prepaid debit cards, aimed at the low-income and middle-income market. His Simmons Lathan Media Group is a media firm focusing on hip-hop and urban content. Simmons American Design Group is a company focusing on fashion for Macy's, Wal-Mart and retail trading group Li & Fung. They are nowhere near the size of Def Jam or Phat Farm, said Simmons. "I am still trying to grow them." Businesses that Succeed And he has no doubt that these companies will thrive. In his latest book "Super Rich: A Guide to Having It All," Simmons says that a positive attitude, passion and openness to wealth -- both spiritual and material -- are some of the qualities needed for entrepreneurial success. Small business owners be warned: This is not your conventional how-to small business manual. "Super Rich" is not a book about business plans, raising capital or restructuring business models during recessionary times, Simmons said. It's a guide to "spiritual enlightenment," which is the surest path to wealth, he said. Some reviewers have knocked the book for being light on business advice and long on metaphysical talk. Simmons dismissed the criticism, adding that entrepreneurs are always approaching him at book signings to thank him for the advice in the book. And for people who don't think "Super Rich" is good? "Whatever," Simmons said, shrugging his shoulders. "Do you, baby." Simmons offered the following advice for all entrepreneurs: young, old, big and small. • Do a business you believe in: "I'm an entrepreneur who is moved by passion, but not numbers. I am constantly being approached with business ideas that will make money, but if I don't believe in the business, I won't do it," said Simmons. • Be passionate about what you do. • "Stay on your hustle," said Simmons. "Don't quit." • Give away your business products and services for free. "If you are a good giver, you will be great getter," Simmons said. "The less you need, the more you attract." • Find businesses that lift people up. • Don't worry about the results. Focusing on results distracts the entrepreneur, from building his or her business, said Simmons. • "Quiet the mind," said Simmons. The entrepreneur who has a still mind is the entrepreneur who can do anything, he said. |
