Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart, was a smart businessman and a humble leader. He believed in hard work, great customer service, and treating people right. His words still guide entrepreneurs, workers, and dreamers today.
Here are 51 powerful quotes by Sam Walton to inspire success in life and business.
“Celebrate your successes. Find some humor in your failures. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Loosen up, and everybody around you will loosen up. Have fun. Show enthusiasm—always. When all else fails, put on a costume and sing a silly song. Then make everybody laugh. And don’t forget to thank your customers and associates. If you do those things, success will follow.”
Sam Walton’s book, Made in America: My Story
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Sam Walton on Business and Success
“High expectations are the key to everything.”
“The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best but legendary.”
“There is only one boss – the customer.”
“If you don’t listen to your customers, someone else will.”
“Commit to your business. Believe in it more than anyone else.”
“Celebrate your successes. Find humor in your failures.”
“Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel.”
“We’re all working together; that’s the secret.”
“The two most important words I ever wrote were: ‘You’re fired.’”
“If everybody is doing it one way, there’s a good chance you can find your niche by going exactly in the opposite direction.”
Sam Walton on Leadership and People
“Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise.”
“Great ideas come from everywhere if you just listen and look for them.”
“The best way to reduce turnover is to keep good people.”
“You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.”
“Control your expenses better than your competition.”
“Share your profits with all your associates, and treat them as partners.”
“Appreciate everything your associates do for the business.”
“The more they know, the more they’ll understand. The more they understand, the more they’ll care.”
“We’re not ashamed of learning from others.”
“The key to success is to get out into the store and listen to what the associates have to say.”
Quotes on Hard Work and Discipline
“Work hard. Be honest. Treat people right.”
“All of us profit from being corrected – if we’re corrected in a positive way.”
“Ignore the conventional wisdom.”
“Swim upstream. Go the other way. Ignore the conventional wisdom.”
“Keep everybody guessing as to what your next trick is going to be.”
“Success has always had a very simple definition for me: It’s satisfaction with what I’m doing.”
“We’re all in this together. That’s the way we operate.”
“Give ordinary people the chance to buy the same things as rich people.”
“I had to pick myself up and get on with it, do it all over again, only even better this time.”
“Get out of the office and into the stores. That’s where the action is.”
Sam Walton on Innovation and Risk
“To succeed in this world, you have to change all the time.”
“Capital isn’t scarce; vision is.”
“We’re successful because we do a few simple things right over and over again.”
“Most everything I’ve done I’ve copied from someone else.”
“It’s not about inventing the wheel. It’s about turning it faster.”
“Information is power, and the gain you get from empowering your associates more than offsets the risk.”
“Don’t get so stuck in a rut that you don’t listen to new ideas.”
“Keep it simple.”
“There’s no limit to what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.”
“The secret of successful retailing is to give your customers what they want.”
Sam Walton on Values and Belief
“You can make a positive out of most any negative if you work at it hard enough.”
“We’re not afraid to make mistakes.”
“We let folks know we’re interested in them and that they’re important to us.”
“Money and ownership aren’t everything.”
“Treat your people right and they’ll treat your customers right.”
“The people who come to our stores are the reason we’re in business.”
“Keep your ears open and your mouth shut.”
“It’s amazing what ordinary people can do with a little bit of encouragement.”
“Don’t take yourself too seriously. Laugh a lot and enjoy life.”
“Believe in your dreams. Never give up.”
Books by or about Sam Walton
Sam Walton: Made in America – My Story by Sam Walton with John Huey
This autobiography offers insights into Sam Walton’s journey
Sam Walton: The Inside Story of America’s Richest Man by Vance H. Trimble
It provides a comprehensive look at the man behind Walmart’s empire.
Sam Walton: Business Genius of Wal-Mart by Sally Lee
Aimed at younger readers, this book presents Walton’s story
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