What is the motivation of Sam Walton?
Sam Walton has one question: ‘What to do to improve business?’ His success was due to his simple business philosophy of serving his customers. His commitment resulted in immense success.
His belief was to live his promise by selling items customers could trust as delivery and ensure simple savings.
Sam opened in 1962, in Rogers, Arkansas, at the age of 44 his first Wal-Mart shop. It was to give value and opportunity to his customers.
What were Wal-Mart’s reasons for success?
Sam Walton says Walmart is merchandise-driven retail and not operation-driven. The strategy of an operation-driven business implies improving efficiency and working to reduce expenses. His entrepreneurial spirit focused on goodness.
Walton always liked to get information from retailers, and as he found ideas, he incorporated them into his business. He also learned if he was right or wrong from retailers. Walton announced profit share to his workers on learning that it gave a stake in the success of the company. Thus, he promoted teamwork among employees teamwork.
Walton was honest to admit he needed help and did not know a lot of things. He was not comfortable with computers. But he installed an inventory management system in 1980 that was computerized, outpacing K-Mart, its rival. Even today, Walton is popular for his business expansion and growth, a success model more than a decade after his death.
Sam Walton’s lessons
Understand the dollar value
Walton did not go for a flashy lifestyle. He kept a balance in his life keeping expenses away. People liked enjoying rich experiences and later suffered from losing money, which he disliked. He believed in providing value even by cutting his expenses. He liked wise spending of money. Thus the motto of Wal-Mart: Save money. Live better.
Walton’s visionary leadership did not let him spend more than he traveled with his executives and slept two in a room. He ate at family restaurants and not Star hotels. He had eighteen airplanes, and not one was brand new.
Learn from mistakes and safeguard your success
Walton worked in Arkansas for five years and outperformed his competitors by building the most profitable variety of stores. Regrettably, he lost as his landlord refused to renew the lease.
The man gave nothing in exchange for a fair price and left behind all the built success. Walton did not blame anyone and went on with his positive mindset. He realized someone in the family had experience in law and encouraged Rob, his son, to become a lawyer.
The key to success is to get out into the store and listen to what the associates have to say.
Learn everything about your business
Learning everything about your business is crucial. It helps you know better. Walmart stores have dominated for years now the retail industry. Walton learned from his barber about retail work, and his brothers made his variety store into a sixty-store chain.
Walton spent his Sundays learning the business at his manager`s house and kept talking about retailing. He spent at his competitor’s store his lunch breaks to copy the best practices.
Wrapping UP
Walton had a competitive nature, and he learned from his mother to handle life seriously. He waited at the tables for meals in exchange, worked as a lifeguard, and stopped receiving allowance at the beginning of high school. He made money in his college days despite the 20th-century depression.
The entrepreneurial spirit of Walton, besides his intense experience, set his mind to understand teamwork. He realized his ego should not take its way as it is not appropriate to develop a strong business.
