Business Entrepreneurship Motivation

How to Win at the Sport of Business: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It (Summary)

by Mark Cuban

Mark Cuban was fired from his job at a software store for a surprising reason: he was too good at selling. Instead of mopping the floors like his boss demanded, he raced out to close a $15,000 deal. He returned with the check, but was fired on the spot. That moment taught him his most valuable lesson: you're either working for your own dream or someone else's. He never worked for anyone else again.

Sales Cures All

No matter how great your product, idea, or team is, a company lives or dies by its ability to generate revenue. Cuban argues that knowing how to sell is the most critical skill in business, as it's the one thing that can solve almost any problem.

When starting AudioNet (which became Broadcast.com), Cuban didn't have a perfect product. He just picked up the phone and cold-called a local Dallas radio station, convincing them to let him stream their broadcasts online. That one sale gave the company its first content, a proof of concept, and the momentum it needed to survive.

The Only Controllable is Effort

You can't control if you're the smartest, most well-funded, or best-connected person in the room. Your single greatest competitive advantage, especially when starting out, is your willingness to work harder and learn faster than anyone else.

To compete with larger rivals at his first company, MicroSolutions, Cuban spent his nights reading every single technical manual for the software he was selling. He made himself an absolute expert, so that when a customer had a problem, he knew the product better than anyone—even the people who made it.

Live Like a Student

By keeping personal expenses incredibly low, you reduce the pressure to take a salary from your new business. This allows you to reinvest every dollar back into the company, giving it the longest possible runway to survive and grow.

While building MicroSolutions, Cuban lived in a rundown three-bedroom apartment with five other guys, sleeping on the couch or floor. He survived on cheap food like mac and cheese and mustard-and-ketchup sandwiches. This extreme frugality meant he didn't need to draw a salary for years, enabling the company to use its cash for growth.

Don't Follow Your Passion, Follow Your Effort

Cuban argues that the advice to "follow your passion" is a trap. Instead, focus on the things you're willing to put tremendous effort into. Becoming great at something is what creates passion, not the other way around.

Cuban wasn't initially passionate about computer networking. He was passionate about being his own boss and making enough money to retire. He poured his effort into learning about technology because he saw a huge business opportunity. The success that followed his hard work is what made him passionate about the industry.

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