5 Most Important Business Lessons I Learned from Lucille Ball

As a child sitting in front of the TV enjoying being a kid,

I came to LOVE I love Lucy

She was an important role model.  Women in that time period were not seen, nor given credit for being power houses in business.  What I came to learn, Lucy was much more than an actress and pretty face.  She became an icon for young girls to know they can realize their dreams and playing second fiddle to men did not have to be our only options.

Lucy and her husband Desi Arnaz made a bold move for back then.  They asked for their show I Love Lucy to be recorded on film and to off set those costs (which the studio was not willing to incur), Lucy and Desi were willing to take a pay cut to retain ownership and rights.

Funny how we can learn business lessons even from a famous comedian.  I would loved to have had a brain download from Lucille Ball to know what she was thinking in each step of her career and life.  How she made some very strategic moves that many women would have skipped in favor of an easier route.

Here are the 5 most important business lessons I learned from Lucille Ball

1. Be True to Your Dreams.

Many times in business we see someone make it big and we say “Yeah wouldn’t it be nice” with a bit if envy thinking that only happens to certain people.  Lucy was true to her dreams and ideas of what she wanted once she found own path.

Do you make compromises that prevent you from realizing your dreams? How can you stay true to your dreams this year?

2. Find Your Voice

Now you might wonder how does this help your business?  How many successful businesses or CEO’s do you know that are not great articulating their vision?

Lucy might not have done well as a young woman (she was very shy and had many tell her she would never be an actress), yet she kept going until she found her voice and then WHAM! success showed up.

Combine being true to your dreams and finding you voice, created a powerhouse for Lucy.

How could you step into your brilliance by being able to find your voice?

3. See Beyond the Present

How many times in hindsight has a business discovered they gave away the farm?  They did not have a long term strategy and instead focused on the present time too much.  Wanting to get instant results, how can that trip you up?  Lucy and Desi were brilliant here, by thinking ahead and taking a strategic calculated risk on themselves.

How could you see beyond the present and create another level of success for your business?  Would you be willing to take a risk that is more calculated like Lucy?

Are you going to commit to seeing beyond the present and see that BHAG come true? (Big hairy audacious goal)

4. Giving Yourself the Gift of Consistent Hard Work

These past few years there has been a flux of folks who have focused so much on streamlining, that they think you can create success without any work.  Chuckle, ok not sure what planet you live on, but even as a huge believer of the law of attraction,  I know there is work involved in any business, otherwise everyone would be wealthy and business owners

I have not met or interviewed one successful business owner who has not said “it took a lot of consistent hard work”

Where can you tap into your work ethic in a way you stay on course?  Are you doing tasks that do not align to your strengths?  Who has those strengths?  How can you get them involved?

Being consistent comes from tapping into your internal passion, no one can offer consistency when they do not love it with a passion.

You ready to give yourself that gift and tap into the fruits of consistent hard work?

5. Do What No One Else is Doing

Imagine if Lucy had let the studios influence her and we never had I love Lucy.  No one was doing this type of thing back then.  Lucy and Desi did their best to focus on what would benefit them long term.  How many times have you been in that type of situation?

Are you willing to stand alone and do what no one else is doing to reap the rewards?

A couple of things Lucy was great at, was being able to rise above your perceived limitations.

Lucy was also fabulous at recognizing the needs of the audience.

How many times has the success in a business come from the vision of someone seeing what the audience wanted and then delivering it, while others sat there and said it can’t be done or worse it is not needed.

Can you do what Lucy did and see what the audience wants and deliver it in a dazzling way that no one else is doing in the moment?

I Love Lucy became an icon because she embodied her voice with her dreams, combining her vision and giving it consistent energy.

What actions will you take this year to embody that kind of success?

Is this something you can do or need help with?

Do you agree with how she reached her success?

Does what Lucy did back then still apply for success today?