Tag Mika

1. Be loyal. In business, loyalty can be a huge asset. I’ve learned that surrounding yourself with a loyal team is one of the key factors to success. BUT, this should all be taken with a grain of salt. Blind loyalty helps nobody. If I know that a team member is—after a certain fair amount of time—not doing the job they were hired to do, or if a business ally is starting to look out for only his best interests, I will make the tough call to part ways.

2. Trust your instincts. In business, it can be very important to trust your instincts. Faulty data, miscommunications, even people with interests that aren’t aligned with your own can get in the way of making the best decisions. It can also waste a lot of time to be constantly second-guessing things.

3. Know what you want and be super persistent about getting it. Persistence pays, and nobody knows that better than a dog. I’ve often been told that I am also very persistent when it comes to work. Indeed, I had to be when it came to finding the funding that launched my company. But many of my successful colleagues share the same trait. It’s very, very important in business to not give up. Legend has it that Walt Disney was turned down by 302 banks before he got the funding he needed to open Disneyland.

4. If you’re going to do it, do it 110%. Once you’ve decided to do something (after assessing the potential risks and benefits), why not reach for the stars with it? I’ve found that in business, if you strive to hit a place one or two steps beyond the foreseeable goal, the realm of possibilities expands. It’s how I plan things and I like to encourage my employees do the same: push past boundaries and pursue opportunities that they might have initially thought impossible or too big.

5. Unplug. Go outside and play. I answer hundreds of emails a day, but I’m also just as active in things like yoga, cycling and rock climbing. I love the outdoors. I make an effort to ensure that I’m not stuck in an office staring at a screen for hours (or days) on end. With technology penetrating our lives and jobs more than ever, it’s easy to be online and working 24-7. But it’s very important to regularly de-stress and refresh your mind and body. In fact, there’s a lot of research that suggests exercise can even improve productivity.