We all know our local Del Boy; he’s loud, he’s confident, he loves a good deal, but ultimately he fails. Don’t let that put you off though. Del Boy could be a very strong negotiator and savvy businessman, problem was he usually bought bad stock (like selling ski masks in the middle of the summer). 

Del Boy is a font of quotes and one liners that will forever remain in comedy legend but what can we glean from them from a business point of view? 

Del Boy: ‘He who dares wins’  

One of Del’s most famous quotes and the motto of the SAS. It’s obvious to see the business relevance in this quote; not being scared to fail is one of the most important attitudes you need when starting a business. Fearlessness and the ability to spot the smallest opportunity and go straight for it is so important when it comes to generating business and getting ahead of rivals. 

Fearlessness should not be confused with recklessness however, and all daring decision in business should be backed with logic and good reason. 

Boycie: Where d'you get those aces from?
Del Boy: Same place you got those kings. I always knew you were cheating, Boycie.
Boycie: Yeah, how?
Del Boy: 'Cause that wasn't the hand that I dealt you.

Always stay ahead of your competition. Knowing what your rivals are doing and their future plans can keep you ahead of the game. Markets are so competitive these days that it is imperative to come up with the latest trend and keep up with technology. It is very easy to be left behind in business if you don’t firmly keep your ears to the ground. 

Del Boy: ‘There's no point in running away. Running away only wears out your shoes’ 

Don’t run away, face problems head on and sort them out before they escalate. Some of the biggest mistakes in economic and business history have been made because people have refused to look at the facts.

Do you fancy yourself as a Del Boy or do you plan to learn from his mistakes? To learn more about business, look at some of our courses.