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Michael Dell Quotes

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Michael Dell is an American author born on February 23, 1965. His works span across various fields, including business and technology.

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Famous Michael Dell Quotes

“I started the business with a simple question: How can we make the process of buying a computer better? The answer was: Sell computers directly to the end customer. Eliminate the reseller's markup and pass those savings on to the customer.”

Business Management Business Model

Book:Direct from Dell Strategies That Revolutionized an Industry

Source: Direct from Dell Strategies That Revolutionized an Industry

“Sometimes it's better not to ask-or to listen-when tell you something can't be done. I didn't ask for permission or approval. I just went ahead and did it.”

Business Dell

Book:Direct from Dell Strategies That Revolutionized an Industry

Source: Direct from Dell Strategies That Revolutionized an Industry

“There are a lot of new things going on in the microprocessor world, including increased focus on power and efficiency.”

World Focus Including New Things Efficiency Microprocessor

Author:Michael Dell

“Americans are known for their strength, fortitude, and generosity in times of need. We encourage people in the U.S. and everywhere to give with their hearts, reach out to these victims, and donate what they can to the relief efforts.”

People Needs Giving Heart Effort Known Victim Generosity Relief Reach Out Fortitude Time Of Need Donate

Author:Michael Dell

“You just have to change. To be successful, what you have to do is have an acceptance of risk and you have to be pretty explicit about that, because if you don’t accept risk, you don’t get any innovation. And that means part of risk is you have to accept failure because not everything works.”

Ifs Mean Accepting Successful Risk Acceptance Innovation Being Successful Explicit

Author:Michael Dell

“Collaboration equals innovation.”

Innovation Collaboration

Author:Michael Dell

“There is no better catalyst to success than curiosity.”

Curiosity Catalyst

Author:Michael Dell

“I had to give it a full go and see what happened.”

Giving Happened

Author:Michael Dell

“I'm pretty active anyway, but I'm also competitive.I used my Fitbit as an example of the innate power of data to turn information into insights and actions.”

Action Used Turns Information Example Insight Active Data Innate

Author:Michael Dell

“I have no doubt that in the future, wearable devices like Fitbit will know my blood pressure, hydration levels and blood sugar levels as well. All of this data has the potential to transform modern medicine and create a whole new era of personalized care.”

Knows Wells Whole Care Levels Doubt Blood Modern Pressure Medicine Data Eras No Doubt Devices Sugar New Era Blood Pressure Blood Sugar Modern Medicine Personalized Hydration

Author:Michael Dell

“Wearable devices are here to stay, and they'll only get more sophisticated and effective as they evolve. Until now, most of us have made our health and fitness decisions based on what we think we know about ourselves. Advancements in technology - wearables and otherwise - will eventually take much of the guess work out of healthy living.”

Thinking Knows Made Decision Technology Healthy Work Out Evolve Devices Healthy Living Sophisticated Advancement Health And Fitness

Author:Michael Dell

“People ask me all the time, 'How can I become a successful entrepreneur?' And I have to be honest: It's one of my least favorite questions, because if you're waiting for someone else's advice to become an entrepreneur, chances are you're not one.”

People Ifs Asks Waiting Chance Successful Advice Honest Entrepreneur Being Honest Ask Me Chances Are Successful Entrepreneurs

Author:Michael Dell

“The point is, you can't keep doing the same thing and expect it to keep working.”

Author:Michael Dell

“We've found that customers are very open. They'll tell you what's going on, what's working and what's not. They're looking for help.”

Helping Found Customers Looking For Help

Author:Michael Dell

“It's easy to decide what you're going to do. The hard thing is deciding what you're not going to do.”

Hard Easy Hard Things

Author:Michael Dell

“Ignore the people who tell you it won't work, and hire people who embrace your vision.”

People Vision Embrace

Book:Direct From Dell: Strategies that Revolutionized an Industry

Source: Direct From Dell: Strategies that Revolutionized an Industry

“One of the things was to create a kind of amnesty environment.”

Kind Environment Amnesty

Author:Michael Dell

“I'm a big believer in online communities and in user-generated content.”

Bigs Community Believer Online Users

Author:Michael Dell

“We were always focused on our profit and loss statement. But cash flow was not a regularly discussed topic. It was as if we were driving along, watching only the speedometer, when in fact we were running out of gas.”

Ifs Facts Running Loss Flow Profit Focused Driving Statements Gas Cash Topics Cash Flow Profit And Loss

Author:Michael Dell

“If you're happy, that's probably the most important thing. Everyone probably has their own definition of success, for me it's happiness. Do I enjoy what I'm doing? Do I enjoy the people I'm with? Do I enjoy my life?”

People Ifs Important Enjoy Important Things Definitions Definition Of Success

Author:Michael Dell

“The very thing you fear could be the best thing to ever happen to you”

Happens Best Things Being The Best

Author:Michael Dell

“Celebrate for a nanosecond.”

Celebrate

Author:Michael Dell

“If we have 99% [market] share of Ford Company, the question to us is 'How do we improve the customer satisfaction in order to get that additional 1% share?”

Ifs Order Company Share Satisfaction Customers Customer Satisfaction

Author:Michael Dell

“If you have to go through life being unhappy to conform to society around you, that's not a very good deal.”

Ifs Deals Very Good Unhappy Conform Being Unhappy

Author:Michael Dell

“There are a lot of things that go into creating success. I don't like to do just the things I like to do. I like to do things that cause the company to succeed. I don't spend a lot of time doing my favorite activities.”

Success Causes Work Business Company Activity Succeed Creating Self Improvement My Favorite Business Success Motivational Business Real Estate Motivational

Author:Michael Dell

“It's through curiosity and looking at opportunities in new ways that we've always mapped our path at Dell. There's always an opportunity to make a difference.”

Way Success Opportunity Differences Business Path Self Improvement Curiosity Making A Difference New Ways Business Success Motivational Business New Opportunity Business Opportunity Dell

Author:Michael Dell

“Ideas are commodity. Execution of them is not.”

Ideas Business Entrepreneur Execution Commodity

Author:Michael Dell

“It's exciting to see how fast your kids learn and grow. I'm not too worried about them, particularly the ones who like to break rules and don't follow instructions; those are the ones that will do just fine because they know what's important to them.”

Knows Important Kids Grows Break Learning Fine Exciting Worried Instruction What's Important

Author:Michael Dell

“The key is to listen to your heart and let it carry you in the direction of your dreams. I've learned that it's possible to set your sights high and achieve your dreams and do it with integrity, character, and love. And each day that you're moving toward your dreams without compromising who you are, you're winning.”

“Our business is about technology, yes. But it's also about operations and customer relationships.”

Success Business Technology Educational Customers Operations Customer Relationship

Author:Michael Dell

“The interesting thing is when we design and architect a server, we don't design it for Windows or Linux, we design it for both. We don't really care, as long as we're selling the one the customer wants.”

Want Long Care Success Interesting Business Technology Design Window Educational Customers Selling Architect Interesting Things Linux Inspirational Customer Service Server

Author:Michael Dell

“From the time I was 7, when I purchased my first calculator, I was fascinated by the idea of a machine that could compute things.”

Firsts Ideas Technology Machines Fascinated Calculators

Book:Direct From Dell: Strategies that Revolutionized an Industry

Source: Direct From Dell: Strategies that Revolutionized an Industry

“Whether you've found your calling, or if you're still searching, passion should be the fire that drives your life's work.”

Ifs Should Stills Inspiration Passion Found Fire Calling Billionaire

Author:Michael Dell

“If you want to sustain excellence over a long time, you'd better come up with a system that works well. Anyone can sprint for a little while, but you can't sprint for forty years.”

Ifs Want Years Wells Littles Long Motivational Business Long Time Excellence Come Up Forty Motivational Business Sprint

Author:Michael Dell

“Don't spend so much time trying to choose the perfect opportunity, that you miss the right opportunity.”

Trying Motivational Opportunity Perfect Inspiring Business Missing Entrepreneurship

Author:Michael Dell

“Recognize that there will be failures, and acknowledge that there will be obstacles. But you will learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others, for there is very little learning in success.”

Littles Mistake Obstacles Acknowledge Making Mistakes Learn From Your Mistakes

Author:Michael Dell

“Visionaries have the unique ability to dream of what's possible and then make it a reality. We are excited to watch these visionaries use technology to help students develop skills in collaboration, critical thinking and teamwork that they'll need to compete in the global economy.”

Thinking Needs Helping Use Dream Reality Ability Watches Technology Economy Students Skills Unique Excited Critical Teamwork Collaboration Critical Thinking Visionaries Global Economy

Author:Michael Dell

“Twenty years and $40 billion. They seem like good round numbers.”

Years Seems Success Money Numbers Business Self Improvement Twenties Rounds Billions Business Success

Author:Michael Dell

“One of the things I benefited from when I started this business was that I didn't know anything. I was just instinct with no preconceived notions. This enabled me to learn and change quickly without having to worry about maintaining any kind of status quo, like some of my bigger competitors.”

Knows Kind Business Worry Bigger Instinct Notion Status Quo Competitors Maintaining Preconceived Notions

Author:Michael Dell

“You can't be afraid to fail because that's when you learn.”

Failing Afraid To Fail

Author:Michael Dell

“The idea of being all things to all people is a thing of the past.”

People Ideas Past All Things

Author:Michael Dell

“Try never to be the smartest person in the room. And if you are, I suggest you invite smarter people... or find a different room. In professional circles it's called networking. In organizations it's called team building. And in life it's called family, friends, and community. We are all gifts to each other, and my own growth as a leader has shown me again and again that the most rewarding experiences come from my relationships.”

“You don't have to be a genius or a visionary or even a college graduate to be successful. You just need a framework and a dream.”

“It had always made sense to me to build a business based on what people really wanted, rather than guess what we thought they might want.”

People Want Made Might Wanted Business

Book:Direct From Dell: Strategies that Revolutionized an Industry

Source: Direct From Dell: Strategies that Revolutionized an Industry

“The key to using the Internet to extend and build relationships is to view ownership of information differently-you need to bring customers inside your business to create information partnerships ... relationships become the differentiator, more than products or services. Businesses become intertwined.”

Needs Views Information Products Keys Internet Customers Cooperation Partnership Ownership Intertwined Service Business

Author:Michael Dell

“The speed of the Internet provides a fundamentally different perspective on how business relationships occur ... The approach relies on collaboration, not on competition ... on sharing information, and understanding what we as businesses do best.”

Different Understanding Information Perspective Internet Approach Competition Speed Rely Collaboration Cooperation Different Perspective Business Relationship Sharing Information

Author:Michael Dell

“If you look at innovation, it doesn't just occur in the lab.”

Ifs Looks Innovation Labs

Author:Michael Dell

“There's always an opportunity to make a difference”

Opportunity Differences Making A Difference Business Opportunity

Author:Michael Dell

“Don’t be afraid to fail. Get out there and experiment and learn and fail and get a rate based on the experiences you have. Go for it and when you go for it you’ll learn what you’re capable of, what the potential is, where the opportunities are, but you can’t be afraid to fail because that’s when you learn.”

Motivational Opportunity Failing Capable Rate Experiments Afraid To Fail

Author:Michael Dell

“Try never to be the smartest person in the room. And if you are, I suggest you invite smarter people... or find a different room.”

People Ifs Trying Persons Different Rooms Invites Smarter Rewarding Experiences

Author:Michael Dell

About the Author

Born: February 23, 1965
Known for: Author
Quotes: 61

Books & Sources

Direct From Dell: Strategies that Revolutionized an IndustryRelated source material

Direct from Dell Strategies That Revolutionized an IndustryRelated source material

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