If you make suboptimal business decisions for the sake of bettering your personal life, your company will be less likely to succeed.Īnother interpretation of this rule is to resist developing a strong emotional commitment to your own ideas. “Number four: never get high on your own supply”Įven if you are the only shareholder in your business, you should separate what’s best for you personally from what’s best for your company.

Businesses should take steps to protect their intellectual property, including protection through patents or well-protected trade secrets. “Number three: never trust nobody”Ī healthy sense of paranoia is a valuable asset for business operators. It may be tempting to post your 12-month plan on the company blog, but beware the strategic edge it provides to your competitors once it’s out there. If your company prematurely discloses its strategic plans, it gives your competitors a head-start on emulating or surpassing your innovative strides. Innovation drives long-term business value. “Number two: never let ‘em know your next move” As Biggie says, broadcasting your financial performance can “breed jealousy,” increasing operational risks and arming your competitors with a more informed sense of your company’s weaknesses. As such, few privately held companies choose to do so. “Rule nombre uno: never let no one know how much dough you hold”įor most companies, there isn’t a tremendous amount of upside to disclosing financials. I list each of the Ten Crack Commandments below, along with its underlying message for modern business operators. Yesterday, my iTunes shuffled its way to “ The Ten Crack Commandments,” a classic and often-referenced track from The Notorious BIG’s 1997 double-album ”Life After Death.” The track is meant to be a crash-course for would-be crack dealers, but Biggie’s ten commandments actually add up to some pretty sound business advice for any industry. It’s not a coincidence that many rap stars are also successful entrepreneurs, and lyrics about business and entrepreneurial ambition are rampant in the genre. As you may have noticed from our video anthem Business Intelligence, we enjoy our fair share of rap music here at RJMetrics.

10 crack commandments list