Andy Frisella started his first supplement store 19 years ago. His first few years he struggled to make rent. He lived in the back of the store and went door to door, making friends and selling his products. Now he pulls in 9 figures a year in revenue with his 1st Phorm company and family of associated brands.
Frisella has some hard-earned lessons gleaned while turning his company from a single store into an empire, and he has tips for anyone trying to follow in his path. Here are Andy Frisella’s 8 habits that will make you successful.
1. Envision Your Goals
Frisella suggests taking the time to envision your long- and short-term goals every night before you go to sleep. This will not only help you keep your goals straight; it will also help keep you and your employees motivated by allowing you to articulate your goals precisely. Try to visualize your success in detail. See the exact scene: the environment, the people, the building, the car you drive. See the finishes, smell the smells. Get into as much detail as possible. Make this a habit for two or three minutes every night before you go to bed, after you close your eyes but before you fall asleep.
2. Synergize Your Work and Personal Life
Frisella takes this one to heart. His wife, Emily, is an entrepreneur as well, and living that lifestyle together has helped them keep focused on their business endeavors while also keeping their personal and family life balanced. Try to figure out ways to incorporate your family or kids into your business. This will keep you happier, healthier and more productive in the long run.
3. Hire Early
Frisella can’t emphasize this enough. He says that often people shy away from the cost of new hiring until they reach a certain level of revenue. However, Frisella says that an extra employee can often help you reach that level of revenue faster. Employees are investments that save you time and money, and produce a financial return. Don’t be afraid to go big and save your energy by allowing others to do some work.
4. Invest in Your Business
Not many people know the true difference between expenses and investments, but it’s crucial in business. This is related to habit 3. Whether this means new facilities, a new marketing campaign or something specific to your industry, you should always be thinking about how revenue flows back into your company to grow—no matter what stage your company is at. Invest now so that you can reap the rewards later.
5. Stay Healthy
As a vitamin and supplement guy, this may not seem surprising coming from Frisella, but he really means it. Working out can keep you energized, productive and happy. Eating healthily is also vital for the long, stressful hours you need to be successful. Self care like yoga and meditation is scientifically proven to reduce stress and increase productivity. If your workplace allows it, think about getting a company dog. Pets can keep your co-workers happier and healthier.
6. Stay Patient
Frisella adheres to a notion he calls “aggressive patience.” While this may seem like an oxymoron, it is one of the more important habits to pick up if you want to achieve success. Many “failed” ventures or projects could have been revived through a patient reevaluation and adjustment of strategy. On Frisella’s first day, his store made $7. On the second, it made $0. It took him years to begin to make real profits, and that was only after plenty of struggle and patience. Patience is one of the most important tools to practice—not only find success, but to recognize it once it is found.
7. Build and Maintain Relationships
Frisella’s original customers all had one thing in common—they were his friends. Not his old friends coming in and doing him a favor by buying a supplement out of guilt, but new friends: ones he went out and made by walking down the street that his store was on, hawking his wares. He has never forgotten their loyalty to him, and the value of personal relationships with customers is something he has retained as he runs his $175 million company today.
Frisella makes sure that his customers feel a sense of community and connection with his brand, something he accomplishes through relationships with his vendors and customers. This can be applied to any company in any industry. If you want to do well, ensure others want you to do well.
8. Work Your Butt Off
This is Frisella’s specialty. Having gone door to door selling light bulbs as a kid, Frisella has never shied away from hard work. If you want success, you need to be prepared to work your butt off and make the sacrifices needed to accomplish your goals. Whether this means sleeping less, putting more time in or simply not accepting anything less than complete success as an outcome, hard work is one of the most important habits to develop if you hope to become successful.
