The road for small business owners is not always easy! But even if you’ve run into obstacles, these motivating support small business quotes will remind you of the big picture optimism.
According to Hello Alice’s impact data, when asked if they applied for a loan or have considered doing so to manage inflation-related expenses, 62% of small business owners said yes. And about 70% of owners believed supply chain challenges would continue to affect their businesses. But despite these challenges, 79% of owners expected their businesses to grow this year.
In need of some positive energy to get you motivated? Keep reading!
Quotes for Small Business Owners on Persistence
“There was a reason why you started your business, so keep going.” —Marsha Stephanson, Owner of Cater to Mom
“Keep believing in yourself, and your brand, and your mission, and you will succeed.” —David Price, Owner of The Safety Pouch
“You need to create up to 16 touchpoints before someone knows, likes, and trusts your brand.” —Laurel Mintz, Owner of Elevate My Brand
“If you believe in your business, other people believe in it as well.” —Marsha Stephanson, Owner of Cater to Mom
“He who has not first laid his foundations may be able with great ability to lay them afterwards, but they will be laid with trouble to the designer and danger to the building.” —Machiavelli’s The Prince
“Every step of the way, I remember there was so much doubt, but we kept thinking, what are we going to lose? If we just go ahead and try, the worst thing we’re going to get is a rejection.” —Asma Mirza, Steradian Technologies
“The key to success is to start before you’re ready.” —Marie Forleo
“I realized the difference between good and great is the grit that you have to actually take the leap of faith to do something.” —Madison Utendahl, Founder of Utendahl Creative
“There’s nothing like talking to other people who are struggling in the same way I am struggling.” —Carlos Consuegra, Director of Funktionell
“It’s great to have a schedule to keep you paced and accountable.” —Lauren Proctor, Founder of Deep Research
“Startups that force traditional businesses to change the way they operate by removing inefficiencies and friction will develop products and services that people love.” —Cheryl Cheng, BlueRun Ventures
“Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. You CAN do it, you just have to believe it and keep going.” —Letitia Hanke, Founder and CEO of ARS Roofing and Solar & The Lime Foundation
Quotes for Small Business Owners on Setbacks
“Let the miss go. It’s ok. And just focus on the hit!” —Brandy Wykes, Owner of Mayes NYC
“I got 10- to 15-second meetings. I wasn’t sure if they were doubting me, the market, or the product.” —Muhga Eltigani, Founder and CEO of NaturAll Club
“Every time I got a NO, I was getting closer to a YES.” —Amber Ferrell-Steele, Owner of Timeless Vodka
“Continue to say YES!” —Jaja Chen, Owner of Cha Community
“Don’t block your blessings and accept the good things that are going to happen.” —Terrance Williams, Owner of Terrance Williams Designs
“I had to make my own living and my own opportunity. But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.” —Madam C. J. Walker
“I never dreamed about success, I worked for it.” —Estée Lauder, Co-founder of Estée Lauder
“In terms of the pandemic, it brings a lot of different issues as well. I think one of the bigger things is being empathetic with people because everyone struggles differently. With everything going on, I’m pretty self-aware of how our team should be and where we are, and myself individually, too, with keeping mental health a big priority.” —Vi Nguyen, Founder of Homads
“A wise man ought always to follow the paths beaten by great men, and to imitate those who have been best, so that if his ability does not equal theirs, at least it will have some traces of it.” —Machiavelli’s The Prince
“I will tell you that in our first round of funding, we got told no 200 times. But then you learn from those NOs, you get back on the horse, and you keep applying.” —Elizabeth Gore, Hello Alice Co-founder
“I think our greatest challenges have also been our greatest opportunities.” —Lisa Bradley, Co-founder of R. Riveter
“Not being attached to outcomes is probably the biggest lesson learned at this point. As an entrepreneur, I can only control what I control. It’s not going to happen the way you want it to happen.” —Khaliah Guillory, Founder of Nap Bar
“The prince who relies entirely on fortune is lost when it changes.” —Machiavelli’s The Prince
Embracing Your Uniqueness as a Small Business
“Misbehave! I mean by that to not be afraid of occupying spaces that have been traditionally occupied by men.” —Angela G. Solomon, Owner of Queens on the Greens
“Use your gut and be relentless. There is something you uniquely bring to the world and to what you do. The only way to leverage that is to be true to yourself and learn to honor it.” —Orion Brown, Owner of BlackTravelBox
“We are doing things our way. We aren’t following the ‘this is how it is done’ mentality. We are coming up with new ideas.” —Renee Bemis, Co-founder of Driftless Glen Distillery
“If you are considering or have left a job, lean into your passion, make 2022 your year of small business, start making your dream a reality.” —Elizabeth Gore, Hello Alice Co-founder
“We started Shine not because we wanted to work for ourselves — but because we spotted a problem, no one was solving it in the right way, and we knew we were the best people for the job.” —Naomi Hirabayashi & Marah Lidey, Shine
“A company is only as good as its people. The hard part is actually building the team that will embody your company culture and propel you forward.” —Kathryn Minshew, The Muse
“…we work to give women the tools they need to make the first move.” —Whitney Wolfe Herd, Founder and CEO of Bumble
“My military experience taught me three core values: respect, integrity, and trust, which propelled me through running my own business.” —Jerry Flanagan, Founder of JDog Junk Removal
“Being a child of immigrants and growing up bilingual, I’ve always felt like I can speak either language well. My parents’ first language is Korean. I grew up speaking almost exclusively in Korean. So coffee, for me, is like another language — a language for both of us to speak to each other. And in that way, it’s very special.” —Jiyoon Han, Bean & Bean Coffee Roasters
“Leaning into smallness when you’re small is really important, because people really do respond.” —Micki Krimmel, Superfit Hero Founder
“It is about damn time that we support diverse small business owners.” —Arian Hamilton, Backstage Capital
“Everyone keeps saying let’s get back to normal, and I don’t agree with that. I want to get back to the new normal, where women and people of color and U.S. Veterans are held up as not the right thing to do or social good, but the best economic bet in this country.” —Elizabeth Gore in Forbes
Quotes to Remember Your Why as a Small Business Owner
“Have a WHY that’s so much greater than anything inside of yourself…you have to want to show up on the worst day.” —Kaci Kai, Owner of Krav Maga ATX
“It’s really important to let people know your story, your journey, what you’re going through, and they can relate.” —Diamond Brown, Owner of Diamond’s Body Care
“When I talk to young people about Black farmers, their eyes light up. They think that’s like Superman. No, he lives three hours that way, I’m going to bring him to the school and you’ll meet him. Not having that as a career option, not having that as a historical reference, I think, has left a huge void in a lot of African American people. So we are telling our story, and beacon of light, and hope is getting brighter.” —Gail Meyers, Farms to Grow, Inc.
“It’s all about putting your people first.” —Danise Guy, Co-owner of First Sip Brew Box
“It’s always worth it and you gotta stop waiting.” —Emmett Soldati, Owner of Teatotaller
“Life’s persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” —Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“…community is exactly what entrepreneurs need.” —Christie Pitts, Backstage Capital
“Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.” —Serena Williams
“I get to empower people that I care about that have been underserved by the technology industry and the media industry. I get to wake up and literally think about how we can make the world better.” —Morgan DeBaun, Blavity
“Small businesses can turn into bigger ones. Real investment will start happening in Black businesses which will subsequently be paid forward into our Black communities.” —Aurora James, Founder of Brother Vellies
“…we are working to ensure that all underrepresented groups in business are given equal access to funding, networking, and services that are vital to success.” —Serena Williams
“I wanted to work on projects I believed in with people I cared about. So I started doing just that.” —Lauren Rinkey, VP of Business Development at Alliance Consumer Growth
“I see a big opportunity to hand women the reins to drive companies to successfully bring these products to life.” —Sara Brand, Founding General Partner of True Wealth Ventures
“There is just so much learning that we all can do. At the end of the day, there is a place for everybody in this space.” —Joyce Cenali, Founding Partner & COO of Big Rock Partners
Bookmark this page and revisit these support small business quotes whenever you need motivation. Remember, you have your why, and your business deserves to thrive. Keep going!
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