Business Advice from a Southern Entrepreneur

Although I've had a fairly cosmopolitan upbringing and now do business with people from all over the world, I am a native Texan, and still feel a strong connection to my Southern root. Although I don't speak with one, sometimes I write with a Texas accent. So I got a real hoot out of reading Paige Arnof-Fenn's latest column for Entrepreneur.com, Business Advice from a Southern Entrepreneur, in which she takes a look at the business lessons to be learned from nine popular Southern phrases:

 
1. Dance with the date that brung ya. (Be loyal to those who got you invited to the party in the first place. They were good to you before you were a success, so don't forget them when your business takes off.)
    
2. That dog won't hunt. (Find the dog that hunts, and keep him happy.)
    
3. Putting lipstick on a pig. (You cannot make up your past credibly. People do check references.)
4. Too clever by half. (Don't be too smart for your own good. You could end up cut out of some good deals.)
    
5. Big hat, no cattle. (Only commit to what you know you can deliver, and never brag out of school, especially if you've got nothing to back it up. It's sure to come back to haunt you.)
    
6. Just fell off the turnip truck. (If you're not keeping a watchful eye on what's in progress, you could be taken by surprise and knocked for a loop. So hang on to that truck and keep an eye on the road ahead.)
    
7. Playing possum. (Sometimes the smartest thing to do is to go undercover and regroup until you're ready for the spotlight. Only then are you in a position for people to take notice.)
    
8. Getting the hogs off the truck. (Don't avoid the mundane tasks just because they're the hardest or the least glamorous. Your hard work and attention to details will help turn what could have been a good success into a great success.
    
9. Rode hard and put up wet. (You can't devote yourself to your business 24/7 and expect to be able to give it your best. Take care of yourself and find time to relax, and you'll be able to come back with a renewed sense of purposes.)

That's just a teaser... see the full article at Entrepreneur.com.