Recently, I attended a funeral for a business owner that knew me my entire life.

He lived a very long and full life and was remarkably successful on any measure.

The funeral was a real celebration of his life.

One thing I was reflecting on all the way through was the honesty and integrity of this person.

If he looked you in the eye, and gave a commitment, you could be guaranteed that was exactly what was going to happen.

This is what I would call old fashioned business practice.

After saying that, however, I know quite a few people that still operate this way.

This style of doing business is normally in the DNA and is handed down from generation to generation.

Another feature of this family business was it wasn’t multigenerational, and the business was built from scratch, the classic 40 year overnight success.

I am not sure when it became apparent the family was onto a winner with the business model, but it was obvious to the outside observer that once the model was sorted, it was tenaciously pursued.

Another feature of this business and the family was their presentation. Not only of themselves, but also of their plant and equipment. Always clean and well maintained.

You knew if they promised to be on farm at a certain time, they would be.

Or, if they were unavoidably delayed, you were always notified well in advance.

Communication is key in all areas of life, professionally and personally.

Another aspect of this person was his sense of community.

Contribution back into multiple organisations was a hallmark of his.

This wasn’t done for recognition but was done as a way to give back to those organisations.

Legacy is another word that comes to mind when I think about what this person achieved in his lifetime.

I am not sure if this was a driver, but it certainly was an outcome.

As with all family businesses, it takes the entire family to be on board with the vision.

I’m sure in the early days in particular, there would have been many moments where the business was precariously placed, and during these times it’s imperative that everyone is on the same page.

Many people have stopped tantalisingly just short of success, if only they’d persisted. This family did indeed persist.

While this article is based on a particular person, we all have examples of people we know that have these same traits.

They are to be admired and these kinds of people are good role models for us to emulate.

The small things count in business and in life, people do notice consistency.

This is part of the recipe for business success. Most people deal with people they like and know they can trust.

Being curious and being a good listener is another key plank of being a successful business owner.

Coming into any interaction with an open mind is a good idea.

It’s amazing how much you learn when you ask questions and listen intently.