Success the Amish way--it's not flashy, but it works at almost twice the rate of everybody else.

The "package" isn't particularly sexy, but the pay-off is real.

Amish businesses are a testament to old-fashion values.  The Amish have an astonishing 95% success rate of businesses less than five years old--compared to a success rate of  just 50% for the average new business in the U.S.  

So whats their secret?  Well, most of it is not fancy and, actually, their success turns on much of what is good advice we already know.  Hard work seems to a hallmark attribute, including a devotion to enterprise that starts for many before the sun comes up.  

A whole new meaning to the word "networking."

Another key success factor is networking, but a network built less on Facebook and Linked-In and more on the practical assistance from other neighbors and business associates; having someone help you to  "raise" a barn for a day or two gives "networking" a substantially new and more practical meaning than writing an endorsement on another's website.

Business success for Amish can also be thought to include the practice of sticking to product-markets they are very comfortable with and understand, coupled with a strong dose of humility and felt-need for constant learning.  

The formula may not be all that complicated.

None of these principles are particularly new--and neither are they especially "sexy"; however, they seem to run through all Amish enterprises.  In a recent contribution to CNNMoney.com feature, "Why Amish businesses don't fail," Geoff Williams describes a number of Amish small business owners and the techniques they employ.  

But think about it, being good at what you do as well as prosperous--even it it's boring--beats flashy-and-glitzy-but-unsuccessful every time!  

POST BLOG NOTE:  I wrote some brief comments on my keithmurrayONBIZ Facebook Page about the blog--which you can checkout as you are inclined, along with some other reflections on prior blogs and other other matters.  
_______________________________________________________________

To make sure you get a "tweet" with every new blog, follow "keithmurrayblog" on Twitter!  Think others might like to read this?  Re-TWEET it to your followers with the SHARE ARTICLE tab below!