20 Business Lessons From Harvey Specter: 
1. “Don’t Raise Your Voice. Improve Your Argument”
This was originally said by Desmond Tutu.
Specter is saying you should remain conscious in your dealings with others and keep a cool head throughout.
Good sense does not lie with those shouting or an unruly crowd.
This was originally said by Desmond Tutu.
Specter is saying you should remain conscious in your dealings with others and keep a cool head throughout.
Good sense does not lie with those shouting or an unruly crowd.
2. "1 Client Doesn't Make a Firm"
Harvey's advice here is not to get emotionally attached to any one client.
Try to keep clients? Yes.
But is losing a client the end of the world? No.
Harvey's advice here is not to get emotionally attached to any one client.
Try to keep clients? Yes.
But is losing a client the end of the world? No.
3. “There’s Always a Choice”
There will come a time when you feel like you have run out of options.
There will come a time when you feel like you have run out of options.
Specter says, “when someone points a gun at your face, you take the gun, or you pull out a bigger one. Or you call their bluff. Or you do any one of a hundred and forty-six other things.”
There are always options. It’s up to you to find them.
There are always options. It’s up to you to find them.
4. "Be More Interested in Keeping Business Than Getting it"
Focus more on retention rather than acquiring new clients
Focus more on retention rather than acquiring new clients
Acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than retaining an existing customer.
While increasing customer retention by 5% can increase profits from 25-95%
You can't outsell high churn rates.
While increasing customer retention by 5% can increase profits from 25-95%
You can't outsell high churn rates.
5. “Mistakes Are Fine”
Everybody makes mistakes!
But it’s how you handle those mistakes that matter
Doesn’t point fingers and play the blame game.
Acknowledge that you screwed up, and then fix the problem.
Everybody makes mistakes!
But it’s how you handle those mistakes that matter
Doesn’t point fingers and play the blame game.
Acknowledge that you screwed up, and then fix the problem.
6. "First Impressions Last"
This is as simple as it gets, but it matters more than anything in the client services business.
This is as simple as it gets, but it matters more than anything in the client services business.
Make your clients confident in their decision to hire you from day 1.
Have an organized and professional onboarding process to help them know they made the right choice.
Have an organized and professional onboarding process to help them know they made the right choice.
7. “Anyone Can Do My Job, But No One Can Be Me”
Your role in your job is replaceable.
But you’re not.
Believe in yourself and know your worth.
Your role in your job is replaceable.
But you’re not.
Believe in yourself and know your worth.
Be your real self and don’t change because you believe circumstances force you to.
If that’s the case, you’re not where you need to be.
If that’s the case, you’re not where you need to be.
8. "Dominate Early On So You Can Come and Go As You Please In The Future"
When first starting any business, it's your duty as the founder to be hands-on.
When first starting any business, it's your duty as the founder to be hands-on.
Don't outsource things right away so that you can learn and know what to outsource for.
When you're finally ready to hire, it will be simple to select the right person.
When you're finally ready to hire, it will be simple to select the right person.
9. “Mentorship Is Important”
We are led to believe that upon graduation, we are ready for the working world, but that’s not true at all.
Sure, we have the book knowledge.
But we don’t have is real-world working experience.
Embrace mentorship no matter what career you’re in
We are led to believe that upon graduation, we are ready for the working world, but that’s not true at all.
Sure, we have the book knowledge.
But we don’t have is real-world working experience.
Embrace mentorship no matter what career you’re in
10. "Winners Don’t Make Excuses When The Other Side Plays The Game"
To be a leader that wins, you must be willing to take on all responsibility and learn from your mistakes and losses.
To be a leader that wins, you must be willing to take on all responsibility and learn from your mistakes and losses.
Making an excuse is the worst thing you can do.
Instead, admit your mistake and learn for next time.
Instead, admit your mistake and learn for next time.
11. “Appearance Matters a Lot”
Before you have opened your mouth to say something, most people have already decided whether you’re worth listening to or not.
Before you have opened your mouth to say something, most people have already decided whether you’re worth listening to or not.
And while you might not judge a book by its cover, every one of us makes subtle judgments based on outward appearances.
Take it from Harvey, dress well and win the respect of the room before you open your mouth.
Take it from Harvey, dress well and win the respect of the room before you open your mouth.
12. "Be The Absolute Best at Whatever You Do"
Your #1 goal should be to be the go-to product or service for your target market.
Master your craft until this becomes true (it won't be in the beginning days)
Your #1 goal should be to be the go-to product or service for your target market.
Master your craft until this becomes true (it won't be in the beginning days)
This is why it’s better to follow your obsession, not your passion.
Only when you’re obsessed will you become the best.
Only when you’re obsessed will you become the best.
13. “Unethical Choices Will Always Bite You in the Future”
You might feel you got away with something right now, but somewhere down the line, you can be sure your bad deed will come back to haunt you.
You might feel you got away with something right now, but somewhere down the line, you can be sure your bad deed will come back to haunt you.
It’s not uncommon in high-pressure competitive environments for people to take liberties regarding ethics.
Either learn to live with the stress of it or live above reprieve and don’t cross the line.
Either learn to live with the stress of it or live above reprieve and don’t cross the line.
14. "When You’re #1, You Don’t Need to Broadcast Your Victories"
You'll know you've "made it" when you no longer have to tell people you've "made it.”
You'll know you've "made it" when you no longer have to tell people you've "made it.”
The best don’t have to tell you they’ve won, they just put their heads down and get back to work.
Broadcasting victories do nothing to help you and only make you more of a target for others.
Broadcasting victories do nothing to help you and only make you more of a target for others.
15. “Sometimes, You Need to Try the Unexpected Angle”
The best approach isn’t always the obvious one.
There is power in tackling problems through creative means.
The best approach isn’t always the obvious one.
There is power in tackling problems through creative means.
Before you take the first solution to a problem, circle back and see if there aren’t any other angles.
You might take your opponent with the element of surprise.
You might take your opponent with the element of surprise.
16. “If You Cannot Convince, Provide Something Better”
Success doesn’t mean having exactly what your customer is looking for.
Sometimes it means showing them that you understand their needs and are willing to find a solution.
Success doesn’t mean having exactly what your customer is looking for.
Sometimes it means showing them that you understand their needs and are willing to find a solution.
Do your homework and find out what matters more to your client.
Whatever it is, if you don’t know what they need, then you can’t help them.
Whatever it is, if you don’t know what they need, then you can’t help them.
17. "Don’t Care About What Other People Think of You, Only Care What You Think of You"
Stay in your own lane, keep a narrow focus, and don't compare your journey to others.
Stay in your own lane, keep a narrow focus, and don't compare your journey to others.
There will always be people hating you for what you do or don’t do.
Work on becoming the best version of yourself and don’t worry about anyone else.
Work on becoming the best version of yourself and don’t worry about anyone else.
18. “When You Are Backed Against the Wall, Break The Thing Down”
Nothing stops Harvey.
He doesn’t like things that limit him, so when something restricts him, he breaks it down, and down it goes in a blaze of glory.
Nothing stops Harvey.
He doesn’t like things that limit him, so when something restricts him, he breaks it down, and down it goes in a blaze of glory.
So next time you’re backed into a corner, turn around and make your own emergency exit.
19. "Excuses Don’t Win Championships"
This one doesn't need much of an explanation other than this:
There's no substitute for hard work if you want to win at anything in life.
This one doesn't need much of an explanation other than this:
There's no substitute for hard work if you want to win at anything in life.
Excuses ❌
Figure it out ✅
Want to be successful?
Don’t waste time complaining; instead, focus on what needs to get done.
Figure it out ✅
Want to be successful?
Don’t waste time complaining; instead, focus on what needs to get done.
20. “Ever Loved Someone So Much, You Would Do Anything For Them? Yeah, Well, Make That Someone Yourself And Do Whatever The Hell You Want.”
Harvey Specter is unashamedly numero uno to Harvey Specter.
Harvey Specter is unashamedly numero uno to Harvey Specter.
And there is no shame in this kind of mentality.
It doesn’t assume you will be selfish; it just assumes that with the right faith and confidence in yourself you can overcome any obstacle, and nothing can take that hunger away from you.
It doesn’t assume you will be selfish; it just assumes that with the right faith and confidence in yourself you can overcome any obstacle, and nothing can take that hunger away from you.
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