James Cash Penney

“There's no better friend to any merchant than a fair competitor.”

“The thought in my mind was that I must be a good merchant. If I were a good merchant, the rest would probably take care of itself.”

“No business can succeed in any great degree without being properly organized.”

“It is the service we are not obliged to give that people value most.”

“We can serve our customers well only if our buying jobs are right. You cannot sell if you haven't ordered wanted goods into your store.”

“Salesmanship, too, is an art; the perfection of its technique requires study and practice.”

“It was always my practice to train salespeople under my direct supervision, and to treat children with the utmost consideration.”

“No serious-minded man should have time for the mediocre in any phase of his living.”

“I do not believe in excuses. I believe in hard work as the prime solvent of life's problems.”

“Theory is splendid but until put into practice, it is valueless.”

“Success cannot come from standstill men. Methods change and men must change with them.”

“Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.”

“Too many would-be executives are slaves of routine.”