In business, it may not be the people you like most who will help your business most.

That’s a lesson that my guest today learned the hard way.

Richard Christiansen has founded or cofounded 49 businesses, of which 16 became multimillion-dollar successes. He’s also the national bestselling author of “The Zigzag Principle: The Goal Setting Strategy that will Revolutionize Your Business and Your Life.”

But in his first truly successful business, he made the mistake of partnering with someone who didn’t share one of his core values of business leadership.

In 2006 and 2007, Richard cofounded one of the largest business blog networks with a partner who he got along with great on a personal level.

But when the New York Times started to flex its muscle to acquire the growing business, his partnership broke down in horrific fashion and he found himself the victim of a hostile takeover. All of this because of a single key difference of opinion.

That experience sent him into a “cocoon” for a while.  But when he finally emerged, he applied the lessons he learned to pioneer values-based leadership that helps him avoid a similar fate in any other business.

The lessons have also extended to the way he treats his family. He applies the same lesson of value-based leadership to his family and has seen amazing results.

So amazing, in fact, that his three sons have all started million-dollar businesses. And the youngest one is still in high school.

If you have ever partnered with or hired someone because you liked them, only to find out later that your key values are disastrously misaligned, this episode is for you.

If you have ever started working with a client who wants you to do things you don’t feel comfortable with, listen to what Richard has to say.

And if you want to know the secrets of making your kids into successful entrepreneurs at an early age, click play in the bar above to get started.

Listen to this episode to hear Rich Christiansen tell me about values-based leadership and more:

• The secret of making your children self-made millionaires at a young age.
• Why Rich quit a cushy job at Mitsubishi Electric.
• How 45 hours of travel for a five-minute tongue-lashing changed the course of Rich’s life.
• Raising children who don’t have an entitlement attitude.
• How confidence and competence show themselves, even in a grieving man.
• The “hat trick” you can pull off: taking $5,000 and building a $1 million business.
• How value-based leadership has prevented “brain damage” for Rich.
• Trick questions you can use to hire the best fit for your teams.
• Why being Mr. Incredible hurts your credibility.
• The three things you can never replace that need your attention now.
• Why Rich’s family has its own coat of arms.

Books and resources mentioned in this episode:

• “The Zigzag Principle: The Goal Setting Strategy that will Revolutionize Your Business and Your Life,” by Rich Christiansen
• “Bootstrap Business,” by Rich Christiansen and Ron Porter
• “Even If Your Toes Turn Purple: Raising Teenagers That Are Confident, Happy, and Stand Out,” by Rich Christiansen and Tim Christiansen
• “Man of Steel and Velvet,” by Aubrey Andelin
• Rich and his son’s website for their joint book.

Know your values:

Values should direct everything that you do in business, but too many men cast them aside or forget about them in the heat of business.

If you want to better align with your own values so you can accelerate your life in the right direction, we’ve created a challenge that will up your productivity, creativity and bolster your relationships. All while you build a thriving values-based business.

Learn more