--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you ever hope to get ahead as an…" description: "\"If you ever hope to get ahead as an entrepreneur, the answer is not becoming an effective juggler, but in understanding and designing the systems to ke..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/michael-gerber-3751_ahead_if-you-ever-hope-to-get-ahead-as-an-entr_415676.png" --- # If you ever hope to get ahead as an entrepreneur, the… ![“If you ever hope to get ahead as an entrepreneur, the answer is not becoming an effective juggler, but in understanding and designing the systems to keep your team, not you, busy, busy, busy.” quote by Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/michael-gerber-3751_ahead_if-you-ever-hope-to-get-ahead-as-an-entr_415676.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/michael-gerber-3751_ahead_if-you-ever-hope-to-get-ahead-as-an-entr_415676.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/michael-gerber-3751_ahead_if-you-ever-hope-to-get-ahead-as-an-entr_415676.png) > “If you ever hope to get ahead as an entrepreneur, the answer is not becoming an effective juggler, but in understanding and designing the systems to keep your team, not you, busy, busy, busy.” [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success comes from designing systems that keep the team productive, not from juggling tasks yourself. **In simple terms:** Design systems, not just multitask. Key Takeaway Focus on system design. Themes entrepreneurship productivity leadership Mood strategic focused Type advisory practical When to use this quote - startup management - team coordination - project planning Key Concepts systems thinking delegation process optimization Questions to Reflect On - How can you identify the most critical system to improve? - What tasks should you delegate to free your time? A Different Perspective Systems need constant refinement and can become bottlenecks if over‑engineered. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Entrepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneur/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [Teamwork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teamwork/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [When I say, 'doin' it, doin' it, doin' it' to a group of small business owners, they immediately respond. 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If I had believed in it, I wouldn't have allowed anyone to get ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharmendra/i-was-never-bothered-about-my-position-in-the-industry-if-i-had/) [Dharmendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharmendra/) > [There's no limit to what you can accomplish, but there's always someone one step ahead of you, so it's a constant uphill battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mary-stewart/there-s-no-limit-to-what-you-can-accomplish-but-there-s-always/) [Catherine Mary Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mary-stewart/) > [I wasn't putting my all into it and I was still managing to score goals, and that gave me something to dream about, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gray/i-wasn-t-putting-my-all-into-it-and-i-was-still-managing-to-score/) [Andre Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gray/) > [People are flying you places in business class. Everyone wants to take pictures of you and find out information about you. 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Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [I once invested in a risky business. Quite a few people warned me not to do so, but I still went ahead and invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautam-rode/i-once-invested-in-a-risky-business-quite-a-few-people-warned-me-not/) [Gautam Rode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautam-rode/) > [If I have a problem with somebody, I go ahead and say what's on my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nico-hulkenberg/if-i-have-a-problem-with-somebody-i-go-ahead-and-say-what-s-on-my-mind/) [Nico Hulkenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nico-hulkenberg/) > [Anybody who thinks that they should lead the country should go ahead and put their hat in the ring. I am not among them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-schatz/anybody-who-thinks-that-they-should-lead-the-country-should-go-ahead/) [Brian Schatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-schatz/) ## More by Michael Gerber > [The more Strategic Work you do, the more effective, productive, and joyful the Tactical Work becomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/the-more-strategic-work-you-do-the-more-effective-productive-and/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) > [If you haven't created the time as an owner to understand why people are choosing your model over your competition, then you are only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/if-you-haven-t-created-the-time-as-an-owner-to-understand-why-people/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) > [I've said it for four decades - work 'on' your business, not just 'in' your business!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/i-ve-said-it-for-four-decades-work-on-your-business-not-just-in-your/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) > [If you expect to grow your business, you need to be plotting out your schedules days in advance. Until you get that most basic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/if-you-expect-to-grow-your-business-you-need-to-be-plotting-out-your/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) > [Growing your own business is great. Watching your ideas come to life, taking care of new customers and watching them become repeat customers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/growing-your-own-business-is-great-watching-your-ideas-come-to-life/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) > [You can't be the accountant in your accounting firm. You can't cut the grass in your landscaping business. 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Note that, despite what many believe, you cannot organize people - you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/there-are-three-things-that-can-be-organized-time-space-and-work-note/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) > [The world of the small business owner is all about moving multiple items forward at once, and it's a fool's errand to believe one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/the-world-of-the-small-business-owner-is-all-about-moving-multiple/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) > [Entrepreneurship requires an unvanquished spirit of curiosity, an openness to learning, a letting go of OldCo so you're free to create NewCo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/entrepreneurship-requires-an-unvanquished-spirit-of-curiosity-an/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) > [Here's the problem with phones - they are a ready-made diversion from the considerably harder work of growing a business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/here-s-the-problem-with-phones-they-are-a-ready-made-diversion-from/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) > [Systems permit ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results predictably.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/systems-permit-ordinary-people-to-achieve-extraordinary-results/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) [Explore all 122 Michael Gerber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) ## More Ahead quotes > [Anybody who thinks that they should lead the country should go ahead and put their hat in the ring. I am not among them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-schatz/anybody-who-thinks-that-they-should-lead-the-country-should-go-ahead/) [Brian Schatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-schatz/) > [If I have a problem with somebody, I go ahead and say what's on my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nico-hulkenberg/if-i-have-a-problem-with-somebody-i-go-ahead-and-say-what-s-on-my-mind/) [Nico Hulkenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nico-hulkenberg/) > [I once invested in a risky business. Quite a few people warned me not to do so, but I still went ahead and invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautam-rode/i-once-invested-in-a-risky-business-quite-a-few-people-warned-me-not/) [Gautam Rode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautam-rode/) > [“What lies behind us is nothing compared to what lies within us and ahead of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/what-lies-behind-us-is-nothing-compared-to-what-lies-within-us-and/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [In Life, We May Never Get The Same Opportunity Again, But There's Always Something Better Ahead...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/in-life-we-may-never-get-the-same-opportunity-again-but-there-s/) Pacifiersucker > [Makeup is only fun if it's occasional and capricious - just like it's a treat to have an empty day ahead, but it wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-coren-mitchell/makeup-is-only-fun-if-it-s-occasional-and-capricious-just-like-it-s-a/) [Victoria Coren Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-coren-mitchell/) > [There is no such thing as disposable time if you want to stay ahead of the game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-such-thing-as-disposable-time-if-you-want-to-stay-ahead/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm the kind of guy who comes home and checks scores for everything. I'm a sports fan in general, so I pretty much keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chadwick-boseman/i-m-the-kind-of-guy-who-comes-home-and-checks-scores-for-everything-i/) [Chadwick Boseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chadwick-boseman/) > [People are flying you places in business class. Everyone wants to take pictures of you and find out information about you. It's a freak-out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolandi-visser/people-are-flying-you-places-in-business-class-everyone-wants-to-take/) [Yolandi Visser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolandi-visser/) > [I wasn't putting my all into it and I was still managing to score goals, and that gave me something to dream about, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gray/i-wasn-t-putting-my-all-into-it-and-i-was-still-managing-to-score/) [Andre Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gray/) > [There's no limit to what you can accomplish, but there's always someone one step ahead of you, so it's a constant uphill battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mary-stewart/there-s-no-limit-to-what-you-can-accomplish-but-there-s-always/) [Catherine Mary Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mary-stewart/) > [I was never bothered about my position in the industry. If I had believed in it, I wouldn't have allowed anyone to get ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharmendra/i-was-never-bothered-about-my-position-in-the-industry-if-i-had/) [Dharmendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharmendra/) > [I don't want to look too far ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jofra-archer/i-don-t-want-to-look-too-far-ahead/) [Jofra Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jofra-archer/) > [“one who takes the first step always remains one step ahead”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabi-shaheen/one-who-takes-the-first-step-always-remains-one-step-ahead/) Rabi Shaheen > [I am not interested to sing in Bollywood. I sing for only those actors whom I admire. I sing free of cost for them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yo-yo-honey-singh/i-am-not-interested-to-sing-in-bollywood-i-sing-for-only-those-actors/) [Yo Yo Honey Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yo-yo-honey-singh/) Browse all 1,773 Ahead quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you ever hope to get ahead as an entrepreneur, the answer is not becoming an effective juggler, but in understanding and designing the systems to keep your team, not you, busy, busy, busy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Gerber" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/if-you-ever-hope-to-get-ahead-as-an-entrepreneur-the-answer-is-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ahead" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/if-you-ever-hope-to-get-ahead-as-an-entrepreneur-the-answer-is-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/michael-gerber-3751_ahead_if-you-ever-hope-to-get-ahead-as-an-entr_415676.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/michael-gerber-3751_ahead_if-you-ever-hope-to-get-ahead-as-an-entr_415676.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/719/michael-gerber-3751_ahead_if-you-ever-hope-to-get-ahead-as-an-entr_415676.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you ever hope to get ahead as an entrepreneur, the answer is not becoming an effective juggler, but in…” — Michael Gerber", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Gerber", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you ever hope to get...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/if-you-ever-hope-to-get-ahead-as-an-entrepreneur-the-answer-is-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/if-you-ever-hope-to-get-ahead-as-an-entrepreneur-the-answer-is-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```