--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a business becomes successful…" description: "\"When a business becomes successful seemingly overnight, no one knows about all the months and years you've invested, all the projects you've tried befo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/niklas-zennstrom-14710_about_when-a-business-becomes-successful-seemi_163624.jpg" --- # When a business becomes successful seemingly overnight, no… ![“When a business becomes successful seemingly overnight, no one knows about all the months and years you've invested, all the projects you've tried before that didn't work.” quote by Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/niklas-zennstrom-14710_about_when-a-business-becomes-successful-seemi_163624.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/niklas-zennstrom-14710_about_when-a-business-becomes-successful-seemi_163624.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/niklas-zennstrom-14710_about_when-a-business-becomes-successful-seemi_163624.jpg) > “When a business becomes successful seemingly overnight, no one knows about all the months and years you've invested, all the projects you've tried before that didn't work.” [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success often hides the long, unseen effort and failed attempts behind it. **In simple terms:** Hard work and failures are hidden behind sudden success. Key Takeaway Recognize and value the hidden work behind achievements. Themes perseverance recognition effort failure success Mood reflective grateful realistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - startup growth - career development - personal projects - long‑term goals Key Concepts growth mindset delayed gratification learning from failure Questions to Reflect On - How many unseen hours contributed to your success? - Do you celebrate the process as much as the outcome? A Different Perspective The visible result may be fleeting without acknowledging the process. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Becomes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becomes/) [Becoming successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming-successful/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Business Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-successful-915007/) [Invested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invested/) [Invested Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invested-projects-1789526/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Overnight Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overnight-knows-1789527/) [Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful Seemingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-seemingly-1789525/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [If you get out there and push and you really work your brand like a business you will be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-scott/if-you-get-out-there-and-push-and-you-really-work-your-brand-like-a/) [Drew Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-scott/) > [“the running of the business has not been as successful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-mcneill/the-running-of-the-business-has-not-been-as-successful/) [Dwight McNeill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-mcneill/) > [“Business will be more successful when they realize that one of their greatest strengths will be their change capability.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/business-will-be-more-successful-when-they-realize-that-one-of-their-2/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [A business is successful to the extent that it provides a product or service that contributes to happiness in all of its forms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/a-business-is-successful-to-the-extent-that-it-provides-a-product-or/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [There is no way of making a business successful that can vie with the policy of promoting those who render exceptional service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/there-is-no-way-of-making-a-business-successful-that-can-vie-with-the/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [I believe no amount of business school training or work experience can teach what is ultimately a matter of personal character. Businesses are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-truett-cathy/i-believe-no-amount-of-business-school-training-or-work-experience/) [S. Truett Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-truett-cathy/) > [“When the sun sets at night and you lay your head down on your pillow, you must believe beyond the shadow of a doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-l-thompson/when-the-sun-sets-at-night-and-you-lay-your-head-down-on-your-pillow/) [V.L. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-l-thompson/) > [“Business will be more successful when they realize that one of their greatest strengths will be their multifaceted digital proficiency to scale up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/business-will-be-more-successful-when-they-realize-that-one-of-their/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [A business, successful or not, is merely a reflection of the character of its leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-truett-cathy/a-business-successful-or-not-is-merely-a-reflection-of-the-character/) [S. Truett Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-truett-cathy/) > [I'm not in it for the money. No, no. I like to run a business that's successful... I'm a very creative person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aliko-dangote/i-m-not-in-it-for-the-money-no-no-i-like-to-run-a-business-that-s/) [Aliko Dangote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aliko-dangote/) > [It's not government that makes business successful. It's not government investments that makes businesses grow and hire people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/it-s-not-government-that-makes-business-successful-it-s-not/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [If you hate to lose, you do whatever you need to do to make sure you're business is successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/if-you-hate-to-lose-you-do-whatever-you-need-to-do-to-make-sure-you/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) > [Mine your own Fucking Business and you will be Successful!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cv-pillay/mine-your-own-fucking-business-and-you-will-be-successful/) [Cv Pillay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cv-pillay/) > [Mind Your Own Fucking Business... And You Will Be Successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cv-pillay/mind-your-own-fucking-business-and-you-will-be-successful/) [Cv Pillay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cv-pillay/) > [Every business is successful exactly to the extent that it does something others cannot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/every-business-is-successful-exactly-to-the-extent-that-it-does/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) ## More by Niklas Zennstrom > [We also have a conference call feature where up to five people can talk on one Skype call.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/we-also-have-a-conference-call-feature-where-up-to-five-people-can/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [Today, over one million people now make their living on eBay, which is astounding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/today-over-one-million-people-now-make-their-living-on-ebay-which-is/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [When we started Skype, if you look at analyst reports, no one forecasted it as a big business. Also when Google started, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/when-we-started-skype-if-you-look-at-analyst-reports-no-one/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [If you want to be an entrepreneur, it's not a job, it's a lifestyle. It defines you. Forget about vacations, about going home at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/if-you-want-to-be-an-entrepreneur-it-s-not-a-job-it-s-a-lifestyle-it/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [Today as an entrepreneur you have more options.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/today-as-an-entrepreneur-you-have-more-options/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [If you want to be an entrepreneur, it's not a job, it's a lifestyle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/if-you-want-to-be-an-entrepreneur-it-s-not-a-job-it-s-a-lifestyle/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [What we are doing is taking advantage of the broadband Internet to provide basically unlimited free calls to anyone at a higher voice quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/what-we-are-doing-is-taking-advantage-of-the-broadband-internet-to/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [When we look at investing, we always think about 'how defensible is this, how likely is it that somebody is going to copy this.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/when-we-look-at-investing-we-always-think-about-how-defensible-is/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [I hope that my investment into Atomico will become my best financial investment to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/i-hope-that-my-investment-into-atomico-will-become-my-best-financial/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [In fact, we just surpassed our first 1 million simultaneous users online.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/in-fact-we-just-surpassed-our-first-1-million-simultaneous-users/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [Skype is easy enough to use so that people don't need to be tech savvy - a lot of users just want to communicate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/skype-is-easy-enough-to-use-so-that-people-don-t-need-to-be-tech/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [And the VCR did the same thing: the movie industry thought nobody would ever watch movies any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/and-the-vcr-did-the-same-thing-the-movie-industry-thought-nobody/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [We have 2 million users in the U.S. and about 13 million worldwide in more than 200 countries. We're getting 80,000 new users each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/we-have-2-million-users-in-the-u-s-and-about-13-million-worldwide-in/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [As an entrepreneur, if you're the originator, you need to be faster than ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/as-an-entrepreneur-if-you-re-the-originator-you-need-to-be-faster/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [Surround yourself with smart, dedicated people - to build something isn't a one-man show. It's more important to have smart people who really believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/surround-yourself-with-smart-dedicated-people-to-build-something-isn/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) [Explore all 45 Niklas Zennstrom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a business becomes successful seemingly overnight, no one knows about all the months and years you've invested, all the projects you've tried before that didn't work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Niklas Zennstrom" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/when-a-business-becomes-successful-seemingly-overnight-no-one-knows/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/when-a-business-becomes-successful-seemingly-overnight-no-one-knows/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/niklas-zennstrom-14710_about_when-a-business-becomes-successful-seemi_163624.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/niklas-zennstrom-14710_about_when-a-business-becomes-successful-seemi_163624.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/niklas-zennstrom-14710_about_when-a-business-becomes-successful-seemi_163624.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When a business becomes successful seemingly overnight, no one knows about all the months and years you've…” — Niklas Zennstrom", "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": "Niklas Zennstrom", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When a business becomes successful seemingly...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/when-a-business-becomes-successful-seemingly-overnight-no-one-knows/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/when-a-business-becomes-successful-seemingly-overnight-no-one-knows/#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 } } ] } ```