Business Lessons from Spongebob — yes, the cartoon!
When I was 5, I broke my left arm, at 8, I broke that same arm again; and at 12, I sprained my ankle. All these didn’t stop me from starting and growing my first poultry business at age 13, and I started that poultry business with just a feather! Yes, just a feather!
And in the twenty-first century, that is essentially how every article and story’s opening is written. They begin with one-liners that are carefully crafted to grab your attention and keep you riveted; however, they fall short in terms of content depth and fulfilling the promise made in the article title.
I’d like to share a story with you about “How to conduct business the SPONGEBOB way.” Watch as I hold your attention while keeping my promise to you.
Business, generically, is one of the two pillars of the globe; the second is love. Love itself is a business in the area of the heart. When you enter a new area, one of the most frequent questions is, “What business do you have here?” or, more properly, “State your business.” Business is hustle; hustle defines who we are and what we do.
Now, you’ve heard great advice from the business moguls and crème de la crème of the business society; you’ve attended webinars and seminars in search of the way to go in the business world, but I can bet a million dollars (I would never bet this. If I had this kind of money, I would be reading this article comfortably in my penthouse suite somewhere in the Bahamas, sipping coconut juice and eating food I can’t pronounce) you have never, in all your years of existence, thought about the great business tips on display in the award-winning cartoon, SpongeBob Squarepants.
I love SpongeBob! For those who are unfamiliar, SpongeBob Squarepants is a cartoon that has been aired on Nickelodeon on a regular basis for years. SpongeBob Squarepants, a yellow sponge, is the main character, and his best friend is a starfish named Patrick Star. SpongeBob works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab, a eatery run by Mr. Krabs, a crab. The setting of the cartoon is underwater, in a small town called Bikini Bottom.
SpongeBob, first of all, happens to observe one of the most important rituals in business — Punctuality. He wears a wristwatch (that actually works; it’s not just for show) and uses it to make sure he gets to work on time and that certain tasks are completed on schedule in order to meet the daily goals of the business.
If you are a successful businessperson, like Mr. Krabs, you will recognize the value of every dollar. We can learn that it is crucial to account for every penny in business and make wise decisions so that money is not just thrown away, even though Mr. Krabs has a huge obsession with notes and coins because he cares for his money a little more than he should. You can call this movement #Everydollarcounts.
And then there’s Squidward. Squidward is a typical chill, laid-back worker who is sarcastic and gets irritated easily by Spongebob’s upbeat demeanor. You don’t have to be constantly worked up, is the point I’m trying to make here. Give yourself a break, man. You sometimes need to take a break. Don’t be a Squidward!
Importantly, Mr. Krabs’ original business concepts are one of my favorites about him. I find this amusing because I know how the ideas pan out. It starts out well and makes a lot of money, but eventually the customers get bored and Mr. Krabs has to step up his game by cleverly getting people to consider the idea from a different perspective, which of course also keeps the money coming in. The key takeaway here is that in order to produce unique results for your business — the good kind of unique — you must constantly understand the game and incorporate original ideas.
In business, never be scared of rivalry. Well, you should be a little scared when you get threats to your life. But healthy rivalry is good; it helps you become better and makes you think critically, so you don’t make the mistake of sitting on your laurels. Mr. Krabs’ rival is a small sea creature named Plankton. He sure gives Mr. Krabs a lot of trouble, but Mr. Krabs is one crafty businessman who is always a step ahead. You should be too.
On a final note, to be successful in business, make sure you have a secret formula inside a bottle, locked in some safe, at the bottom of the ocean. Just kidding! That’s Mr. Krabs’ style. You shouldn’t give away all your secrets in business; always have tricks up your sleeves; be totally unpredictable!
I know I didn’t talk about some other parameters in the business equation, but do me a favor and catch up on them with a few episodes of SpongeBob Squarepants. Don’t be too “adultish” about it, and trust me — you’d love it!
THE END.
