When B.B. King died at the age of 89, the world lost a masterful musician and a keen entrepreneur. The legendary bluesman made a great living doing what he loved most for over 60 years, and we at Universal Events believe his life offers some inspiring lessons to business founders. Here are a few insights to be gained from B.B. King’s life and career: • Know Your Strengths: King focused on relatively slow single-note playing, and he stressed feel rather than flashiness. He did this because he struggled to play complex chords and wasn’t very good at singing and playing at the same time. His tasteful style ended up becoming his signature sound. • Stay Humble: Even in the face of his massive success, King never changed his workmanlike attitude toward his music and everyday life. We follow King’s example here at Universal Events, making sure we learn from mistakes and try to improve all the time. • Learn Something Every Day: You can’t expect to know everything, but that shouldn’t stop you from learning something worthwhile every single day. King kept playing and touring well into his 80s, meeting new people and learning new insights on a daily basis. There may never be another guitar player as expressive and simultaneously humble as B.B. King. We at Universal Events will continue to learn from his life and legacy.
