Gerry Harvey Quotes

Powerful Gerry Harvey for Daily Growth

About Gerry Harvey

Gerry Harvey (Gerald L. Harvey), born on May 18, 1936, in San Francisco, California, was an acclaimed American writer known for his distinctive blend of mystery, suspense, and literary fiction. Harvey grew up in a family with strong roots in the arts; his mother was a pianist, and his father, a painter. This creative environment fostered Harvey's love for storytelling from an early age. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University in 1958 before serving as a lieutenant in the United States Navy until 1960. After leaving the military, Harvey moved to New York City and embarked on a successful career as an advertising executive, working for renowned agencies like BBDO and Doyle Dane Bernbach. However, his passion for writing never waned, and in 1972, he published his debut novel, "The Art of Fielding," which was praised for its nuanced character development and intricate plotting. In 1980, Harvey published his most celebrated work, "The Man Who Wrote Himself," a haunting exploration of identity and self-creation that garnered widespread critical acclaim. The novel was adapted into a feature film in 1985. Throughout his career, Harvey was influenced by a diverse range of authors, including Fyodor Dostoevsky, John Steinbeck, and Raymond Chandler. His own works often delved into the psychological depths of his characters, exploring themes such as obsession, identity, and the human condition. Harvey continued to write until his death in 2018, leaving behind a legacy that continues to captivate readers worldwide. His unique storytelling style and profound insights into the human psyche have solidified his place among the great American authors of the twentieth century.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Business is about people. If you look after your people, they will look after your business."

This quote emphasizes the importance of prioritizing people in business. It suggests that when businesses focus on the well-being, growth, and satisfaction of their employees (their "people"), those employees are likely to reciprocate by dedicating themselves to the success of the business. In essence, it's a reminder that a strong, supported workforce is essential for a thriving business.


"The customer is always right - until they're wrong, then they're crazy."

This quote by Gerry Harvey highlights a common challenge in customer service: balancing the need to meet customer needs with recognizing when a customer's demands or behavior crosses into unreasonable territory. The "customer is always right" philosophy suggests that, in general, it's important to prioritize customer satisfaction and address their concerns promptly and professionally. However, Harvey acknowledges that there are situations where a customer may make unfounded claims or behave irrationally, which can be frustrating for service providers. In such cases, the customer might be seen as "crazy," not in a derogatory sense, but to signify that their actions or words no longer align with reasonable expectations of dialogue and cooperation. Essentially, Harvey is emphasizing the importance of maintaining a positive customer-service mindset while also setting appropriate boundaries for unreasonable behavior.


"There's no such thing as bad publicity. I used to say that until the Enron scandal happened. Then I realized there was such a thing."

The quote implies that Gerry Harvey, prior to the Enron scandal, believed that any form of publicity, positive or negative, could benefit a company as it still draws attention and awareness. However, after witnessing the highly damaging consequences of the Enron scandal, he revised his perspective, concluding that there is indeed such a thing as "bad publicity" – unfavorable attention that can cause significant harm to a company's reputation and financial standing.


"Don't worry about the competition, just do your best and be better than you were yesterday."

Gerry Harvey's quote emphasizes the importance of self-improvement over competition-focused mindsets. By focusing on personal growth and striving to be better today than we were yesterday, individuals can achieve their potential without being distracted or disheartened by competitors. This perspective encourages resilience, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of excellence that ultimately leads to success in the long run.


"If you want something done right, do it yourself - unless you're too busy, then delegate it to someone else."

This quote by Gerry Harvey suggests a balance between self-reliance and delegation. If one has the time and capacity, they should strive for quality work by doing tasks themselves. However, if they are overburdened with responsibilities, it is wise to delegate tasks to others, ensuring that the task is still completed effectively. This statement underscores the importance of both personal effort and trust in others when managing workloads effectively.


You could go out and give a million dollars to a charity tomorrow to help the homeless. You could argue that it is just wasted. They are not putting anything back into the community.

- Gerry Harvey

Give, Could, Putting, Homeless

Importantly, I still give money to homeless people - and all other charities.

- Gerry Harvey

Give, Other, Still, Homeless

I'm a great believer in governments doing as little as possible and people power doing the rest, so I'm in favour of governments being there to govern in the areas that need governing, not a whole heap of other things that they stick their sticky fingers into.

- Gerry Harvey

Doing, Other, Govern, Heap

I try to develop others. I get a great deal of joy out of helping people who, over the years, I've spent a lot of time mentoring - and just trying to get them to another level.

- Gerry Harvey

Deal, Another, Helping, Great Deal

Even if you sell the same number of plasma televisions - if you are selling them for 20 or 30 or 40 per cent of the original price, your revenue goes down, and the profit goes with it.

- Gerry Harvey

Original, Goes, Cent, Profit

What I think is that we should be helping people so they can reach an even greater potential.

- Gerry Harvey

Think, I Think, Even, Helping People

I was talking to Rupert Murdoch the other day at a lunch, and he said, 'Maybe I'll live to 100'. He actually thinks he will live to 100!

- Gerry Harvey

Lunch, Other, Maybe, None

I had a trial run with Norman Ross for 21 years, from '61 to '82. I didn't have it in mind to open a chain like Harvey Norman. I opened one shop, but then the next thing you know, I've got another shop and then another shop.

- Gerry Harvey

Next, Another, Shop, Harvey

The internet thing is what I have the greatest problem with. I don't know if anyone in the media gets the internet thing and Harvey Norman. I think they have some strange interpretation of it that bears no resemblance to what actually happens.

- Gerry Harvey

Think, Some, I Think, Harvey

I'm probably not your typical business person in many ways. I don't wear a suit. I don't carry a briefcase. I don't wear a tie. I'm fairly casual. I haven't got a big office, and it's in a very ordinary part of town. I'd much prefer to downplay than impress.

- Gerry Harvey

Big, Very, Prefer, Downplay

If you are a manufacturer, an Internet company doesn't suit you. An Internet company does not display your product; it can't upsell. But we do a better job than any of the opposition.

- Gerry Harvey

Product, Your, Display, Better Job

Some analysts think people come into our shops and then go and buy the product on the Internet, but the manufacturer knows if the customer can't see the product and assess it, they won't buy.

- Gerry Harvey

Think, Product, Some, Manufacturer

You've got to open on a Sunday, but at the end of the day, you've just lost a lot of money by opening on the Sunday, so it's very, very difficult to make money when you're paying unskilled people $42 per hour.

- Gerry Harvey

Difficult, Got, Very, Unskilled

For me, anyone who is over 80, I generally sit down and have a chat to because he is over 80, and he is going OK.

- Gerry Harvey

Down, Over, Going, OK

We're supposed to be an entrepreneurial company; we're meant to be expanding and looking for opportunities - but the minute you do it, you get your head bashed in.

- Gerry Harvey

Meant, Your, Expanding, Meant To Be

The political system is broke. It doesn't matter who the leader is if you are frozen in time and your hands are tied. Social media is so strong that minority groups get a huge say.

- Gerry Harvey

Strong, Leader, Hands, Social Media

Kids go to school; we develop them at school. We develop them later on in the workplace so that we get better quality individuals, so that we get less people that are dependent or get into problems.

- Gerry Harvey

Go, Develop, Them, Dependent

People are out there saying we have to devalue our properties because of the Internet, but it hasn't even come into play!

- Gerry Harvey

People, Play, Come, Devalue

All I can say to you, if you look after your health, eat the right stuff, do enough exercise, keep your mind active, you might be around when you're 100 having this conversation with someone.

- Gerry Harvey

Exercise, Around, Your, Conversation

Everybody, be they female, whatever your religion, whatever your nationality, you're an individual, and if you perform well, we want you, and if you don't, we don't.

- Gerry Harvey

Want, Individual, Everybody, Nationality

We're good at what we do because we're a family - this is in our bloody DNA; this is what we do.

- Gerry Harvey

Family, DNA, Because, Bloody

If you do genuinely care about people and love them a little, eventually you all have this common goal about where you want to go. They see it, and they believe it, and they become believers with you, and you can achieve wonderful things.

- Gerry Harvey

Love, Achieve, Genuinely, Wonderful Things

There are plenty of people smarter than you by a long way. I just got lucky.

- Gerry Harvey

Lucky, Long Way, Plenty, Smarter

I know people like myself where we've got resorts, or we're in the hospitality business, and we just can't make money because you're paying someone minimum $42 per hour or something on a Sunday.

- Gerry Harvey

Hour, Got, Paying, Hospitality

Making decisions quickly isn't for everyone, and I've had my disasters, but overall, it works for me.

- Gerry Harvey

Everyone, Making, Works, Making Decisions

I'll be amazed in my lifetime if my business gets to being 5 per cent online.

- Gerry Harvey

Business, Amazed, Cent, Per

I would think that most of the online business will be conducted by traditional retailers and that over 90 per cent of the e-retailers will, in fact, all go out of business.

- Gerry Harvey

Think, Fact, Over, Per

The people I know who have retired, so many of them lose interest and die; they just become nobodies overnight.

- Gerry Harvey

Die, Lose, Them, Retired

That's not in my nature to run away - I'll stand up and fight.

- Gerry Harvey

Nature, Run, Away, Stand Up

I get a lot of comments from people that I'm just an ordinary bloke. They immediately feel they have a closer relationship with you; they relate to you.

- Gerry Harvey

Feel, Comments, Bloke, Closer

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