To the ancient Babylonians, it must have sounded like a wonderful idea. ‘Let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’ At least that’s how the Book of Genesis tells the story. The construction started well: the builders had plenty of brick, mortar and laborers. What they didn’t count on was the wrath of the Lord. Outraged by the ambitions of the early engineers, the Almighty killed the project by forcing the workers to speak in different languages. The Tower of Babel became the first in a long line of marvelous structures that, for one reason or another, were never built.

By MARK ALPERT, Winter 1999 by Scientific American, Inc.

What must I consider to build my business?

I saw this really gigantic structure and it was really beautiful, I couldn’t count the floor but at least should be more than twelve stories. If you remember sir, this building did not drop there one day.It started from a dreamer who wants to build this building ( business in our case) then to feasibility studies; how relevant this building is and the location that suits it better then we plan to see what we have longed to see. Gradually we see this dream becoming a reality.

Embrace the lessons from hardship to build a strong business structure.

I once asked a builder what makes his building strong , he told me, rain would have to beat it and the sun shine strongly for its block to be strong; your business will suffer the rain and sunshine to become strong. My friend the depth of the foundation determine the height of the building; again for you to build above mediocrity, you cannot afford to give it a common foundation. It must be more refined in terms of research, skill,  order, art, goodwill, excellence and passion amongst many others. Do not forget also that the texture of the ground determines how your building stands against the weather. Build a solid foundation for a solid structure. No one really notices a building at the foundation level until it becomes a full structure so expect the least from people at this stage.

What makes the best of buildings then?

We may, without offending any laws of good taste, require of an architect, as we do of a novelist, that he should be not only correct, but entertaining.

John Ruskin (1819 – 1900);

British art critic, writer, and reformer.

Stones of Venice

The greatest buildings in the world met a general requirement of standards but all over it is written  the art and genius of its architect (the business owner being the architect in this case). What makes the building most beautiful is the light and the painting. You have to make a beauty of the knowledge of people working with you(knowledge is light to your business), enhance in knowlege to beautify your structure with light. Your knowlege in your field attracts people to you or to put it in Thomas Fuller’s statement in The Holy State and the Profane State, “Of Building”,

Light (God’s eldest daughter) is a principal beauty in building.

I will say about painting, that you should paint this your building with ingenuity of personal creativity; to rise above mediocrity, remember that you are the architect of this your business structure, they are following your specifications let me add this therefore by John Ruskin again on his Lecture on Architecture and Painting

No person who is not a great sculptor or painter can be an architect. If he is not a sculptor or painter, he can only be a builder.

 I guess we thought of the same thing, the average businessman is a builder, to rise above mediocrity, you must be an architect.

Remember today that these buildings are also products of your thoughts so as not to end up like the Babylonians of babel, make your goals reasonable, do not raise business that inconveniences life itself, remember that it is the little things you do that earn you a great business; do your business with your conscience. If it doesn’t seem right or legal to your, its either you drop it or enquire properly. To make your great business structure, help your community, save a boy from starving, let them love your methods. You might never know if the boy will be your greatest asset later. Do not use your big business stature to intimidate the masses that cannot speak for themselves. These are the factors that makes the most excellent personalities and businesses of all times.

It is not the sense of height, or breadth or length or depth that is stirred, but the sense of immensity…After seeing the pyramid, all other architecture seems but pastry.

Herman Melville (1819 – 1891)

U.S. novelist.Referring to visiting the pyramids at Giza