Gerry Harvey
Gerry Harvey
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Gerald Leslie Harvey is commonly known as Gerry Harvey.
Birth and Death Dates
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Gerry Harvey was born on June 10, 1936. As of my knowledge cutoff, his current status is alive.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Gerry Harvey is an Australian businessman and entrepreneur. He is best known for co-founding the retail chain Harvey Norman.
Early Life and Background
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Born in Sydney, Australia, Gerry Harvey grew up with a strong work ethic instilled by his parents. His early life laid the foundation for his future entrepreneurial endeavors. As a young man, Harvey worked various jobs to support himself before eventually entering the business world.
Major Accomplishments
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Gerry Harvey's most significant achievement is co-founding Harvey Norman in 1961 with Alan Norris. The retail chain started as a small furniture store but rapidly expanded into one of Australia's largest retailers. Under Harvey's leadership, the company diversified its product range and expanded its presence across multiple countries.
Notable Works or Actions
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Some notable actions taken by Gerry Harvey include:
Strategic Expansion: He played a pivotal role in expanding Harvey Norman globally through strategic partnerships and investments.
Adaptation to Market Trends: Harvey demonstrated his ability to adapt to changing market trends, ensuring the company's continued success.
Impact and Legacy
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Gerry Harvey's impact on Australian retail is undeniable. His leadership and vision transformed Harvey Norman into a household name. As a business leader, he has inspired countless individuals with his entrepreneurial spirit and unwavering commitment to innovation.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Gerry Harvey's quotes and actions are widely quoted and remembered due to his:
Unwavering Commitment to Entrepreneurship: His dedication to entrepreneurship serves as a beacon of inspiration for aspiring business leaders.
Visionary Leadership: He has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, driving the growth and success of Harvey Norman.
Gerry Harvey's legacy extends far beyond his business achievements. As an icon in Australian retail, he continues to be a respected figure in the industry, leaving behind a lasting impact on generations of entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Quotes by Gerry Harvey
Gerry Harvey's insights on:
Businesses are made by people. We’ve proven time and time again that you can have wonderful shop, and put a bloke in there who’s no good, and he’ll stuff it up. Put a good bloke in, and it just turns around like that .
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.
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.
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.
I went to the brink many times. A couple of times I thought "I'm gone, This is it." But then you would just keep working. I think if you're close to the brink and just make sure that you work twice as hard and put twice as much effort into everything and the people around you and everything, you should come through.
Basically we get confused a bit about what retail is. It is really just buying things, putting them on a floor and selling them.
Businesses are made by people. We've proven time and time again that you can have wonderful shop, and put a bloke in there who's no good, and he'll stuff it up. Put a good bloke in, and it just turns around like that .
I went to university for a couple of years and I didn't enjoy university. The studying and the accountancy, economics, I just hated that stuff. Now the irony is here I am lawyer, accountant, I do it all day every day and sit at a desk. So I've never ended up where I wanted to be in many ways. I always wanted to be a farmer.
When people talk about successful retailers and those that are not so successful, the customer determines at the end of the day who is successful and for what reason.