Debuting in 1978, Garfield quickly became one of the most beloved comic strips in America. Following the misadventures of a fat, lazy, but ultimately lovable cat, the comic also features Jon, a struggling cartoonist, and Odie, Jon’s pet dog and Garfield’s primary antagonist. Over four decades, Garfield’s creator, Jim Davis, has touched on nearly every topic imaginable while offering a humorous, somewhat benign perspective on life’s irritating moments.

Business Lessons from Garfield the Cat

While Garfield doesn’t often deal with entrepreneurship directly (or ever as far as I can tell), the strip’s main character does display some character traits in line with the best business leaders. Here’s what we can learn from Garfield about how to run a successful business.

Be Demanding

Successful entrepreneurs are demanding. They're demanding of their employees, their vendors, and even their customers. Building a business takes a lot of resources and it's the responsibility of the entrepreneur to make those resources available. To do so, they ask, cajole, and demand things to get the job done. Just like our lasagna loving feline below.

Know What You Want

One of the great struggles people deal with as they develop into adults is the question of what they want in life. For some, this answer is easy. Not so much for everyone else. Simply narrowing down your list of wants can greatly improve your life. However, after achieving or accomplishing a goal, you might decide it's not for you. Oh, well, accept that and move on. Garfield understands this concept intuitively and displays it below quite masterfully.

Be Selfish… A Little Selfish

Okay, maybe just a dash of selfish. But considering your own needs is important in business. The needs of a business and the needs of an entrepreneur running that business are often one in the same. To make a business successful, the entrepreneur has to be a little selfish. Not necessarily for their own gain, but for the survival and success of the business they've dedicated their lives to.