How to Use Your Smile as a Business Superpower
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You can fake a handshake. You can fake a pitch.
You can't fake a real smile.
I'm not talking about the "smile for the camera" look or the awkward half-smirk you throw your neighbor while grabbing the mail in a bathrobe.
I'm talking about the real thing. The kind that stops people in their tracks. That makes strangers feel safe. That turns a no into a maybe. That makes people remember you.
That smile?
That's influence.
That's currency.
That's leadership.
Smiling is free. But it's not cheap.
You don't need a business degree or a black card to start shifting rooms.
All you need is your face.
Have you ever walked into a room where everyone looks like their dog died? It's heavy. The energy sinks. But one real smile? The whole place lifts.
I've walked into million-dollar meetings with a $2 haircut and a $0 smile. And walked out with a signed deal. No gimmicks. Just presence. Just being human. A smile is proof you don't need to be loud to be powerful.
Related: 7 Ways Body Language Speaks Louder Than Words
Confidence is cool. Kindness is cooler.
You want to stand out? Walk into a room with confidence and warmth.
That combo? Unstoppable.
People are drawn to energy. Not ego. A real smile says:
"I'm here. I'm grounded. And I'm glad to be with you."
Whether you're closing a deal or ordering an iced coffee, that smile tells the world you're someone who's not just in it to win. You're in it with people.
That's rare.
That's magnetic.
You don't need to sell harder. You need to connect faster.
A smile doesn't mean you're faking it
Let me be real.
Life's not all showings, steaks and smooth sailing.
I've had days where everything blows up. Deals fall through. People walk away. Plans collapse.
You know what gets me through it? Not fake optimism.
Not denial.
A smile.
Because it reminds me:
I'm still here.
I'm still fighting.
I'm still choosing joy.
Smiling in the storm doesn't mean you're ignoring reality. It means you're bigger than it.
A smile isn't a mask. It's a mindset.
I built a business with hustle. And a smile.
People ask me all the time,
"Rogers, what's your secret sauce?"
It's not fancy branding or paid ads. It's relationships.
You can have the slickest brochure in Dallas, but if people don't feel you, you're toast.
I built my business by being the guy who showed up with a handshake, a smile, and a ridiculous amount of energy.
People don't hire agents. They hire humans.
People don't follow brokers. They follow leaders.
And leaders smile first.
Trust starts with the look on your face. Not the title on your card.
Smiles are contagious. Infect generously.
You want to shift a room? Smile. You want to build culture? Smile. You want to lead without saying a word? Smile.
Our brains are wired to mirror emotion. You smile, people smile back. That's not a Hallmark slogan. That's science.
Start being the one who flips the switch. Who sets the tone. Who shows up with light when everyone else brought clouds.
Your energy is either a gift or a drain. Choose wisely.
It's better than kale. Seriously.
You can spend hundreds on supplements, or you can smile more. It lowers stress. Boosts immunity. Drops your blood pressure. Lengthens your life.
Even a fake smile can trick your brain into feeling better. I've tried all the anti-aging creams. Smiling works better. And it doesn't clog your pores.
Want to feel better fast? Smile. Want to live longer? Smile more.
Smile when it's hard
You don't have to wait for the perfect day to crack a smile.
Waiting for the storm to pass? Nope. Smile in the middle of it. It's not weakness. It's strength.
I've had days where I lost the deal, the client, the plan. But I smiled anyway. My circumstances don't get to boss around my spirit. Smile through the mess. Through the stress. Through the unknown.
Real smiles don't come from perfection. They come from perspective.
Related: The Positive Effects of Smiling
Practice it!
Here's your homework: Smile at five strangers today. No agenda. No follow-up. Just a smile.
Then look in the mirror. And smile at the person looking back.
Yeah, it might feel dumb. Do it anyway. We spend so much time beating ourselves up. Scroll culture. Comparison traps. But a smile, even just for yourself, is a form of grace.
Be kind to your face. You've survived a lot.
Make it your legacy
People won't remember your listings or titles or cars. They'll remember how you made them feel. They'll remember if you made them laugh. If you lighten the load. If you saw them.
That's the impact I want to leave.
For my family.
For my team.
For my city.
We don't need more noise. We need more light. Let's be the ones who lead with that.
Related: These 5 Body Language Secrets Could Put You on the Road to a Million Dollars
Smile first. Always.
You don't need a reason. You don't need permission.
Smile because you can.
Smile because it matters.
Smile because it opens doors even when everything else is locked.
It might not fix the problem. But it will change the energy.
And if you see me out in Dallas, I'll be the one smiling first.
Let's keep going.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Birch Hill and Brookfield to acquire First National Financial for $2.9 billion
(Reuters) -First National Financial said on Sunday that it has reached an agreement to be acquired by Birch Hill Equity partners and asset manager Brookfield Asset Management in a deal valuing the company's equity at $2.9 billion. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
EU, US strike 'biggest-ever' trade deal
The United States and European Union on Sunday clinched what President Donald Trump described as the "biggest-ever" deal to resolve a transatlantic tariff stand-off that threatened to explode into a full-blown trade war. Trump emerged from a high-stakes meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at his golf resort in Scotland to announce that a baseline tariff of 15 percent would be levied on EU exports to the US. The deal, which the leaders struck in around an hour, came as the clock ticked down on an August 1 deadline to avoid an across-the-board US levy of 30 percent on European goods. "We've reached a deal. It's a good deal for everybody. This is probably the biggest deal ever reached in any capacity," said Trump. Trump said the 15-percent tariff would apply across the board, including for Europe's crucial automobile sector, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. As part of the deal, Trump said the 27-nation EU bloc had agreed to purchase "$750 billion worth of energy" from the United States, as well as make $600 billion in additional investments. Von der Leyen said the "significant" purchases of US liquefied natural gas, oil and nuclear fuels would come over three years, as part of the bloc's bid to diversify away from Russian sources. Negotiating on behalf of the EU's 27 countries, von der Leyen had been pushing hard to salvage a trading relationship worth an annual $1.9 trillion in goods and services. "It's a good deal," the EU chief told reporters. "It will bring stability. It will bring predictability. That's very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic," she said. She said bilateral tariff exemptions had been agreed on a number of "strategic products," notably aircraft, certain chemicals, some agricultural products and critical raw materials. Von der Leyen said the EU still hoped to secure further so-called "zero-for-zero" agreements, notably for alcohol, which she hoped to be "sorted out" in coming days. Trump also said EU countries -- which recently pledged to ramp up their defence spending within NATO -- would be purchasing "hundreds of billions of dollars worth of military equipment." - 'Best we could get' - The EU has been hit by multiple waves of tariffs since Trump reclaimed the White House. It is currently subject to a 25-percent levy on cars, 50 percent on steel and aluminium, and an across-the-board tariff of 10 percent, which Washington threatened to hike to 30 percent in a no-deal scenario. The bloc had been pushing hard for tariff carve-outs for critical industries from aircraft to spirits, and its auto industry, crucial for France and Germany, is already reeling from the levies imposed so far. "Fifteen percent is not to be underestimated, but it is the best we could get," acknowledged von der Leyen. Any deal will need to be approved by EU member states -- whose ambassadors, on a visit to Greenland, were updated by the commission Sunday morning. They were set to meet again after the deal struck in Scotland. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz rapidly hailed the deal, saying it avoided "needless escalation in transatlantic trade relations". But German exporters were less enthusiastic. The powerful BDI federation of industrial groups said the accord would have "considerable negative repercussions" while the country's VCI chemical trade association said the accord left rates "too high". The EU had pushed for a compromise on steel that could allow a certain quota into the United States before tariffs would apply. Trump appeared to rule that out, saying steel was "staying the way it is", but the EU chief insisted later that "tariffs will be cut and a quota system will be put in place" for steel. - 'The big one' - While 15 percent is much higher than pre-existing US tariffs on European goods, which average around 4.8 percent, it mirrors the status quo, with companies currently facing an additional flat rate of 10 percent. Had the talks failed, EU states had greenlit counter tariffs on $109 billion (93 billion euros) of US goods including aircraft and cars to take effect in stages from August 7. Trump has embarked on a campaign to reshape US trade with the world, and has vowed to hit dozens of countries with punitive tariffs if they do not reach a pact with Washington by August 1. Asked what the next deal would be, Trump replied: "This was the big one. This is the biggest of them all." burs-gv/jj Solve the daily Crossword
Bloomberg
3 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Oil Steadies as EU Agrees to US Trade Deal Ahead of Deadline
Oil steadied after the US and European Union agreed on a trade deal ahead of President Donald Trump's tariff deadline of Aug. 1. Brent was above $68 a barrel after closing 1.1% lower on Friday, and West Texas Intermediate traded near $65. The bloc faces 15% levies on most of its exports, although Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen appeared to differ on some key details of the agreement.
