think
and
think
billion reasons why you should listen to this audiobook
a lot has happened to us all since 1987
that's the year the art of the deal was published it became the best-selling
business book
the decade with over three million copies in print
business rule number one if you don't tell people about your success
they probably won't know about it a few months ago
I picked up the order the deal skimmed a bit and then read the first and last
paragraphs
I realized that after 17 years they still rang true
I could have written these words yesterday first paragraph
I don't do it for the money I've got enough
much more than I'll ever need I do it to do it
deals are my art form other people paint beautifully on canvas
or right wonderful poetry I like making deals
preferably big deals that's how I get my kicks
last paragraph don't get me wrong
I also plan to keep making deals big deals
and right around the clock it's now
2004 I'm still making deals around the clock
and I still don't do it for the money I don't think you should do it for the
money either
money is not an end in itself but it sometimes the most effective way to help
us realize our dreams
so love you have got big dreams and you're looking for a way to make them
happen
this audiobook is for you how to get rich
that's what I decided to call it because whenever I meet people
that's usually what they want to know from me you ask a baker how he makes
bread
you ask a billionaire how he makes money sure
there have been countless how to get rich books written by millionaires
billionaire authors are harder to find billionaire authors
with interests in real-estate gaming sports
and entertainment are rarer still and billionaire authors with their own
Manhattan skyscrapers
and hit primetime television series are rare stovall
I'm pretty sure I'm the only one
the Oprah could give me a run for the money if she
ever decides to write another book and get into realistic
business rule number two
keep it short fast and direct
the following will be straightforward and succinct
but don't let the brevity of these passages
prevent you from savoring the profundity up the advice you're about to receive
these stories and words of wisdom
have been distilled from almost thirty years at the top
so here it comes the scoop from the Donald
ft you make your first billion don't forget to send me a thank you note
you know the address dude
Simon & Schuster audience presents
trough how did get rich
by Donald J trump with Meredith the guy
thread by Barry Bostwick living introduction
by John watching tried
part 1
the Donald J trump school a business and management
be I do
n roll
I am the che
chairman and president
Trump Organization I like saying that because it means a great deal to me
they're almost 20,000 members of this organization at this point
I did a print ad once in which I declared I only work with the best
that statement still stands
more and more I see that running a business is like being a general
calling the shots carries a great deal of responsibility not only for yourself
but for your troops
your employees lives to a large extent I depended on you
and your decisions bad strategy can end up affecting a lot of people
this is where being a leader takes on a new dimension
every decision you make is an important one whether there are 20,000 people
working for you
are just one
if you're careful when finding employees management becomes a lot easier
I rely on a few key people to keep me informed
they know I trust them
and they do their best to keep that trust intact
for example when I need to know something about my casinos and hotels in
Atlantic City
I know I can call up mark brown my CEO and get a fast and informed answer
if I call Laura Court of Honor over a trump Park Avenue and ask about sales
she'll give it to me exactly as it is
if I call Alan y sobered by CF oh he'll tell me what I need to know in 20 words
or less
my senior counsel an apprentice advisor george Ross can do it in 10 words or
less
fine people who suture business style and you'll have fewer problems to deal
with this time goes on
good people equals good management and good management equals good people
they have to work together %uh they won't work together for a very long
i've seen. good management get by with mediocre people and have also seen
excellent people get stuck in the Myers a bad management
the good managers will eventually leave followed by the good workers and you
will be left with a team that gets along because they're all mediocre
save yourself time by getting the best people you can
sometimes this can mean choosing attitude over experience and credentials
use your creativity to come up with a good mix
creative people rarely need to be motivated they have their own
inner drive that refuses to be bored they refuse to be complacent
they live on the edge which is precisely what is needed to be successful and
remain successful
what are my former employees was in charge of a new project he had done a
thorough an acceptable job
but I felt that something was missing it wasn't fantastic
which knowing his capabilities that should have been
I decided to challenge his creativity go by mentioning that it was fine
but seem to lack inspiration I politely asked him whether he was genuinely
interested in the project
and suggested that perhaps that might be the problem
well the guy went ballistic on me he was deeply insulted
and as you can probably guess the revision he turned in was terrific
the difference between the first draft in the final version was incredible
I didn't slam the guy because he was usually demanding of himself in
had never let me down
but I had to give them a jolt
generals motivate their soldiers they inspire them
when it is necessary they do the same for the highest ranking officers
we all need a boost now and then
learn how to tailor your method to the personalities you're managing
keep the big picture in mind while attending to the daily details
this can seem like a balancing act but it is absolutely necessary for success
in running a company
stay focused
in the nineteen eighties I was riding high
after learning the essentials a real estate development for my father Fred a
builder in Queens and Brooklyn
I become a major player in Manhattan developing Trump Tower
the Grand Hyatt Hotel and many other top-tier properties
I had a yacht a plane a best-selling book
one magazine headline said everything he touches turns to gold
and I believed it
I'd never known adversity I want straight from working too well
even in down markets I bought properties inexpensively and made a lot of money
I began to think it was easy
in the late eighties I lost focus I'd fly off to Europe to attend fashion
shows and
I was looking at the clothing my lack of attention was killing my business
then the real estate market crashed I owed billions upon billions of dollars
9.2 billion to be exact
that's nine billion two hundred million dollars
I've told this story many times before but it bears repeating
in the midst of the crash I passed a beggar on the street i realized he was
worth 9.2 billion more than I was
I saw a lot of my friends go bankrupt never to be heard from again
the media had me for lunch Forbes business week fortune The Wall Street
Journal The New York Times
they all publish major stories about my crisis
and a lot of people seem to be happy about it
I'll never forget the worst moment it was 3am Citibank phone me at my home in
Trump Tower
they wanted me to come over to their office immediately to negotiate new
terms with some foreign banks
30 the 99 banks to whom I owed billions
is tough when you have to tell a banker that you can't pay interest
they tend not to like those words an ally at Citibank suggested that the best
way for me to handle this difficult situation
was to call the bank's myself and that's exactly
what they wanted me to do
at three o'clock on a cold January morning in the freezing rain
there were no cabs so I walked 15 blocks to Citibank
by the time I got there I was drenched
that was a low point
there were 30 bankers sitting around a big table iPhone one Japanese banker
than an Austrian banker
and then the third banker from the country I can no longer remember
in the art of the deal I had warned readers never to personally guarantee
anything
well I had followed my own advice up the 9.2 billion I owed
I'd personally guaranteed a billion dollars
I was a schmuck but I was the lucky schmuck and I wound up dealing with some
understanding bankers who worked out a fair deal
after being the king of the eighties I survived the early nineties and by the
mid to late 90's
I was thriving again
but I learned my lesson
I work as hard today as I did when I was a young developer in the nineteen
seventies
don't make the mistake I did stay focused
maintain your momentum
william levitt the master builder levittown taught me the true meaning of
momentum
in the nineteen fifties he was the king no detail was too small for his
attention
he would personally collected strain nails and extra chips a wood from
building sites to make sure his construction crews used all available
materials
he sold his company in 1956 to ITT for $100 million
which is equivalent to billions today
then he made some terrible mistakes
he retired
he married the wrong woman
he moved to the south of France a little the Riviera with his new boat
and his new wife
one day ITT called the executives in charge to the conglomerate had no
aptitude for home building
they had bought huge tracts of land but didn't know how to get them zone
so they sold it back to Leavitt who thought he'd gotten a great deal
he went back into business any proceeded to go bankrupt
I saw william levitt a cocktail party in nineteen ninety-four two weeks before he
died
he was standing by himself in a corner looking defeated
I didn't know him well but I approached him hoping to acquire some wisdom from
the master
missed 11 I sent how are you doing
not good Donald not good
then he said the words are never forget
I lost my momentum I was out of the world for twenty years I came back
and I wasn't the same
no matter how accomplished you are no matter how well you think you know your
business
you have to remain vigilant about the details of your field
you can't get by on experience our smarts
even the best surgeons need to be retrained regularly to stay current on
the latest research in procedures
no matter what you're managing don't assume you can glide by momentum is
something you have to work at
to maintain
get a great assistant
surround yourself
well you can trust I often say it's good to be paranoid
but not when it comes to your home team
ask God for a great assistant no joke
a great one can make your life a whole lot easier or in my case
almost manageable
norm of order has been with me for 23 years
if you wanna know what a great guy I am just ask ur
but not on a Friday
handling me the office in several hundred calls a week is Niecy
she's as tough and smart she is gracious
she's also indefatigable which helps a lot
if you work for me
my phones are so busy that I require to executive assistants
and they never stop they alone handle on the average more than 1,250 calls a week
they're not only efficient and fast but they are also very pleasant
and beautiful young women
you don't have to be beautiful to work for me just be good at your job
I've been accused of admiring beautiful women
i plead guilty
but when it comes to the workplace anyone who was beautiful
had better have brains too
you need competent people with inherent work ethic
I'm not a complacent person and i cant have a complacent staff
I move forward quickly and so must say
once I wanted to know how fast the new employees could work so I told him I was
leaving in 15 minutes and needed something done within that time
I wasn't actually going anywhere but sure enough I had what I needed in 15
minutes
machiavellian maybe but both of us learn something that day
one final piece of advice and assistance which I learned from experience and
which
I admit may not be as relevant to your career
has been to mine
find a receptionist who can speak English
we had a breathtaking european beauty out front
who could easily rival ingrid bergman in her heyday
but I discovered that her ability to recognize well-known people in the
United States was limited to myself
and maybe president bush
she wasn't so familiar with the likes of Hugh Grant Reggie Jackson
George Steinbrenner Jack Welch Paul ACA
mohammed al fayed Regis Philbin or Tony Bennett
their calls never got through to me and their names were placed under
psycho list
but you should a senior what knockout
she since moved on to better career opportunities
but will never forget her
neither will anyone who ever called in so I tried to
remember the buck star
here
set the standard don't expect
employees to work harder than you do in my case I don't have to worry about that
because I work seven days a week at a level almost every minute of it
but also realize that your company will sometimes function as an extended and
dysfunctional family
it's only natural considering that people often spend more waking hours
with coworkers
than they do with their families
a visitor in my office once mention that the goings on their reminded him a
family fight in progress
I will admit that the volume level gets high now and then
and he wasn't far off in his assessment but if you want smooth sailing everyday
moved to the Mediterranean
winners see problems as just another way to prove themselves
problems are never truly hardships to them and if you haven't got any problems
and you must not have a business to run
regard your company is a living breathing organism because that's what
it is
those figures you see on your spreadsheets will reflect the health
that organism
watch out for bad cells while allowing good cells to flourish
growth is an indication I've life so keep your organization moving forward
at all times
having a passion for what you do is crucial if you can't get excited about
what you're doing
how can you expect anyone else to if your employees can see and feel your
energy
it is bound to affect them
don't intimidate people if you do
you'll never get a straight answer from anyone and you'll be defeating your own
purpose
I keep my door open and my people know I'm available as well as approachable
we don't have chat fests but whatever needs to be done gets accomplished
and quickly
remember that your organization is your organization
that sounds simplistic but bottom line it's your ball game
the strategy is up to you and so are the results
remember harry truman's famous words which he kept on his desk in the Oval
Office
the buck stops here I keep a similar quote on my desk
it reads the book starts here
dote a quick eight
if you work with a case is an indication that you're unsure of yourself and what
you're doing
it's also what politicians do all the time and I find it inappropriate
insulting and condescending
I try not to do it fortunately I don't have to try too hard at this one because
I been known to be on the blunt and fast side at times
which is good
I once asked an executive in my organization to give me a sign up to
seven new development we were considering
he'd been to the city in question had spent some time there and had done some
careful investigating
he went on to describe the merit to the site the pitfalls the good things or bad
things the pros the cons on on a great detail
he must to talk for 10 minutes straight judging from what he was telling me
they were just as many reasons to drop the project is there were reasons to
jump right in get going
it was like it tied game with no overtime
I asked him more questions and we ended up exactly where we were before
he was on both sides the fence at once and didn't seem to want to take a stand
either way
this guy had a lot of experience and a good track record
so finally I asked him what he thought of the project in 10 words
are less
it stinks he said
he had eight words left but he didn't need them
ask yourself to questions
number one is there anyone else who can do this better than I can
that's just another way of saying no yourself know your competition
if your competition is better than you are you need to offer some quality they
lack
number two what am i pretending not to see
we can all get swept up in the euphoria to create a moment
or what former president richard nixon speechwriters used to call
the lift up a dream before the dream lives you are the clouds make sure
you've looked hard at the fax
on the ground
bullshit will only get you so far
I think it's funny that the phrase most closely associated with me these days is
you're fired because the truth is although I've had to fire people from
time to time
it's not a big part of my job
I much prefer keeping loyal and hard-working people around for as long
as they'd like to be here
there's a wonderful lady in her ninety's a meal or send who work from my father
and still reports to work every day at a Brooklyn office here at the Trump
Organization Helen Rae cuts has worked for me from the day I moved to Manhattan
and she still puts in long hours every week she is
eighty to
once I delayed firing someone for two years because this guy always had such a
great lineup Boesch it every time I came close to the topic
no matter what was going on he had some huge deal lined up that was just about
to come through
he managed to string me along for two solid years and I believed him
every time I wanted to
finally I was forced to realize that his claims were bogus but I gave him
every chance before finally axiom
unless your boss is a total sadist he or she
doesn't want to fire you or cause hardship to your family
if you think you're in danger being fired take control of the situation and
ask your boss for a meeting
make sure you ask for the meeting at the right time tell your boss you wanna make
sure you are communicating
and doing your job to everyone's satisfaction
of course if your boss is a sadist or just a lousy communicator
you still got a problem and that case fire your boss and get a better job
there's no sense in trying to cope with a bad situation that will never improve
I never try to dissuade people from quitting if they don't wanna be here
I don't want them to be here either no one has ever come to me with an
ultimatum
people see how it works here Innova doesn't suit them they move on
sometimes that happens quickly a qualified and experienced Receptionist
work here for a grand total of six hours
she realized right away that the pace just wasn't sitter
and she very politely told us so and left I appreciate her quick thinking and
efficient decision-making skills
should have a successful career somewhere else
every new hire
gamble
some people gives a
great interviews that you're ready to make the vice president's on the spot
until you realize that their true talent is simply giving a great interview
that's why in a sense every new hire is a gamble
impressive credentials don't always add up to a great performance or good fit
non-existent credentials don't necessarily mean a no talent
being circumspect helps a lot and keep you from being surprised
people can offer an interesting makes a pro's and con's
time will do the weeding out for you all you have to do
is pay attention
what I look for employees is a sense of responsibility that goes beyond what is
merely sufficient
some people do the bare minimum and some people will actually be concerned about
the organization as a whole
they see themselves as having a direct relationship to the success or failure
or the company they work for
they believe they are important and their work shows it
if you can instill this sense of worth in your employees
you'll have a tip top team working for you people who take pride in their work
I the kind you want to have around and the kind I like to keep around
I especially like employees who spend and more importantly save the company's
money
as if it was our own
company suffer when employees don't make enough up an effort to control costs
the employees who feel a personal responsibility for their budgets
who view the company's bottom line as an extension of their own personal savings
account
are often the ones who get the best results
if you let your boss know that you're watching out for his or her bottom line
you'll always be appreciated
I respect employees who can think on their feet so does George Ross my senior
counsel
his assistant Carol berkowitz was helping out at the front desk one day
when she received a call from a stranger who said she was about to commit suicide
Carol deemed the call credible and took a few moments to listen to the
distressed woman
Carol asked her where she was from and the woman replied that she lived in
Southern California not far from the beach
Cal responded you live in California near the beach
do you know how cold it is in new york today its
8 degrees outside and that's without the wind chill
I almost froze just getting to work
if I were you I go out right now take a long walk on the beach
and sit in the Sun for a while that's what I'd do if I were you
the woman instantly calm down and thanks Carol
for being so nice to her
that's the kinda person we like to have around
certain amount a personal ambition is necessary but not to the point where
undermines the common goal at the company
if your group can work together you won't accomplish much
I don't like back-stabbing it's not necessary and it's insulting to me
I have eyes and ears and instincts to I can assess people situation for myself
if people have time to be petty is an indication they're not busy enough for
their work
you can expect to be a valuable employee if you don't make yourself valuable
think about it what do you contribute to the welfare the organization
are you instrumental in keeping it humming and moving forward
do work wholeheartedly or half heartedly are you just going through the motions
and hoping no one will notice
the only person you ever fully as yourself you can't fool others
even though you might think you can
a lot of people say they're going through the motions because their
position isn't challenging or rewarding and there's no room to grow
is a dead-end situation
that might very well be
if so look elsewhere for a company that can offer you a promotion in your
particular area of interest
or expertise there times when you should move on and situations in which the only
way up
is out
ideas are well
come but make sure you have the right one
if you run a company make yourself accessible to your employees
if they feel they can bring ideas to you they will
if they feel they can't they won't
you might miss out on a lot of good ideas and pretty soon you might be
missing a lot of employees
I allow people to run their ideas by me I don't have a lot of time
so they have to be prepared and succinct I'm sure that's a protocol for any busy
CEO
so if you're going to be bold enough to present your idea
make it as clear as possible and don't take it casually
thank you but as a presentation that could cost you a lot of money
if you were to lose the client
your bosses time is important and you won't win any points
by wasting it
learn to recognize the fine line between being pushy
and being intelligently assertive
it can be an issue of timing pay attention to what's happening around you
and pace yourself according to that rhythm
I tried to develop a temple when I'm working someone who interrupts it is not
going to receive a warm welcome
also remember this the boss has the big picture
you got
so if your idea doesn't meet with arris it could very well be that a similar
idea is already in development
for that your idea is not in step with plans that have already been made
this shouldn't discourage you because your initiative will always be noticed
but recognize when not to press the issue and don't expect lengthy
explanation of why
I like people who don't give up but merely being a pest is detrimental to
everyone
once again fine-tune your discernment
know when to ease up keep your antenna up for another idea and a more
appropriate opportunity
sometimes we hesitate with good reason
there was one former employee who I like a lot but he reminded me a bit
jumping bean he couldn't keep still for more than three seconds at a time
even riding in the car with him became an ordeal because being in an enclosed
space seem to warm him up even more
and any to really get going I finally learned to avoid him as much as possible
and that's too bad because he was a great guy
but enough is enough
too much will cause people to tune you out or wish that you would move to
another state
last I heard the jumping bean was living in montana
I really hope they have enough space there to contain him
and every time I hear about UFO sightings in montana
I have two left I know who it is
one last thing if your boss says no to an idea
pay attention most likely there's a good reason
no one disregards a terrific idea it just might not be the right to revoke
idea for the company you're with
maybe you're meant to go off on your own as an entrepreneur
let that be an indication to you it could be the beginning of your career
rather than the end of it
focus on the town
and instead of the title
people who work for me know there's a lot more to me than my public persona
I'm not one-dimensional and if you realize that the people around you
aren't either
you'll be utilizing the hidden potential that just about
everyone has
whether they want to use it or not is up to them to a certain extent but it's
also up to a leader to recognize it
or at least to give it a chance to unfold
most people don't like to stagnate and if you want to keep your company moving
forward
look around you now and then for fresh possibilities within your organization
never let someone's job title be the sole indication if they're worth
people at the Trump Organization have transcended their positions on many
occasions
Matthew callum are the executive vice president of operations started as a
security guard
after getting to know matthew I realized he had a lot more to offer than his job
title: warranted
and he is proven me right
he's a dedicated and trustworthy worker had any CEO in his right mind would want
to have him around
as an executive vice president he is in charge a building operations and runs my
entire security organization
he is in charge have major building projects with his brother Michael in any
Weiss
their most notable recent accomplishment is the new building
on the side to the form a demonic a hotel at Park Avenue and 59th Street
I'm calling it Trump Parc Avenue
catchy right
viniste a Leo who was hired by Matthew callum re:
started as my bodyguard and is now a vice president
he has just what it takes to be an effective executive
which was clear to me if not immediately to him
Vinny would often drive executives architects and contractors up to
Westchester to look at developments I was building
now they report to him
I am perhaps the largest owner i've landed in Westchester County
and now it's Vinny who keeps his eye on it all
John to tha lo president up truck model management
are modeling agency started as a Booker and now has what many guys would
consider
a dream job
meredith McIver who made the writing of this book a pleasure
instead of a headache started out as a media assistant
I recognize that her talents encompass much more
of course it takes talent to deal with me and everyone else every day
but especially me
i could have hired an outside collaborator to help me with this book
but why spend time looking outside the organization
when you have all the people you need right beside you
very often your resources are greater than you might think
I don't like it when people underestimate me and I try not to
underestimate anyone else either
people are multifaceted and it's important to let them function in a way
that will allow them to shine
most people would rather succeed and fail but sometimes the leader has to be
the catalyst for putting success
into their personal vocabulary
in other words try to see beyond a person's title
you can find talent in unlikely places
manage the person
job
I once heard a story about a guy who owned it advertising agency
there was one writer who drove the other writers crazy because he would appear to
be doing nothing in his office
he made no attempt to look busy
finally his colleagues complained to his boss about his laziness
the boss suddenly perked up a nest how long has he been this way
one of the other writers answered for weeks and weeks he sits there and does
zip
it's like he's in a coma
the boss said I wanna love you to be quiet
and not to disturb him and every now and then ask if you can get him some coffee
or someone to run some errands for him
needless to say the employees were deflated just are grumbling
then the boss explained his rationale
listen the last time he was acting this way in the time before that he came up
with ideas worth many millions of dollars
so when I tell you not to disturb them I have a reason for it
people have different ways of achieving results I enjoy figuring out how each
have my key employees excels
if people are your resource you better try to learn something useful about them
being able to do so is what makes a good manager
a great one
some people respond well to the fear factor
ever hear this exchange question how long have you been working here
answer ever since they threatened to fire me
well it applies to some employees
fortunately I seem to attract people who enjoy working
but now and then a few slugs will show up and the loss of face
or job can be a good motivator for many
that said it will always work against you to demoralize your employees in any
way
I can be tough but most people will admit I'm fair
you can crush people if you don't wear your words carefully
here powers a leader should be used in the most positive way
which sometimes calls for a great deal of restraint
as well as patients
I have to laugh when I hear people say i cant wait until I'm the big shot so I
can order everyone around
it doesn't quite work that way
Abraham Lincoln made inappropriate remark that is pertinent to management
nearly all men can stand adversity
but if you want to test a man's character give him power
keep your door
open
I'm always taken aback
back when people say %uh he's got it made as if that's the end of the
conversation about a person
they seem to be saying that the person can just check out and coast because
he's already arrived
to me arriving means something that is about to begin
graduation from college is a beginning not an ending
each 6s is the beginning of the next one
learning is a new beginning we can give ourselves
every day
I know what all is like a closed-door everyone who knows me knows I keep the
door to my office
open is symbolic for the way I choose to think
and is the way I operate my father was much the same
he once said to me you know the more I learn the more I realize I don't know
I think that has kept me young at heart more than anything else
it was an offhand comment a quiet realization he mentioned to me one day
while he was reading
but it is stuck with me for decades
every day as a reminder to me how much I don't know
everything I learned leads me to something else I didn't know
fortunately I don't pride myself on being a know it all
so every day becomes a new challenge people ask me what keeps me going
and this is probably the closest answer to the truth
if I am today without knowing more than I did when I woke up
it makes me wonder
what did I miss out on today am I getting lazy
I'm a disciplined person in this thought alone can get me going
we've all heard the phrase creature of habit that can be good
or bad depending on your habits
I've cultivated the learning habit over the years and it's one of the most
pleasurable aspects of my life
everyone in my family knows I'm big on education
not just Ivy League education but all education
and for people of all ages
that also applies to me and while I got very good grades in school
I do not have time to be a scholar still is something I aspire to my quiet time
possibilities unfold the world opens up
my sister Mary Ann introduced me to the writings have Aldous Huxley
he was such a learner that when he was faced with the near total blindness is a
young man
he learned Braille and continued his studies anyway
his description of his predicament had not a trace of self-pity
in fact he mention that it had offered some benefits he could now read in bed
at night in his hands would never get cold because he could read with his
hands under the covers
learning be gets learning
I'd rather be stimulated than passive
you can't wear a blindfold in business a regular part of your day should be
devoted to expanding your horizons
we live in a big world and it's important for us to be aware of cultures
other than our own
I've always lived in the United States but I make an effort to be informed
about other cultures
that's easy to do in New York City the most diverse than exciting place on
earth
someone who had been living abroad for a few years told me upon returning home
that a frequent comment about Americans is that you always know exactly where
we're coming from
the flip side of this is that we rarely know where anyone else is coming from
we're very much up to snuff about our own national events
but we are less aware of what's happening in other countries
all of us need to pay more attention to events outside our own realm
we are connected to each other in so many ways politically commercially
socially
perhaps one of the reasons I been able to sell and rent apartments to people
have so many foreign nationalities
is that I've made an effort to understand where they're coming from
learn something new well you think you're interested in it or not
that's the opposite of having a closed mind or a closed-door
I can thank my father for the example he said it was the key to his remaining
young and dynamic
into his 90s
it can do the same for you
if you make the effort
think big and live large
this is the final rule the Donald J trump School of Business and Management
once you have mastered it you are ready to graduate
it's a big world there's a lot we don't know which means there's still a lot to
be discovered
and a lot to be accomplished
the possibilities are always there if you're thinking too small
you might miss them
in some ways is easier to buy a skyscraper than a small house in a bad
section a Brooklyn
either way you'll probably need financing and most people would rather
invest in a great building
that is elaborated duplex on dangerous street
with a skyscraper if you hit at least you had big
and if you don't hit what's the difference between losing a hundred
thousand dollars
are hundreds of millions of dollars either way you've lost
see a might as well have a really gone for it
read stories in which I'm described as a cartoon a comic book version
up the big city business mogul with gorgeous girlfriend in the private plane
in the personal golf course in the penthouse apartment with marble floors
and gold bathroom fixtures
but my cartoon Israel I am the creator of my own comic book and I love living
in it
if you're going to think think big
if your gonna Lev live a large
to
your personal apprenticeship
career advice from the Donald
take control
interview
I've had some interesting experiences with job interviews over the years
norm afford a rare is a good example I wasn't too sure about her after her
first interview
it had nothing to do with their skills but she seemed a little too prim
like she belonged on some family sitcom as the ever so proper type
I don't think she could handle it here are that she would fit with my style
Norma persisted seeming to recognize a good match better than I did
little did I know how deceptive first impressions could be
norma was actually as far from full of as you can get
so I thought to okay maybe
her abilities were superior to those have anyone else I'd seen
as it turned out I called her back on the same day her mother died
but norma gave me an offer I couldn't refuse she worked for me for one month
at a low salary just to see whether we clicked
no strings attached
I thought I had shell Everlast anyway and I can decide on someone else in the
meantime
after one month with me she'll be out here for sure
the hoity-toity type just won't fly except out the front door
needless to say I underestimated Norma completely
I was duly humbled and I must add grateful for being so
she was persistent and committed to getting the job
and she did it with elegance
ask for your raise at the right time
when it comes to your career certain moves should not be made without careful
consideration up the old and very apt saying
timing is everything
for example have you decided to ask for a raise
look around first
so many times employees who I like very much to the dumbest things when it comes
to conversations about their salaries
Jason Greenblatt a young and brilliant lawyer who works for me is terrific at
everything he does
but one day nice where he must have been wearing blindfolds
and ear plugs
I was having an especially tough vicious terrible miserable day that
seemed never-ending to me and to everyone else it was a Grand Slam rotten
day
no one could possibly have mistaken it for anything else
late in the afternoon by which time I had had enough
I heard a polite knock on my door I yelled
what in my most exasperated tone
Jason nonchalantly entered my office completely ignoring my angry welcome
and proceeded to ask me for a raise
I could not believe a lawyer as smart as Jason could make such a dumb move
I use his real name only because Jason knows how much I like and respect him
despite his incredible faux pas
but I have to tell you that I was ready to kill 'em was he
choking it's amazing but he wasn't he was dead serious
I couldn't believe it
did he get a raise not that day
he almost got fired for stupidity except that I told him to get out before I
really lost my temper
I also told them that although he might be brilliant his timing for certain
things needed work
and that maybe he ought to start paying attention to what was going on around
them
I remember thinking to myself did I really hire such a person
but as I said it had been a rough day
jason is still with me and he gets lotsa phrases because he's greater what he
does
but now he always waits for sunny days blue skies and puffy white clouds on the
horizon before approaching me
I told you he was smart
the best way to
ask for a raise is to wait for the right time it also indicates your boss that
you have a certain amount of discernment
and appreciation for what he might be going through myself
I need my people to be plugged into what's going on with me
what impresses me most about people is their work ethic a certain amount of
swagger is okay it's just another former enthusiasm but
bottom line I look for results when I mention to a sales person that I had to
cut her salary because she'd made no sales in nine months
she just about when nuts
but some things are common sense what would she do if she had a non-productive
salesperson on her roster
if you knew your company was scheduled to give a major client presentation at 3
p.m.
would you approach your boss at 2:45 to ask for a raise
money like comedy is all about
timing
beach in a ship's
the art of the deal contains
recalled West Side Story about my acquisition other west side yards a
hundred acre property fronting the Hudson River
from 59th Street to 72nd Street
the chapter title was a deliberate double entendre as I knew that the
popular musical West Side Story had taken ten years to put together
its creative team had included no less than leonard bernstein
Jerome Robbins Stevens on time and Arthur Laurents
so whenever I experienced setbacks or delays on my west side project
I would remind myself that I had some very
a las three is company
it's now seventeen years later and it's still a work in progress
but the example set by the architects a West Side Story has served me well
you don't create a classic overnight
I'm calling it trump place it's a five billion dollar project
the biggest development ever approved by the New York City Planning Commission
when it's done Trump place we'll have 5700 residential units
and more than five million square feet of commercial space
so far four towers have been completed are occupied
and two additional buildings are under construction when we're done
there will be a total of 16 buildings on the site
from place is a good example of why to nasa day is crucial in business
I bought the property in 1974
we've hit snags along the way and made many changes over time
but for more than 30 years we persisted
at times just about every executive will appear impatient
but to build something that and yours you have to take the long view
recently an employee told me that the pastor of a church at you strum place
as an example of what a firm foundation should be
whether it be in faith family or as in my case
buildings
the pastor whose church was near the construction site would watch
each building go up and marvel at the immensity of the work
each building could be a hundred stories high he said
considering the particulars foundation work
my publisher sent me an inspiring book by bill sure called the cathedral with
Ian
which celebrates the commitment and hope necessary to build something that
endures
it might be a cathedral like the one in milan which took five hundred years to
build
or it might be a community organization or a business
Paul Davis the man developing from place for me and my partners
is a true cathedral builder I have rarely seen anyone work so hard
or so diligently Saturday Sundays he's there at all hours paying close
attention to every impeccable detail at the layouts room sizes
and the quality of the fixtures he's one of the big reasons for our success
some things are worth waiting for for me Trump place
is one of those things 16 beautifully designed buildings on the Hudson River
a 25 acre park the Upper West Side
as a backyard
this could prove to be my finest contribution to the city of New York
time will tell but I'm in no rush and I won't stop
until I'm done
play golf
I made a lot of money on the golf course before I ever went into golf as a
business
I found solutions to problems new ideas for ventures
and even a new career golf as a way of giving you an equilibrium
that you can always find in the office
doing what you love will always make you a winner
and after spending many happy hours on golf courses
I decided to build some of my own I am now one of the busiest golf course
developers in the United States
was two award-winning internationally acclaimed courses
fully operational and two more in the works
my first course the Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach Florida
has been home to the ADP LPGA Championship for three years
when I first decided to develop the most beautiful golf course is possible
I did some research and got in touch with the most respected designers in the
business
the fuzzy or family
just as michelangelo had an affinity for sculpting marble some people have an
affinity for sculpting land
in this case jim and Tommy fuzzy 0 designed a dream come true for any
golfer
not only visually but in terms of playability
the course opened in 1999 with its waterfalls and landscapes unique to
Florida
Trump International Golf Club is already a landmark course in the state
and the best course in Florida
my second course was trucked national at Briarcliff Manor in New York
we move three million yards over
the largest land excavation ever in Westchester County
and it was worth it
we were also dealing with stone which was used for walls
and a spectacular waterfall on the 13th hole
a hundred and one foot cliff a black granite quarried from the property
which pumps 5,000 gallons a minute
the walls were built by my very talented stonemason Frank sons o
membership costs three hundred thousand dollars
I think it's a bargain
my third golf courses Trump National Golf Club in a sumptuous
area New Jersey known as bedminster
it is being designed by the master golf course architect himself
Tom Fazio
three times Golf Digest has named fuzzy 0
the best modern day golf course architect
and when you see this course you'll know why
it will be long big and beautiful
and I am involved daily in the design and construction
additional plans for this property formally owned by auto maker john
delorean are located in the heart of New Jersey's horse country
will include a second course and a world-class clubhouse designed in the
colonial mansion style
I don't live in my golfing to the east coast so in 2002
I bought a course along two miles above the Pacific Ocean what was formerly
known as
ocean trails in Palos Verdes will now be known as Trump National Golf Club
Los Angeles
the course had fallen into disrepair under its previous owners
the 18th hole fell into the ocean so I'm rebuilding it with legendary golf course
architect Pete Dye
we're also planning to build luxury estate homes on the property
when completed this course will be the best in California
when we announced a deal a Los Angeles Times reported as he has so many times
before trump has spotted a trend to tap
true but mostly I was following my instincts and my interest
building golf courses is not a big business for me and it's unlikely that I
will ever do another one
I only want the best
sometimes I will sell memberships well I'm hitting balls on the practice range
people approach me and Henry checks one recent day at my Florida course
a group for wealthy friends came to me with checks of three hundred thousand
dollars each
I said to myself not bad I'm playing a game I love
and going home but one million two hundred thousand dollars in my pocket
I realize it's so if you don't care much about golf golf is one of those things
that has aficionados just as opera has die-hard fans will fly around the world
to catch a certain performance
to people who don't know or like opera that seems absurd
I can't make you love golf but believe me
once you've had the opportunity to play on a beautiful course
it could turn you into an enormous fan are even a passionate player
no matter how poorly you hit the ball
if anyone had told me twenty years ago that I'd become a dedicated golf course
developer
I would have sent them out of the room for being ridiculous but golf has a
transforming power
it's a brain game
yes there is skill and technique involved but just as important it
requires concentration
and assessment
it's a great way to improve your business skills to learn how to maneuver
it can even be equated with learning how to negotiate
which is an art in itself
Gulf is also in essence a solitary game being an entrepreneur
even within a large company is a solitary game
ultimately the rule here is not just a visit with my golf courses though you
would be wise to do so
but to turn your passion into profit the results
have that passion will reward you in more ways the new ever could have
expected
passion isn't doosy ASM on a big scale
it is all encompassing and consuming
people with passion never give up because they'll never have a reason to
give up
no matter what their circumstances maybe it's an intangible momentum that can
make you
indomitable
take out a passion and you will have a fizzle or perhaps an
okay product at best at the passion
and you will be in a rarefied realm that every other passion he still recognize
and one that every person would like to enter
a friend of mine is a member of what I call the lucky sperm club
born into a wealthy family he followed his father to wall street
but he was a total failure he didn't like it any couldn't do it meanwhile he
became increasingly involved
in his connecticut Country Club he was named to head to the Greens Committee
and took on the lead role in rebuilding the golf course
he loved it and was great
the club held a dinner for him out of gratitude for his volunteer work
I asked him why don't you do this for a living
you're not for Wall Street you're getting eaten alive there
he told me his family wouldn't understand if he quit a serious job to
work on golf courses
well two years later he took my advice quit the Wall Street job
and is now working full time at renovating golf courses
he says he loves getting up in the morning and he's doing better than ever
of course you don't have to learn how to play golf to have a satisfying career
but no matter what you do you must be passionate about it
brand yourself and toot your horn
I was originally going to call Trump Tower by another name
Tiffany tower for the famous jewelry store next door
I asked a friend do you think it should be Trump Tower Tiffany tower
he said when you change your name to Tiffany
college Tiffany tower
all seen the power have a brand name especially quality brand names
Coco Chanel became world famous eighty years ago by naming her first perfume
Chanel number five and it's still going strong in a fiercely competitive market
her fragrance as well as her name has become timeless
she proved that the right ingredients can create a legend
trump has become a great brand name due to my rigorous standards have design and
quality
we all admire rolls-royce cars and I C
every one of my ventures as being just that elite
being a stickler has paid off because my buildings are considered to be the
finest in the world
that may sound like bragging but it's also a fact
I've never been one to confuse fax with fiction
in 2003 Chicago Tribune real estate columnist Mary Umberger
attributed the sales for Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago
to
the Trump factor Umberger reported the sales velocity surprises even
experienced real estate players
who told me at the sales inaugural that they doubted Trump
would gain enough momentum because Chicago's luxury market was and is
into loll
some people have written that I'm boastful but they're missing the point
I believe in what I say and I deliver the goods
if you're devoting your life to creating a body of work and you believe in what
you do
and what you do was excellent you better damn well tell people you think so
subtlety and modesty are appropriate for nuns and therapists
but if you're in business you'd better learn to speak up and announced your
significant accomplishments to the world
nobody else will
I'm setting the price for a luxury apartment I consider a lot of factors
the market the location and the competition then I set my own standards
once when some top of the line apartments when selling I up the prices
way over the competition they started selling immediately
I view my work as an art form and approach it with the same intensity and
ego as any ambitious artist would
I never planned on becoming a brand name but the fit
my aesthetic nature with each product I became involved with
has resulted in an expanding network at interests
the successive the Trump name worldwide has been a surprise
it's been a good surprise for example using my name on a building carries with
it a promise
have the highest quality available and at least a five million dollar price tag
that's just for the name because it will be worth it to the developers
and they know it
that building will be up to my standards
when I remember the line from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
what's in a name have I have to laugh
what's in a name can be far more than either the bard
or I ever could have imagined
we've all noticed the ascendancy a brand names in the power they have from Levi's
to Louis the tall
some people are against this widespread branding seeing it as another for love
labeling
I see it as a viable outlet for creativity
if you're on the brink of success in your career some snow might ask you
dismissively
you know want to become a brand name do you anyone who asks you that
does not have the big picture in focus and they are usually
just envious
and get a project off the ground in no time now whereas an unknown developer
would require many months if not years to get something going
the number of people I am ploy to get a project finished
reaches into the thousands and those people would not have a building to work
on without a developer to give them a job
commerce and art cannot function independently
they must work together that is the beauty of a successful brand name
if there is a downside to being a well-known name it is that you become an
easy target
the media needs to tear down but it builds up that's just part of journalism
stories are about heroes and villains our success and failure
if you're a brand name they're going to take a shot at you
it comes with the territory and I've learned to live with it
as we say in the apprentice it's not personal
its business
fortunately if you have the critics who matter on your side
reading the newspaper can be a lot of fun
Herbert Muschamp the architecture critic for the New York Times
is a scholar and an authority when it comes to buildings
to receive a compliment from him has an intrinsic value that will never diminish
when he wrote an article on Trump World Tower and described it
as a handsome hunk up a glass tower
I was very honored here's more of what he wrote
although donald Trump refers to publicize the aggressive side of his
nature
it's the manly thing to do he is also the only beauty freak
at large in New York City real estate development
it's not surprising that unofficial approval up trumps buildings
should come by way above the Museum of Modern Art
the tower embodies the me see anesthetic through which the moderns design
departments taste
was initially formulated I hope Trump sticks with this material
truck does better when he ignores his critics
then when he pays attention to them
so don't be afraid to toot your own horn when you've done something worth
Tooting about and don't believe the critics
unless they love your work
on
when