It's now 2004, I'm still closing deals around the clock, and I'm still not in it for the money. The following pages will be clear and concise, but don't let the brevity of these passages keep you from enjoying the depth of advice you are about to receive.
Be a General
Creative people rarely need to be motivated; they have their own inner drive that doesn't get bored. They live on the edge, and that is exactly what it takes to be and remain successful.
Stay Focused
They wanted me to come to their office immediately to negotiate new terms with some foreign banks—three of the ninety-nine banks to which I owed billions. After being the king of the eighties, I survived the early nineties, and by the mid to late nineties I was thriving again.
Maintain Your Momentum
No matter how skilled you are, no matter how well you think you know your business, you must remain alert to the specifics of your field.
Get a Great Assistant
Their calls never got through to me and their names were put on her "psycho list".
Remember: The Buck Starts Here
If you do, you'll never get a straight answer from anyone, and you'll defeat your own purpose.
Don’t Equivocate
Ask Yourself Two Questions
Bullshit Will Only Get You So Far
Of course, if your boss is a sadist or just a lousy communicator, you still have problems.
Every New Hire Is a Gamble
That's what I would do if I were you." The woman immediately calmed down and thanked Carole for being so nice to her. If people have time to be small, it is an indication that they are not busy enough with their work.
Ideas Are Welcome, but Make Sure You Have the Right One
There was a former employee that I liked very much, but he reminded me of a spring bean. It just might not be the right great idea for the company you're with.
Focus on the Talent Instead of the Title
I might be the biggest owner of land in Westchester County, and now it's Vinnie keeping his eye on it all. Meredith McIver, who made writing this book a pleasure instead of a headache, started out as a media assistant.
Manage the Person, Not the Job
Fortunately, I seem to attract people who enjoy working, but every now and then a few slugs will show up, and the loss of face (or job) can be a good motivator for many. I have to laugh when I hear people say, "I can't wait until I'm the big shot so I can order everyone around." It doesn't quite work that way.
Keep Your Door Open
We are very much involved in our own national events, but we are less aware of what is happening in other countries. Perhaps one of the reasons I have been able to sell and rent apartments to people of so many foreign nationalities is that I have done my best to understand where they come from.
Think Big and Live Large
Take Control of the Job Interview
Ask for Your Raise at the Right Time
It also shows your boss that you have a certain amount of discernment and appreciation for what he might be going through himself. If you knew your company was scheduled to give a big client presentation at 3:00 p.m., would you approach your boss at 2:45 a.m. to ask for a raise?
Be Tenacious
The pastor, whose church was near the building site, would see each building go up and marvel at the scale of the work. I've rarely seen anyone work so hard or so diligently—Saturdays, Sundays—he's there at all times, paying meticulous attention to every impeccable detail of the layout, room sizes, and the quality of the fixtures.
Play Golf
My third course is Trump National Golf Club, in a lush area of New Jersey known as Bedminster. Building golf courses isn't a big business for me and it's unlikely I'll ever do one again.
Brand Yourself and Toot Your Horn
If you're on the brink of career success, a snob might ask you dismissively, "You don't want to be a brand name, do you?" So don't be afraid to toot your own horn when you've done something worth tooting about.
Go with Your Gut
Be Optimistic, but Always Be Prepared for the Worst
Look Closely Before Changing Careers
Take the risk, but before you do, do everything you can to learn what you're getting into and be as sure as possible that you have the right mindset for the job.
Avoid the Handshake Whenever Possible
Pay Attention to the Details
Connect with Your Audience (The Art of Public Speaking, Part I)
I had been paid a lot of money for the speech, but I had never asked how many people I would speak to. All in all, it was a valuable lesson in public speaking: think of your audience first.
Cover These Eleven Bases (The Art of Public Speaking, Part II)
How can you enable your audience to relate to you and to what you are saying. The difference is that you don't have time to go back and correct yourself when you're on stage.
Change Your Altitude
What these children face is humbling, but they are excited and excited about every day they get. Maybe you've gotten to the point where you don't think you can get through another day.
Start Visualizing Positively
He who looks outside his own heart dreams, he who looks into his own heart awakes. You're the only guy who can wear a cashmere coat to a baseball game and get away with it.
Read Carl Jung
You will also gain a technique to see the people around you instead of reading them. It is the face we put on for public use, and it can be intentional or unconscious.
Have an Ego
The intelligent use of that power is essential in the business world, and it is equally important in your personal life.
Keep Critics in Perspective
Homework Is Required and There Will Be a Test
If you don't understand the process, you will never benefit from the results of the process. We've all heard the phrase "You're barking up the wrong tree." It conjures up a funny image in your mind, but in reality it can be embarrassing.
Listen to a Ping-Pong Game
I later applied this to my work in emerging markets and found that I could often predict what was going to happen just by concentrating on world events and thinking about the sound of ping-pong balls being hit around around the world. What set her apart from everyone else was the way she applied her knowledge and keen analysis of the game of Ping-Pong to her work.
Reflect for Three Hours a Day
I read as much as I can, but not as much as I want to because there are so many restrictions on my time. I like movies and television as much as anyone else, but reading is a form of supplementation for me.
Dress for Your Culture
It's certainly not groundbreaking news that the women's early wins on The Apprentice were very much dependent on their sex appeal. It's a form of shorthand to be able to just say "your basic accountant type" or "a typical advertising type" when describing someone.
Be Your Own Best Financial Adviser
The New York Post has developed a really great business section – and one that's fun to read. If you read these financial publications for a while, you'll start to pick up the cadence and get an idea of what's happening in the market, which funds are the best and who the best advisors are.
Invest Simply
You paid good money for this book and I know you expect sophisticated investment advice. The smartest thing I can tell you is to only invest in products you understand, with people you know you can trust.
Get a Prenuptial Agreement
Cut Out the Middleman
But sometimes you have to go right to the top, and you have to do it yourself. This is one of many bad doctors I know - too many to name.
Teach Your Children the Value of a Dollar
My children have benefited from prosperity as I did, but it is surprising how unspoiled they are in many ways. If you clearly enjoy going to Las Vegas to gamble, it is likely that they will think this is a good thing and will follow suit.
If You Have Them by the Balls, Their Hearts and Minds Will Follow
Don't expect people to believe your blarney simply because you're good at delivering it. Research who you are dealing with, how they negotiate and what they want from you.
Consider What the Other Side Wants
They weren't in real estate in the beginning - they were mostly in clothing - and it was over the top. There was another key aspect to this deal that demonstrates the importance of knowing what the other side wants: All of the previous tenants had dealt with the Hinneberg family's agent.
Be Reasonable and Flexible
Trust Your Instincts
The middle 300,000 square feet could rent for less per square foot, but those rents would still more than cover the purchase price and renovation costs. The bottom 400,000 square feet may be harder to lease, but even if those floors were completely empty, the building would still be profitable, assuming our projections for leasing the top 700,000 square feet were correct.
Know Exactly What You Want and Keep It to Yourself
It's okay to change your mind and suggest a different approach—as long as you haven't made any commitments to the other party. I just absorb new information quickly and move forward in unexpected ways—unexpected to the other party as well as to myself.
Make Sure Both Sides Come Out Winning
Let Your Guard Down, but Only on Purpose
He must have thought he caught me on a bad day or with my guard down, but my guard wasn't down - I was just incredulous. Finally, I told the boy that what he was saying was exactly what I never wanted to hear.
Being Stubborn Is Often an Asset
The Urban Development Corporation accepted the land deed and agreed to condemn all existing leases, provided I pay all damages to displaced tenants. The city agreed to the lease from UDC at a fixed rent and a share of the profits.
Be Patient
Be Strategically Dramatic
The city agreed to cut our taxes by seventeen percent and give us the ten year tax abatement we sought if we would agree to withdraw our lawsuit and subsidize two hundred units of affordable housing in the Bronx.
Sometimes You Still Have to Screw Them
About a year later I realized that I had not received a single dollar from the owners: no return on my initial investment and certainly no profit. I called two of the guys who brought me into the deal and said, “Guys, come on, I know success when I see it.
Sometimes You Have to Hold a Grudge
He asked for a million dollars (or more) because he said he had bad luck raising money. Many years later he was working as a senior executive at Citibank and I called him to ask him for a small favor to find something for me.
Learn the Value of Saying No
I immediately signed with Jim Griffin of the William Morris Agency to begin shopping the contests to other broadcasters. Additionally, the Telemundo simulcast of the spectacle was one of the highest-rated shows in the network's history.
The Art of the Hair
After the premiere of The Apprentice, Joy Behar was on The Tonight Show along with the rest of the cast of The View. I think it's possible that I might rethink my look for season two of The Apprentice.
Gossip
Over the next few weeks, my friend called me incessantly proclaiming his love for the woman. She told me that she couldn't believe that people would even think that she would go out with my friend.
Page Six, My Way
Now he's writing a book and I'll be the first one online to buy it. George, you're busy as hell – let me get them out of here.” He's a really great guy.
A Week in the Life
MONDAY
I look at some kitchen and bathroom appliances and decide to go for the top of the line. I think the mayor is doing a great job considering he has one of the toughest jobs on the planet.
TUESDAY
I'm glad he takes the time to talk to me, and considering his schedule, it's a good sign that maybe I'm not boring him either. It's rare that I take an afternoon off, but given the company I'll be in, it will be worth it.
WEDNESDAY
One of the biggest benefits of being financially successful is being able to be generous. Likewise, his son Harrison will be one of the really cool youngsters to watch.
THURSDAY
