Call for a free consultation
888.826.5953
Ideas and Opinions from Donald Trump and TrumpU Faculty.
Thanksgiving Time
We should all get together and make a country in which everybody can eat turkey whenever he pleases.
--Harry S. Truman
When the Thanksgiving season comes around, it makes me think about how we should always be in a season of thanksgiving. There’s always a reason to be grateful. We’ve had some challenges the past couple of years and we’ve seen some improvement, and things will continue to improve.
There are silver linings to situations that may appear less than positive. The important thing is to approach each day with a sense of victory. Are you big enough for what the day will bring?
When
more...
9 comments
Business is an Art Form
In my last blog, I spoke about delivering the goods and how consumers, whether past, present or future, want the best for their money. That will never change. Another thing that will never change is that art forms will always draw from the past, reflect on the present, and look to the future. That applies to everything from art and architecture to business.
In my first book, The Art of the Deal, which came out in 1987, I start out by saying “I don’t do it for the money. I’ve got enough, much more than I’ll ever need. Deals are my art form
more...
9 comments
Deliver the Goods
Not too long ago someone was asking me what I thought the secrets to my success in business might be. That’s a broad topic so I decided to apply it to my success over the years, especially pertaining to the brand I have built. But the answers can be helpful to you whether you are a student or if you already run a business.
First of all, you need to be able to deliver the goods. People want the best for their money, and that’s a quality common to consumers whether past, present or future. It can also simplify your life--all you
more...
7 comments
Top Ten Tips For Success
One of the requests I receive the most is for a list of the top ten tips for success. Here’s a list that addresses students as well as professionals:
Be focused. Put everything you’ve got into what you do every day.
Believe in yourself. If you don’t, no one else will.
Be tenacious.
Trust your instincts.
Maintain your momentum and keep everyone moving forward
See yourself as victorious and leading a winning team.
Be passionate about what you do.
Live on the edge. Do not become complacent.
Leadership is not a group effort. If you’re in charge, then be in charge.
Never give up!
more...
31 comments
Inspiration
There are many stories of inspiration that we can draw on from history, such as Abraham Lincoln and his triumph over many years of adversity, and there are people who are living and working today who have had success despite many setbacks and tragedies.
I recently came across a book by a man who survived five concentration camps as a teenaged boy who became a real estate developer in Los Angeles and encountered great success. His story is an inspiring one.
A Holocaust Survivor: In The Footsteps Of His Past is by Naftali Deutsch. After his parents and brothers were murdered
more...
9 comments
Taking Control
The way things are these days it seems a lot of people feel they’ve lost control. There are many things we can’t control, but I’ve learned that taking a positive outlook is a form of control that is available to everyone. It’s a way of keeping your fate in your own hands.
One effective technique is to make sure you define yourself versus allowing others to define you. They will limit you when instead you should see yourself as limitless when it comes to possibilities. I can remember when people and newspapers were saying I was done, finished and in total financial
more...
20 comments
Where Are Nixon's Children?
After watching the movie Frost/Nixon I was thinking about Nixon's children. Where are they?Whether you liked Nixon or not, family is family and I find it incredible that no one has surfaced to defend him. Did they just disappear? Why haven't they defended him?
I would hope my children would fight for me more than his kids fight for him. I have a feeling they would. I also think Nixon would go to bat for his children, just as I would for mine. Their silence is a mystery to me and while I know it was a humiliating time in their
more...
22 comments
The World's Happiest Nations
How happy are you? Not as happy as if you were living in Denmark, apparently.
Denmark is the world’s most content nation, according to a recent study on global well-being. Surprisingly, I think, the United States is way down the happiness list at the Number 16 spot. Researchers at the University of Michigan said Denmark earned the top spot thanks to economic prosperity, stability and democracy.
"I strongly suspect there is a strong correlation between peace and happiness," said Ronald Inglehart, a political scientist at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research. "There is also a correlation between democracy and peace. Democracies
more...
20 comments
What Not To Say To Your Boss
If you’re smart, you’ve learned what not to say in a romantic relationship. You’d never tell a woman she looked fat in a dress or tell a man he was losing his hair. But have you learned what not to say in a business relationship?
Recently, CareerBuilder.com put together a list of some of most inappropriate things you could say in the workplace. Listen to my advice, and you’ll write a business plan for success. You’d think a lot of this was common sense, but I admit I’ve heard so many of these lines before.
For example, if you say "That's not my job," There’s
more...
26 comments
Live a Life of Discovery
"What lies behind us, and what lies before us, are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
I receive a lot of mail every day -- piles of it. Not too long ago I received a letter from my kindergarten teacher. It was a big surprise for me to come across that in one of those piles of letters. She mentioned that what she remembered most clearly about me is that I never stopped asking questions. I was the most inquisitive student she had ever had. I wrote back to her that some things never change -
more...
14 comments
The New Year in Trump Tower
So far, the New Year has been shaping up very well. The Celebrity Apprentice season started off as the #1 show on Thursday night, and word has it that it’s sharp, funny and insightful. I thought so when I saw it earlier, and realized it must be good if the hour zipped by as quickly as it did, but it’s nice to have back-up opinions that are similar. We’re looking forward to a great season, and we hope you are too. Don Jr., Ivanka and George Ross are back as Mr. Trump’s advisors.
Later this month, Mr. Trump’s new book, Never Give
more...
3 comments
The Secret of Your Success in 2008 . . .
To make 2008 your most successful year ever . . . Think big!
When you were a child, would you have liked to keep crawling, when everyone else was walking? I don’t think so.
We all have to start with small steps, but the point is:
Get to the biggest steps you’re capable of taking.
Thinking small will limit your potential. Thinking big will take you places. Thinking big can get you to the top, and I can tell you, it’s not lonely up here.
Successful people like challenges. It’s our nature. Keep in sync with this basic premise, and you’ll begin moving forward with the momentum
more...
16 comments
Working the Graveyard Shift
Do you work nights? It may be harmful to your health. Like UV rays and diesel exhaust fumes, working the graveyard shift will soon be listed as a "probable" cause of cancer.
Scientists suspect that overnight work is dangerous because it disrupts the body’s biological clock. In addition, a hormone which can suppress tumor development is normally produced at night. People who work nights also tend to sleep less. Not getting enough sleep makes your immune system vulnerable to attack, and less able to fight off cancerous cells.
If this theory is correct, millions of people worldwide could be affected. Experts estimate that
more...
9 comments
Write Your Financial Vision Statement for 2008
A wealth-building secret from the pages of Trump Wealth Building 101
What do wealthy people have in common?
You might be surprised to learn that one of the most powerful habits of wealthy people is their ability to visualize a better financial future. They develop a clear mental picture of where they want to be financially, and then describe their financial vision in a simple and concise statement that serves as a constant reminder of where they are headed. This picture becomes a powerful motivator in their quest to produce and acquire wealth.
If you can get a clear picture of the way you
more...
7 comments
Emails
I never send emails. If I need to communicate with someone, I ask them to come to my office or I just pick up the phone.
But there are people I know who are always sending emails. They’re always on their computers or their Blackberrys or their iPhones. They send and receive hundreds of messages a day.
Thirty-five million emails are sent daily. White-collar workers spend more than two hours of their paid time each day at a total loss for all employers of 28 billion hours a year and $650 billion dollars! So they waste time and productivity as well as lots
more...
18 comments
Get in the Race in 2008
“When I die, I am not going to be there saying, Oh, I wish I had done this, and I wish I had done that. Because I did it.” - Francis Ford Coppola interviewed in the New York Times, December 16, 2007
That quote from the legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola just about says it all, doesn’t it?
In life, there are those who sit on the sidelines and those who get in the race. If you’ve been warming the bench a bit too long in your life plan, why not make 2008 your change year? If you’re ready, we have the tools
more...
4 comments
Internet Addiction in China
While many experts in the United States are still trying to decide whether Internet addiction is a real illness, China is taking this disorder very seriously. They’ve opened several Internet addiction clinics and camps to treat hundreds of children and teenagers who spend hours and hours each day online.
They have them eating, playing and socializing with other kids in the real world instead of sitting in front of a computer living in a virtual world. In extreme cases, the patients receive drugs and some even get shock therapy to try to fix their problems. About 70 percent of the kids who
more...
12 comments
Put the Power of the 90/10 Rule behind Your Potential for Wealth Creation
In their new book Why We Want You to Be Rich, Donald J. Trump and Robert T. Kiyosaki discuss the 90/10 Rule, a simple principle that can get you started on the road to riches today.
What is the 90/10 Rule? Here’s your chance to find out now from two incredibly successful men.
Robert T. Kiyosaki’s Advice on the 90/10 Rule . . .
The 90/10 Rule of Money is something that my rich dad taught me about. I have written about it in Rich Dad, Poor Dad and my other books.
Simply put, in the game of money and the game of life too,
more...
12 comments
One Secret of Being a Great Public Speaker
If you want to learn how to talk on your feet, know your subject inside out so that you will never have to hesitate or bluff because questions will not surprise or stump you. You'll know every answer, and each question will give you a great opportunity to show how good you are and how much you know.
Master your subject and know it cold. Work at it, read about it and discuss it with others. Dedicate yourself to working at it every day. Anticipate the questions you will be asked and practice your answers to them.
Follow the example of great athletes
more...
8 comments
Recruit a Great Support Team for the New Year
Donald J. Trump is the most self-reliant, rugged individual I have ever known. Yet he often says that he could never have reached the pinnacle of success without the support of a great team.
Here’s just one instance of that philosophy, quoted from his book Trump 101: The Way to Success:
“Good leaders determine the teams they assemble. If you pick the best players and set the example, many good seasons should follow . . . Assemble a core group around you; create a great team. Fill in the group with people who will excel in their roles.”
If Donald J. Trump needs a good
more...
4 comments
Always Have a Fallback Plan
“A leader has the right to be beaten, but never the right to be surprised.” --Napoleon
The Apprentice teaches candidates to think quickly on their feet. Since they're placed under tight time constraints, they have to think, act, and express themselves without hesitation or they lose and are fired by me.
Since their ideas don't always work, they also need backup plans that they can employ when Plan A fails. If they're ready and move promptly and decisively on Plan B, they can recover without losing much time. You have probably noticed that the candidates who have no fallback plans are often the
more...
5 comments
Santa Brings Success . . . Scott and Jalisa Schafer Buy their First Business!
Just one year ago, Scott and Jalisa Schafer were planning to become entrepreneurs. Knowing they needed guidance to make the right business investment, they selected The Art of Buying a Business, a premier course developed by Professor Richard Parker for Trump University.
“Trump stands for quality,” Scott explains. “It is one of the best brands out there. We knew we would get information we could trust to succeed.”
They found the resources in The Art of Buying a Business to be top-notch - particularly, they say, the Buyer Toolbox part of the course, which clearly explained what to do when researching a business
more...
6 comments
Defending Your Name and Brand: Donald J. Trump Sets the Record Straight in The Wall Street Journal
We’ve all heard Mr. Trump discuss the importance of establishing yourself and then defending yourself. One seems to follow the other - once you become successful, it’s great, but you also become a target. I’ve been around long enough to know that Mr. Trump follows the advice he gives others - if they come after you, you have to go after them. Most of time it’s simply to set the record straight when the facts seem to escape the grasp of journalists and other people with the tools to damage your business and reputation.
A couple of weeks ago an article came
more...
6 comments
Know Your Audience
"Whether you're involved in negotiations, war, public speaking, or merely socializing, learn about the person across from you and find out what he or she wants so that you can build a better relationship." - Donald J. Trump
I've heard stories about people who landed terrific jobs, not just because of their qualifications, but also because of common interests they had with the people hiring them. Granted, the applicant had to have the credentials to begin with, but lots of people do.
I once heard about a top law firm that hired a young lawyer because, in addition to excelling in law school,
more...
6 comments
Tell Me About Your Favorite Real Estate TV Show
Flip This House, a popular show about people who apply the flip-and-fix strategy to real estate investing, is a big hit on A&E. Over at Bravo TV, you’ll find another show, Flipping Out, on a similar theme. If you watch them, you already know that they offer very different perspectives on real estate development.
I have personal opinions about what is realistic about these two shows, and what is not. But instead of writing about what I think today, I’d like to invite all of you to post your comments here about what you like and dislike about those two shows -
more...
12 comments
The Benefits of Cursing
If you want to improve morale around the office, start cursing.
According to a study by British researchers, regular swearing at work can help boost team spirit among staff members. It’ll help them express their feelings and it’ll help develop better social relationships.
The key is knowing when such language is appropriate and when to watch what you say.
For example, you probably shouldn’t let loose with profanity in front of senior executives or customers. But a few choice four-letter words can help foster solidarity among employees, especially when you’re expressing frustration or stress.
The study also found that swearing is becoming more common as
more...
15 comments
American Execs Think they Deserve to be Paid Less
This is hard to believe, but according to a new study, most American executives say they believe they are overpaid.
Four out of six top U.S. CEOs or company presidents polled said that the compensation of top executives was too high in relation to their very own performance. Only about two percent said their salaries were too low and about a third said their compensation was “just about right.”
Outside directors thoroughly agreed with them. More than 80 percent of them said that chief executives were definitely overpaid.
I think this is a big problem. Sure, there are plenty of people who are paid
more...
5 comments
November in the Tower
As predicted, this was going to be a busy month, and it has started that way. The Apprentice filming is in full swing, and that means early mornings and late nights for Mr. Trump, as well as for Ivanka and Don Jr. Mr. Trump is accustomed to an over-the-top schedule, and the office has proceeded seamlessly despite this added activity. Having the Mark Burnett team back is almost like getting back to normal in some ways, which says a lot for their expertise. Not too many places can absorb a television show being in process with hardly a ripple felt by
more...
0 comments
Cardinal Virtues: Temperance
Recently, I wrote several blogs about the Seven Deadly Workplace Sins. Now I’m taking a look at the four Cardinal Virtues: justice, fortitude, prudence and temperance. These are great qualities to have in your personal life and they can carry over to help you thrive in the business world.
Last time I looked at prudence; now it’s time for a little temperance. This is a difficult one for me to advocate in some regards because I don’t do many things in moderation when it comes to business. I believe in always having the biggest and the best. But sometimes if you’re so
more...
5 comments
Cardinal Virtues: Prudence
Recently, I wrote several blogs about the Seven Deadly Workplace Sins. Now I’m taking a look at the four Cardinal Virtues: justice, fortitude, prudence and temperance. These are great qualities to have in your personal life and they can carry over to help you thrive in the business world.
Last time I looked at fortitude; now it’s time for a little prudence. After extolling the virtues of courage and people who are willing to take risks, now I’m praising people who have foresight and wisdom. These are the people who are smart enough to actually weigh the possible consequences before they take
more...
3 comments
Cardinal Virtues: Fortitude
Recently, I wrote several blogs about the Seven Deadly Workplace Sins. Now I’m taking a look at the four Cardinal Virtues: justice, fortitude, prudence and temperance. These are great qualities to have in your personal life and they can carry over to help you thrive in the business world.
Last time I looked at justice; now it’s time for a little fortitude. For me, bravery is one of the most important characteristics to have professionally. If you don’t have the courage to make bold decisions and to take chances, then there’s no way you’ll distinguish yourself from everyone else in the workplace.
It
more...
5 comments
Cultivate Customer Culture in Your Organization!
Once when I was the first person getting on an airplane, I heard one of the attendants exclaim, "Here come the animals." For that attendant, passengers were a nuisance and it is very likely that that attitude carried over into how the attendant dealt with passengers during the flight.
You don’t have a problem like that in your company, do you? I hope not, because in order for your enterprise to succeed, members of your organization must show respect for customers -- not thinly disguised contempt (TDC).
When customer orientation grows, profits grow too. Consider Sanity Music, a chain in Australia, which doubled
more...
3 comments
Cardinal Virtues: Justice
Recently, I wrote several blogs about the Seven Deadly Workplace Sins. I took a look at each of them and how they can get you in trouble in the workplace. They’re great transgressions to avoid if you want to succeed professionally.
So now I thought I’d take a closer look at the four Cardinal Virtues: justice, fortitude, prudence and temperance. These are great qualities to have in your personal life and they can carry over to help you thrive in the business world.
Justice is an admirable characteristic. When you take an evenhanded approach to your professional dealings, you act fair and square
more...
7 comments
Don't Be Scared on Halloween - Or Any Other Day
When you turn on your TV this week, you're going to find lots of scary movies. When you travel around your neighborhood, you'll find cobwebs, skulls and lots of other decorations designed to give you those fun goosebumps that go with the holiday.
Yes, it's fun to scared on Halloween. But let me ask you a more serious question . . .
Are you scared during the rest of the year too?
When you go to work, are you scared that you might get fired? Are you scared of your boss? Or scared that a crooked colleague of yours is going to steal your ideas? Are you scared that you aren't earning enough to pay your
more...
4 comments
Your Silly Business Idea Could Be Worth Millions
Think your business idea is sillier than Silly Putty? These days, I think it’s safe to say David Ogilvy’s contention that “it only takes a big idea to attract the attention of consumers” no longer applies. The proof, my friends, is in the seemingly silly ideas that have managed to make these entrepreneurs extremely wealthy.
Christie Rein. In 2004, Christie Rein was over carrying her baby’s diapers around in a freezer bag. So, the 34-year-old mother decided to do something about it. She and her husband designed a custom diaper bag that was big enough to hold a travel pack of wipes
more...
4 comments
Young Boss, Older Worker
In today’s multi-generational workplace, it’s not unusual for an older worker to have a younger boss. In order for that relationship to survive, both partners have to capitalize on each other’s experiences and strengths.
According to a study by the staffing company Randstad, one-fifth of employed adults are older than their bosses. And that number keeps increasing as more and more older people stay in the workforce even after they hit retirement age.
Unfortunately, only about half of employees say they relate well to older workers. And more than three-quarters of employees say that younger workers don’t seek advice from their older, more
more...
8 comments
Sixteen Things Great Negotiators Never Do
You’ve read articles and books that explain all the things you must do when you're negotiating. But how about the things you should never do?
Here’s my personal list, developed through my many years of wealth creation by selling and buying businesses. You will find these tips to be effective in almost any other kind of negotiation too.
Don't beat an issue to death. If you can't agree, move on and come back to it.
Don't quote facts that you can't back up.
Don't try to be something you are not.
Don't think you have to give in on one point because you won the previous one.
Don't hold a
more...
2 comments
Use Donald J. Trump's Proven Strategies to Become Rich
Have you noticed that Trump University Wealth Building 101, our latest book, is making publishing history? It became an instant Amazon.com bestseller only days after it was published, and now it is rocketing to the top of other booksellers’ lists.
But when you stop to think about it, why shouldn’t that happen? When you offer people the opportunity to learn proven strategies for acquiring Trump-level wealth in a book that retails for a little more than $20 - well, they are going take notice and respond.
I hope you sit up and take notice too. But just in case you haven’t, here’s your chance to get
more...
1 comment
The Seventh Deadly Workplace Sin: Lust
Recently, I read an article from Careerbuilder.com about the Seven Deadly Workplace Sins. Last time, I gave you my take on Gluttony. Finally, it’s all about Lust.
First of all, it’s not what you’re thinking. Get your mind out of the gutter. When I’m discussing lust in the office, I mean an intense longing for other people’s success or other people’s work instead of your own. (Not an intense longing for the attractive person in the next cubicle.)
Here, they liken the sin of lust in the office to the “grass is always greener” theory. If you are obsessed with what your co-workers
more...
11 comments
News from the Tower
October promises to be an eventful month here at Trump Tower. On October 16th, Mr. Trump’s new book, Think Big and Kick Ass in Business and Life will launch nationwide. This book was written with Bill Zanker, the dynamic founder of The Learning Annex, who credits Mr. Trump with showing him how to think big--and the success he has had with The Learning Annex is evidence that it works. Mr. Trump has been a speaker with The Learning Annex for several years and he regularly draws 50,000 people to his wealth expo speeches.
Back in 2004, Mr. Trump and Robert Kiyosaki met
more...
3 comments
The Sixth Deadly Workplace Sin: Gluttony
Recently, I read an article from Careerbuilder.com about the Seven Deadly Workplace Sins. Last time, I gave you my take on Sloth. Today, it’s all about Gluttony.
When it comes to success, it’s hard not to want it all. And, to be honest, I’m not so sure that’s a bad thing. This, to me, is a lot like greed. If you have high aspirations and yearnings for big things, then you work hard and long and fast to get it.
But the caution here is that if you gorge yourself on just one thing - like someone sitting down at an incredibly prepared
more...
7 comments
The Secret and Simple First Rule of Becoming Rich
The first practice of the wealthy is to pay yourself first. This does not mean going to the mall and buying a new shirt or television. That is not paying yourself; that is paying someone else. After all, how much real value do you actually receive from that shirt or television 10 or 20 years from now? Absolutely none!
Paying yourself first means that you invest your money so it grows for you, ideally through an Automatic Investment Plan (AIP). An AIP is any program where money is withdrawn, automatically and regularly, from your paycheck or your checking or savings account and
more...
6 comments
The Fifth Deadly Workplace Sin: Sloth
Recently, I read an article from Careerbuilder.com about the Seven Deadly Workplace Sins. Last time, I gave you my take on Greed. This morning, it’s all about Sloth.
There are few things I hate more than laziness. I work very, very hard and I expect the people who work for me to do the same. So if you’re lazy at work, you will get absolutely nowhere. While you’re sitting back twiddling your thumbs, you will watch everyone else whiz right by you on the fast tracks of their careers.
If you want to succeed, you cannot relax. You can’t do just the minimum,
more...
8 comments
The Fourth Deadly Workplace Sin: Greed
Recently, I read an article from Careerbuilder.com about the Seven Deadly Workplace Sins. Last time, I gave you my take on Anger. Today, it’s all about Greed.
One of my often-quoted sayings is “Greed is good,” so I have mixed feelings about greed being a workplace sin. I believe that you have to be motivated by some sort of insatiability for success. I guess that’s greed in a way. If you’re not driven, you won’t succeed.
Where greed can hurt you is if you want too much too soon and you only consider the short term, forgetting that some time you have to
more...
9 comments
Trump University Takes It Live!
An Interview with Dee Colwell, the power behind Trump University’s new Live Events
Trump University has already gained recognition as the world’s fastest growing institution of electronic and interactive learning. So why is Trump University introducing an equally fast-growing series of live seminars and workshops? Barry Lenson, our Executive Editor, talked with Dee Colwell, Trump University’s Director of Operations, to learn more.
Barry: Why is Trump University, a center of online and interactive learning, moving into live events?
Dee: There’s no doubt that interactive learning is powerful and flexible. But to take advantage of certain areas of hot opportunity like foreclosures, people need knowledge
more...
2 comments
The Third Deadly Workplace Sin: Anger
Recently, I read an article from Careerbuilder.com about the Seven Deadly Workplace Sins. Last time, I gave you my take on Envy. Today, it’s all about Anger.
This is a tough one. In general, I’d have to agree that anger doesn’t belong in the workplace. It can create a hostile environment and people who are prone to angry outbursts are often seen as unprofessional by their employers.
However, I think that leaders occasionally may have to use their anger in the workplace. I don’t mean that they should run around yelling at their employees, slamming doors and punching walls. But often people who are
more...
8 comments
Fit: The Core of Entrepreneurial Success
Stephen was anxious to own a company close to where he lived. He became excited when he realized there were no fish supply stores in the area, so he began to pursue the idea of opening one.
He borrowed money from family and friends and tapped his own personal finances and credit cards for a total of $18,000 to cover start-up expenses. He found a location, signed a lease, stocked the store with tanks, supplies, accessories and exotic fish of all kinds. He opened the doors for business. Stephen was feeling really exhilarated. But one year later, his business had to close
more...
2 comments
The Second Deadly Workplace Sin: Envy
Recently, I read an article from Careerbuilder.com about the Seven Deadly Workplace Sins. Two days ago, I gave you my take on Pride. This morning, it’s all about Envy.
Jealousy is stupid. It is a waste of time and it’s destructive. Nothing good can ever come of it, so there’s definitely no room for it in the workplace. If a co-worker gets a project or a promotion that you wanted, then don’t spend time stewing over it or lamenting that it should’ve been yours. Instead, turn the opportunity around.
Use the situation to motivate yourself to work harder, to achieve more so that
more...
8 comments
Leverage: The Secret of Unstoppable Success
Leverage can be explained in many different ways, but let's keep it simple . . .
Leverage is the art of using other people’s resources to reach your goals.
Here are few ways to use leverage that have been mentioned on this blog over the last few months.
You can use leverage to buy a business. Richard Parker, our Professor and America’s leading expert on buying businesses, explains that it is possible to buy a business with no money down by offering to partner with its seller. You become a partner in the business for a pre-negotiated period of time while the money you make becomes
more...
6 comments
Seven Deadly Workplace Sins. First Up: Pride
Recently, I read an article from Careerbuilder.com about the Seven Deadly Workplace Sins. I’d have to agree that they did a pretty good job pinpointing the vices that can surely get you in trouble at work. Missing only the stone tablets and Moses, they’re some pretty good sins to avoid if you want to succeed professionally.
Here’s the full list.
1. Pride
2. Envy
3. Anger
4. Greed
5. Sloth
6. Gluttony
7. Lust
Taken without explanation, it sounds highly biblical. And I’d even argue that you need a lot of these traits, at least in small doses. Over the next few weeks, I’ll break it down and give you
more...
12 comments
They're Coming Back
It wasn’t too long ago that I was telling you about the early days when The Apprentice was shot here in Trump Tower and around New York. I was saying that we missed the team when they left, which was true. The good news is that they’re coming back--The Apprentice will be shooting here starting in October. That means a lot of extra activity but it also means good energy. We’re looking forward to having them back.
September always seems like a New Year to me, probably because that’s when the new school year started. It’s a great feeling, and I hope
more...
9 comments
Keep Your Tempo
"Running a business is like being an orchestra conductor. How well your people perform is your responsibility. " - Donald J. Trump
Effective leaders develop individual tempos and utilize them. Your tempo is like an inner metronome that constantly keeps time. It should never stop -- even when the world is exploding around you. The people you work with will feel your tempo and plug into it. When they do, everyone will work better together and enjoy it more.
We each have our own internal tempos that govern how quickly we move. It's an integral, distinguishing part of us. Some people are deliberate,
more...
9 comments
Who Controls Your Financial Destiny?
Alan Greenspan’s new book The Age of Turbulence is ruffling the feathers of many of the biggest eagles in Washington. Greenspan, the most respected economic analyst in the world, uses his book to point out how increased government spending, a growing trade deficit and other governmental miscalculations have put our country’s economic future at risk.
I am not going to take sides on the argument. This is not a political blog. At Trump University, we teach our students the skills they need to achieve success predictably, year after year, through good and bad economic conditions.
Of course, governmental policies do affect the tactics
more...
4 comments
Woman Fired for Talking Back to Her Boss
I recently read about a woman in China who is suing her former employer because she was fired.
Apparently, the company sacked her because she talked back to her boss three times. She was fined for her insubordination but refused to pay the fines so she was fired.
She was told that according to company rules no matter whether management is right or wrong, employees are not allowed to contradict them and must obey. They obviously have some pretty tough rules.
But even here, I know a lot of managers who run their businesses like that. They figure the boss is the boss and
more...
19 comments
Americans Work Hard
When it comes to work, Americans sure know how to do it.
According to a recently released report by the United Nations, the United States leads the world in labor productivity. Somehow, that news surprised me.
But according to the report, American workers stay longer in the office, at the factory, or on the farm than workers in Europe and most other wealthy nations. And American workers produce more per person annually than everybody else.
The average American worker produces $63,885 of wealth per year, more than workers in all other countries. They also get more work done per hour than everyone but the
more...
6 comments
The Cure for Educational Sticker Shock
Students are returning to college classrooms all across America this month - and paying some very big dollars to be there.
Just what are they getting for their money? That’s a tough question to answer, but here are some stories that shed a little light on the question.
$50,000 Buys Fast Food
Barry Lenson, our editor, has taken his kid to visit about 20 colleges in the last six months. “Some of them seem to represent good value,” he tells me. “But others give you so little for your money that I’m amazed they’re still in business. We visited one well-known inner-city university that charges $50,000
more...
11 comments
Take the Hit
Take the responsibility. Take the hit. If you do that, you will have no need to blame others or continually find fault with them.
A guy I once knew used to constantly call me to complain about everybody and their brother. To listen to him, you would think that the entire world was against him and that he never made a mistake in his life.
From day one, nothing was ever his fault. Everyone else was to blame. In truth, he was his own biggest blind spot and sad to say, he eventually became a total loser because he never remedied his biggest
more...
16 comments
Stay-At-Home Dads
It’s not a job that I could do, but more and more fathers are taking on the role of “Mr. Mom” and deciding to become stay-at-home dads.
More than 150,000 men in the United States are full-time fathers which is triple the number from just 10 years ago.
They come from all walks of life professionally, ranging from businessmen and computer technicians to bartenders and soldiers.
They have one thing in common: wives who make enough money to support the family, so the dads can stay home and take care of the kids full-time.
I’m impressed with these men and with their patience and dedication
more...
15 comments
Back at Your Desk after Labor Day?
Did you read yesterday’s blog post from our Chairman Donald J. Trump - the one he wrote for Labor Day? In it, he wrote that employees may soon be able to sue their bosses for creating unpleasant work environments. He also offers some great advice, Trump style. . .
“If you have a bad boss, if the boss is no good, if the boss treats you poorly, then quit. Leave. Do something.”
Most of us have worked for bad bosses at some point in our lives. Stanley Bing, a terrific writer, has written a book called Crazy Bosses about how damaging it can be to
more...
5 comments
Sue Your Boss
Sometimes I just can’t believe the stuff I read.
According to The Los Angeles Times, legislatures across the country are considering laws that would allow workers to sue their bosses for being, basically, jerks.
The newspaper says that the number of bullying bosses may be on the rise because companies are relying on lower-paid managers with less experience and poor people skills. And those managers just don’t know how to treat their employees well.
In New Jersey, a proposed bill would allow workers to claim as much as $25,000 in damages if their superior creates “an abusive work environment.” Similar laws are being considered
more...
20 comments
Will History Repeat Itself?
In the 1930s, the German government had printed so much currency that its money nearly lost its value. One story tells of a woman who pulled a wheelbarrow full of money to buy some bread. When she came out of the baker's to get her money to pay for the bread, someone had stolen her wheelbarrow and left the money.
Hyperinflation devalues money. And while the social, political and financial environments that enabled Adolf Hitler to be elected German Chancellor in 1933 were complex, his rise to power was in no small part due to the middle class having their savings wiped
more...
13 comments
Women Angry At Work
I know it doesn’t seem fair, but getting angry at work can be good if you’re a man and bad if you’re a woman.
A man who gets angry at work may be admired for it. Yet a woman who shows anger in the office is often seen as “out of control” and “incompetent.” That’s according to a new study from Yale University.
As part of the research, people watched videos of job interviews and rated the status of the candidates based on how they reacted in various situations.
When men got angry on the tapes, people assumed they made a lot of money
more...
14 comments
My Keys to Personal and Business Success
I’m known as the “Buy a Business Guy” at Trump University. And with good reason. I’m the professor who developed Trump U’s premier course, The Art of Buying a Business. I’ve also bought and sold many businesses over the years.
But between the purchase and the sale of the businesses I've owned, I’ve also run those enterprises - and I have run them well, too. I’ve also cultivated the habit of writing down my thoughts over the years - thoughts that I believe can help you run your business better and maybe even grasp that golden ring known as “success.”
I’d like to share some
more...
4 comments
Launching a Successful New Business: Lessons from a multinational business mind
Ricardo Bellino’s new international enterprise is vast in scope. Here’s how to apply his thinking to your next success.
If you are a regular reader of The Trump Blog, you already know Ricardo Bellino. He is the gentleman who needed only three minutes to convince Donald J. Trump to partner with him on a major real estate project in Brazil.
Ricardo recently sent us news about his newest business venture, Casas Brasileiras. He also agreed to let the Trump Blog explain the thinking behind the enterprise. We’re sharing the news here because we believe that all the members of Trump University can
more...
2 comments
Most Prestigious Occupations
What do you want to be when you grow up?
When it comes to prestigious occupations, firefighters, scientists and teachers top the list in the eyes of adults. They’re closely followed by doctors, military officers and nurses, as well as police officers, priests/ministers and clergy, and farmers.
Bankers, actors and real estate agents, however, are at the bottom of the list. (Poor real estate agents!) Not far above them are accountants, entertainers, and stockbrokers; union leaders, journalists, business executives and athletes.
Perceptions for many occupations have changed a lot over the years. Over the past three decades, for example, the prestige for what teachers
more...
13 comments
Mind Your P's and Q's
Some people might think billionaires don't have to impress anyone, but most of us still live by these rules.
1. Be honest. Most people can smell a lie and will appreciate honesty, even if it's not exactly what they want to be hearing.
2. Be on time. Punctuality is essential. You should never tolerate late arrivals and missed deadlines for yourself or from anyone else.
3. Be self-deprecating and disarming. Don't be a bulldozer in business; save your hardest edge for when you need it most.
4. Do your homework. Wasting other people's time due to poor planning and thoughtlessness will only leave a bad
more...
7 comments
How to Correct and Criticize
I'm a New Yorker, so I tell it like it is. Be up front and direct with people, and they will return the favor. But sometimes, in more sensitive social situations, you have to consider the source and let it slide.
In business and in life, I've heard people say things that are so outrageously incorrect that I don't feel it's worth my energy to say anything. Sometimes it's easy to just say, "You might want to check into that. I heard differently," and leave it at that.
If you can avoid an altercation, do so, since most of them aren't worth your
more...
10 comments
Mr. Trump's Office
I am often asked what it’s like to be in Mr. Trump’s office during a meeting. The first word that comes to my mind is “energizing.” There’s no way one can be in a meeting with Mr. Trump without feeling a bit of a buzz, whether it be adrenalin or something else. It’s also true that there’s no way you can leave a meeting without feeling the residue of that buzz.
I remember a very intense meeting a few years ago with one of Mr. Trump’s editors from Random House, which had proceeded at the rather typical--to us--breakneck speed. When the editor
more...
6 comments
How to Motivate Yourself Financially and Create Wealth
I once knew a guy who had terrific ideas, would talk them up at hurricane force, and then go off and putter away at something else. He would lose his momentum before he even got going. What's the point?
I've met some brilliant businesspeople in my time, but some of them will never be billionaires because they never act on those brilliant ideas.
Twenty percent of your priorities will give you eighty percent of your productivity. You should always focus your time, energy, and efforts on the top 20 percent of your priorities; that's a four-to-one return on your investment. So if you have
more...
13 comments
When $Millions Just Aren't Enough
“In Silicon Valley, Millionaires Who Don’t Feel Rich,” an article in Sunday’s New York Times, profiles a millionaire named Hal Steger. Mr. Steger, a marketing executive, seems to have it made. He and his wife own their $1.3 million house free and clear. They have more than $2 million in savings.
Yet Mr. Steger still goes to his office every day, where he usually puts in 12-hour days. He’s betting on the start-up company where he works to hit it big so he can make some real money.
And you know what? Mr. Steger is a very, very smart guy. He told the
more...
8 comments
Not Taking Vacations
Many Americans are giving up traditional vacations. The reasons range from having too little time off work to not having enough money to travel. But in many cases, people just aren’t in the habit of getting away from their jobs.
All this has some experts worried.
They’re afraid that workers aren’t getting away from their jobs long enough to relax - both physically and mentally. And, because of that, they’ll suffer from some kind of work overload.
It used to be that many people took two- and three-week vacations. Now, according to a recent online survey, one-third of people say they took five or
more...
16 comments
Make a Revolution in Your Life
Just last week, Yale University announced that it will offer classes on the Internet. There’s no doubt about it. When an institution as traditional as Yale moves toward Internet learning, the walls of the traditional classroom are beginning to tumble down.
It’s just another step in the revolution that was predicted by Alvin Toffler as long ago as 1991 when he wrote his visionary book Powershift: Knowledge, Wealth, and Power at the Edge of the 21st Century. “We live at a moment when the entire structure of power that held the world together is now disintegrating,” Toffler wrote. “A radically different structure of power
more...
4 comments
Does Height Equal Power?
The taller you are, the more powerful you are. At least that’s how it appears.
A professor at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business has studied executives and how they achieve status. One of the things she found is that they use their height - or the appearance of height - to their advantage.
Taller people are perceived to be more powerful than shorter people. They really increase their edge by doing things like speaking loudly in a deep voice, putting their hands on the shoulders of shorter adversaries, and - for women, wearing heels.
Several studies have found that taller men are
more...
18 comments
How to Say No
Learning how to say no is crucial. We are faced with a barrage of requests each and every day - for time, for money, and for favors. We have to learn to say no most of the time, occasionally to some worthy causes and some great opportunities.
When it comes to saying no in the context of a deal, I learned a valuable lesson from one of my lawyers: Distill the information presented to you. Lawyers are pros at distilling complex information, and it’s a skill worth cultivating. As you read over the terms of a deal or a contract, translate the
more...
14 comments
News from the Trump University Campus
Enrollments are soaring at Trump University. New faculty members are coming on board. We’re developing and offering a broad range of terrific new courses.
So today seems like a good time to highlight some of the new ways that Trump University can help you build your success.
Check out our new Live Events.Trump University now offers you dynamic live events, held across the country. Whether you want to buy foreclosed properties or protect the assets you have worked so hard to build, our events teach you everything you need to know - in one short day of intensive learning.
Subscribe to the new and expanded Inside
more...
2 comments
Job Outlook Looking Good
When it comes to the job outlook these days, it always seems like business forecasters are preaching doom and gloom.
But it appears as if things are looking good for employees and job hunters this summer and early this fall.
According to a new online job survey, the vast majority of American companies don’t expect to fire any of their employees. In fact, more than one-third of managers said they actually planned to do some hiring.
More than half even expect to give raises to their loyal employees later this year. They say that a tight labor market makes it difficult for them to
more...
2 comments
The Difference between Being Rich and Being Super-Rich
A new book, The Number, by has some pretty unsettling news for people who didn’t get a massive inheritance from their parents.
The eye-opening news is that $1 million, $5 million, $8 million or more might not be enough to assure you a comfortable retirement. A chronic illness can wipe out $1 million a year. Even a common extravagant lifestyle, like owning one house more than you really should, can quickly reduce that $8 million to a puddle if you have no new money coming in.
You are getting the idea. If you fly blind into retirement without working the numbers - and often, without
more...
8 comments
Americans and Bank Accounts
Recently, I read some very surprising money news.
As many as 28 million Americans don’t have bank accounts. It’s because they don’t trust banks, or because of language and cultural barriers, or simply because they just don’t think they make enough money to use a bank.
When these people need to cash checks or pay bills, they use retailers and check-cashing businesses and often end up paying huge fees. In addition, they carry around lots of cash, making them a target for crime.
About one in 12 American families doesn’t have a bank account. And these families are estimated to earn hundreds of billions
more...
12 comments
To the 5,992 Vacuum Cleaner Engineers I've Never Heard Of
I have to admit that I made up that number of vacuum cleaner engineers that I have never heard of - 5,992 is just a figure I invented.
But then there’s the one vacuum cleaner engineer I have heard of. And you know about him too. He’s James Dyson, the guy who decided that working for someone else’s vacuum cleaner company wasn’t going to get him the kind of life, or the kind of success, that he wanted. So he started his own company, because that is what people do when they decide it is time to stop giving their best ideas away
more...
8 comments
Adult Kids Returning Home
Sorry, parents. Just when you thought the kids were out of the nest, a lot of them are coming home.
With the rise of housing costs and with jobs harder to find, more than half of all college graduates are returning home to Mom and Dad, moving back into their childhood bedrooms.
Just last year, more than one million families had young adults back at home. That’s an increase of more than 28% from just two years earlier.
Sure, letting the kids move back in for awhile will help them get on their feet financially, but make sure it’s not a long-term solution. My
more...
8 comments
Build Your Reputation
I’ve been building the Trump brand for several decades. But from time to time, landmarks do come along.
Several months ago my son Eric joined us. So my three eldest children are now with the Trump Organization, helping to expand our brand. Don Jr, Ivanka and Eric are all here now. They are my real Apprentices, and they’re doing a great job. They know that I’m demanding, but they are disciplined and very hard workers, so they are a good fit with the Trump Organization.
Having a quality brand is very much like having a good reputation. It’s important to consider that fact, even when you
more...
17 comments
How to Restore Your Career after a Major Setback
The more risks you take in your career, the greater the likelihood that you will suffer a setback someday.
Maybe you will be accused of incompetence after one of your high-stakes projects fails. Or perhaps your accounting firm will be implicated in some kind of malfeasance and your company’s good name will get smeared in the press.
If you suffer a devastating setback, you can’t sit back and wait for the problem to go away. Here’s a five-part strategy to recover quickly and get back on the road to success:
Fight, not flight. Face up to the reality of the situation. Distinguish battles that
more...
9 comments
The Seven Critical Traits of Top Entrepreneurs
As President of Trump University, I meet often with our Chairman, Donald J. Trump. I never forget that just about every businessperson in the world would envy that opportunity. Who wouldn’t want to sit down with Donald J. Trump to get his expert advice on building an enterprise?
This morning, I’d like to share some of the insights I have gained in those meetings. I’ll call them the Seven Critical Traits of Entrepreneurs, because they are business-building themes that Mr. Trump stresses often and energetically.
1. Have passion - Mr. Trump has never said to me, “Be passionate!” Yet it’s at the core
more...
32 comments
Teens and Summer Jobs
Most teenagers apparently aren’t working very hard this summer.
For the first time since 1948 when the U.S. Labor Department started keeping records, fewer teens are working or looking for work. They’re foregoing the traditional summer jobs as lifeguards or camp counselors or working at fast food restaurants.
This year, only about 48 percent of teens ages 16 to 19 were working or looking for jobs, which is a steady decline over the past several years.
But the drop in summer employment doesn’t mean teenagers are slacking. Some companies are only hiring adults. With household income on the rise, some parents are giving their
more...
2 comments
Working on Vacation
I don’t go on vacation very often and, when I do, it’s always a working vacation. So the results of a new survey really don’t surprise me.
It reports that one in five people brought laptops with them on their most recent vacations. At least 80 percent brought their cell phones. That’s because when people go on vacation, they don’t want to miss what’s going on at the office.
About one in five said they did some work while vacationing. About the same number called in to the office to see how things were going. Twice as many checked e-mail and even more
more...
39 comments
The Apprentice: In the Beginning
In the summer of 2003, I can remember when Mark Burnett came up to the office to discuss a few things with Mr. Trump. I was not a big television watcher, and I had never seen a reality show. I heard that Mark Burnett had an idea to use Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization as the premise for a new show, a business show. I didn’t think much about it because I was busy writing our first book, which eventually became How To Get Rich.
A lot of people think we wrote the book to satisfy the demands of the publicity
more...
12 comments
Be Thorough
There’s really no such thing as knowing too much about what you’re doing.
When I was in college, I spent my spare time reading about real estate and foreclosures. I didn’t feel it was a sacrifice of my time, because I was interested in real estate; I wasn’t studying just to pass a test. The knowledge I gained on my own led to my first successful investment. I couldn’t have achieved that if I hadn’t spent the time studying on my own.
In college, I also read something that Rudyard Kipling said, which I’ve never forgotten: “I keep six honest serving men, they
more...
9 comments
Boomers Can't Retire
It doesn’t seem that long ago that people looked at age 65 as the golden age of retirement. That’s when workers dreamed of a little condo on the beach, maybe spending their days golfing or fishing or hanging out with the grandkids.
Not anymore.
As baby boomers are hitting their 60s, most expect to delay retirement longer than their parents and their grandparents. And that’s smart because according to a couple of new reports, many of them can’t afford to stop working anytime soon. And that’s sad.
Blame everything from higher divorce rates to longer life expectancies for greater financial hardships that mean people
more...
32 comments
The Art of Negotiation
Negotiating is an art. There are nuances and finely honed techniques and rules to be aware of. Here are a few of them:
Know what you’re doing. Sounds simple, but I’ve seen a lot of instances where I couldn’t believe how much the other side didn’t know. I immediately knew I could have a grand slam and fast, just based on their apparent lack of preparation. My father used to tell me, “Know everything you can about what you’re doing.” He was absolutely right, and I’m giving you the same advice. Follow it.
Remember, it takes a lot of smarts to play dumb
more...
16 comments
Don't Lose What You Worked so Hard to Achieve
Why do smart people fail to prepare for unfortunate events in their lives? After all, bad things happen in even the happiest lives. They are predictable. Looking the other way isn't going to offer any safeguards from them.
You and I might not like to think about it, but odds are that you or I will encounter one or more of the following problems at some point in our lives.
A financial setback, such as the loss of a job or the failure of a businesses
An illness that causes us to lose time at work
A lawsuit that threatens our finanical well-being
The expense of caring for aging or ailing parents
A retirement lifestyle
more...
8 comments
Loving the Liberal Arts
I’ve always been very outspoken about a college education. If you’ve got the brains and the financial assets to go to college, then there’s no reason not to go. It’ll give you an amazing leg-up on the rest of your life.
The question is, when you go to college, which major should you choose? I’ve always leaned heavily towards business, but there are plenty of other fields that obviously offer great opportunities.
However, recent studies show that liberal arts degrees, surprisingly, can be very useful in today’s world.
Liberal arts majors are in high demand across all fields because in today’s working environment it’s
more...
21 comments
Essential Steps to Protect Your Business Assets
Vital information from the new book Trump University Wealth Building 101: Your First 90 Days on the Path to Prosperity
You spend years building a company and then one day a visitor falls in your parking lot, breaks her hip and sues you. Is it a problem you can settle out of court, a problem that your insurance policy will cover - or a problem that will cost you your business?
The answer to that question is really up to you. Protecting your assets depends upon the strength of the “asset security system” you design and install. Recognize this, and take these five
more...
3 comments
The Road to Wisdom
There are many roads to wisdom, and many wonderful books to educate us on our way.
One book that I would suggest to you, because it is valuable for business and management strategies, is The Art of War by Sun Tzu. It was apparently written in the 6th century BC, and is a study of military strategy. It has been influential to leaders for many centuries. Throughout history, General Douglas MacArthur and other famed military strategists have studied it. It’s a valuable book and worth your time.
By comparison, another famed book is Machiavelli’s The Prince, which is more about political conflict than
more...
17 comments
Making Less than Dad Did
I’ve always thought it was part of the American dream that each generation would grow up and make more than their parents did.
But a new report shows that American men in their 30s earn significantly less than their fathers.
After adjusting for inflation, it found that men in their 30s now have a median income of about $35,000 per year. That’s a 12 percent drop for men in the same age group 30 years ago who made $40,000 a year.
As recently as 10 years ago, men in their 30s earned 5 percent more than their fathers did when they were the same
more...
33 comments
Remember the Big Picture: A Word of Advice for Recent Graduates
Congratulations, June grads! You are about to start one of he most energizing periods of your life. What could be more exciting than taking what you have learned and creating a productive and interesting life?
If you are beginning to look for a job, I'd like to offer two pieces of advice.
First, keep the big picture. Your first job will probably not turn out to be the perfect job for you. But I am certain that it will offer you opportunities to learn many important lessons. Perhaps you will learn about a certain technology or about how to sell. And you will certainly learn how to work with other people and get ahead. So
more...
3 comments
Interviewing 101
With graduation time here, college graduates are heading out into the workforce hoping to land great jobs. But it all starts with a really good interview.
I’ve conducted so many interviews and I’m often amazed at how poorly so many of them go. I’m surprised at how quickly talented candidates can blow a potential job by what they say or don’t say when they sit across the desk from a potential boss.
Some of the dumbest mistakes are when an interviewee doesn’t ask questions because it shows he or she just isn’t interested in the company. Show interest. Show that you care about
more...
10 comments
Find the Greatness within Yourself
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself. - Galileo
I am a competitive person and to me, that’s a good thing. Staying competitive is the opposite of being complacent. Complacency is the ultimate enemy of success.
In fact, when people ask me how to achieve great success, I usually explain that the most important first step is to get out of their comfort zone, which is a bad place to be.
If you are happy in your comfort zone, you need to move out of it. How else can you find the greatness that lies within you?
more...
41 comments
Introducing the Four-Hour Work Week
For years, I’ve been preaching that when you own your own business, you can structure it to make your life easier and a lot more pleasurable. To give you an example, when I went into my first business, I made it a goal to go fishing every Wednesday throughout the summer. I did it. It was wonderful. I also had that goal to leave the office by 3:00 on Fridays. That was wonderful too. I have since stopped working on Friday altogether.
Now, there’s no way you could ever do that working for someone else.
However, I might have come across someone who
more...
11 comments
Blueprint for Success
It’s not just business acumen, but integrity, that carries you forward in the business world. It’s as simple as keeping your word, or, in some cases, remembering what your words were. It seems that “simple” isn’t always easy for some people.
I came from the world of construction and real estate development, which is known for being demanding and difficult, but it also requires precision. There can’t be anything haphazard in construction, or people can be injured. “Happenstance” is not acceptable. I’ve applied that approach to everything I do.
There’s an integrity to building that cannot be compromised. We’ve all seen the results
more...
15 comments
A Matter of Time
The New York Times Book Review ran a comprehensive and well-researched articled about two years ago called Ghosts in the Machine, about ghostwriters and co-authors throughout history. There were books mentioned by Charles de Gaulle and Andre Malraux, Thomas Mann, and other notable people, and it ended with a critique of Donald Trump’s books. This critic concluded that his books were seamless, and despite having different co-authors, all of his books over the past eighteen years had retained the exact “Donaldian” voice of Donald Trump - which the critic considered to be “an astonishing achievement.” This was high praise coming from the
more...
6 comments
Prescience
Years ago, when reality shows first hit the television industry, I had been approached many times to appear in one. I refused all the offers, although a few were tempting. I just didn’t feel it was the right time or right venue for me. Then, after I’d refused all the offers, Mark Burnett approached me with his idea for The Apprentice and I just knew it was right. It had an educational subtext, the concept was solid, and sure enough, we had a solid hit on our hands.
Did I know it was going to be a hit show? No. In
more...
16 comments
Equal Pay for Women?
Even though women have made great strides, so many of them still hit a glass ceiling on payday.
According to some surprising research from the American Association of University Women, women earn just 80 percent of what men earn one year after they graduate from college. And that pay gap widens, falling to as little as 69 percent of what men make 10 years later.
According to the study, one factor that plays a significant role in the salary disparity is that women tend to study areas with lower salaries such as education, health and psychology whereas men dominate higher-paying fields like engineering,
more...
29 comments
Use Other People's Money to Leverage Real Estate Riches
A recent article in Forbes highlights the risks of using other people’s money to leverage personal success.
Using other people’s money (or “OPM” as slangsters like to say) can be extremely risky in the corporate world - especially if you drain the corporate coffers to fund initiatives that don’t work out. But in the world of real estate investing, where it is possible to apply leverage in all kinds of different situations, it can be a very smart thing to do.
I recently spoke with one real estate developer, for example, who leveraged his way into owning a lot of property by
more...
8 comments
Misery Clubs
I’ve heard misery loves company but this is ridiculous.
Supposedly, there’s a new fad in London called “misery” clubs. Visitors grab a bowl of chopped onions to help them start crying about whatever’s bothering them in life. This is no joke.
The trend started in Japan where businessmen rent rooms by the hour to watch sad movies or pay money to attend group cry-athons and “tear therapy” meetings. It’s all part of the belief that crying is somehow therapeutic.
But I think it’s pretty stupid. If you have a problem - whether it’s in business or in your personal life -- then solve it
more...
23 comments
Seven Ways to Tell if Starting a Business Will Work for You
Contrary to what you might think, most successful entrepreneurs enjoy a sense of calm control over their own lives. Compared with people who spend their lives working for other people, subject to whims not remotely under their control, entrepreneurs have a much better shot at happiness and inner peace.
But starting a company doesn’t always work out so well. It’s rare to find much joy in a business that fails, exhausts you, or makes you a stranger to your family.
Everyone has their own unique interests and objectives, but it makes sense to identify the common ground. Over the years, the happiest entrepreneurs
more...
6 comments
Dress for Success
With summer just around the corner, a lot of employees in a lot of businesses start dressing like it’s Casual Friday every day of the week. They utterly forget about professionalism and start dressing totally inappropriately for work.
In fact, Monster, an online job and recruiting site, conducted a poll about the biggest fashion faux pas in the office. Employers complained the most about employees who came in to work wearing tank tops and visible underwear. They also had a problem with employees who wear flip-flop sandals, Hawaiian print shirts, and shorts.
Of course...because none of that belongs in a professional environment. If
more...
52 comments
The Benefits of Taking Your Small Business Green
An interview with Patricia Gaylor
During the last 25 years, interior designer Patricia Gaylor has achieved just about everything that anyone in her profession could want - prominent exposure at showcases and industry events and a steady stream of well-to-do clients who can afford to invest in her innovative ideas.
So why did she decide to transform her business to “green” by specializing in environmentally responsible interior designs? So much so that she was selected to create environmentally responsible interiors for BASF’s Near Zero Energy House, a state-of-the art green building in Paterson, New Jersey.
When we saw Ms. Gaylor present her interiors
more...
7 comments
Americans and Work
Here’s one of the silliest ideas I’ve heard in a long time.
A guy in Atlanta is spearheading a movement called “Friends of the Five-Day Weekend.” He wants to shorten the nation’s workweek to two days, saying Americans already work way too hard.
This man argues that Americans already have one of the shortest vacation times in the world and they give up nearly 570 million days of unused vacation a year. But I’d like to point out that the reason they don’t take their vacation days is because they have a lot of work to do. Shortening the work week obviously isn’t
more...
27 comments
Create Wealth By Grabing the Golden Ring
"Don’t Let Other People Live Your Dreams" - Michael Sexton
There is really only one thing that billionaires have in common - the Warren Buffetts, Richard Bransons, Donald J. Trumps and Oprah Winfreys of the world. At some point in their lives, they realized that they could never reach their dreams by working for other people, so they all started companies of their own.
So what about you? Where do you stand on this issue? Are you ready to start your own company? Are you ready to create wealth?
If not, I have a Trump University class assignment for you. I want to give you
more...
5 comments
Moms Not Working
For years, career women have heard that it’s fine for them to quit their jobs in order to become stay-at-home moms. They’re told that it’s the best thing for their children and eventually they can make their way back into the workforce when their kids get old enough.
But a new book - called The Feminine Mistake - disagrees with all that. The author, Leslie Bennetts, says that women should not quit their jobs when they have children. The theory is that if women depend on their spouses, it could have serious economic consequences.
What if the husband gets sick or, worse,
more...
45 comments
The Trump Dynasty
“Tenacity is absolutely necessary for success” - Meredith McIver
Don Trump Jr. started at the Trump Organization the same month I did, which was September of 2001. I remember being impressed by how unassuming he was as well as how diligent he was. Not that I should be surprised, because he has his father’s work ethic to the core. He’s a serious businessman who takes on a lot of responsibility and doesn’t expect any breaks because of his family heritage. If anything, he has more responsibility, which he handles with aplomb. He is mature beyond his years.
A few years later, Ivanka Trump
more...
14 comments
Play to Win
Back in the early 1990s, Donald J. Trump stirred up a big controversy in Phoenix, Arizona. He wanted to build a luxury high-rise residential building on Camelback Road between 24th and 32nd Streets - one of the most sought-after locations in Phoenix.
The problem was, Donald wanted to put up the tallest building in the city, and there were height restrictions. A controversy about the building raged for several years. Then in 1995, residents of the area voted that he would not be allowed to build his building.
To the astonishment of many people, Donald simply pulled out and did not pursue the
more...
21 comments
Millionaires, Millionaires Everywhere!
The movie Field of Dreams taught us, “If you build it, they will come.”
Well we did build it - a powerful, free, three-day program on how to become rich - and boy, did they come! They came from across the country to hear Trump University’s star wealth guru, Greg Warr. (That's a picture of Greg to the right.)
Greg didn’t only promise to “deliver the goods” by telling people how to amass wealth fast. He actually took ideas like these from the realm of fantasy and translated them into step-by-step advice:
Buy a house with no money down and instantly put $25,000 in
more...
6 comments
When to Listen
I always ask other people what they think. Whether it’s in my real-life boardroom when I’m making a multi-million dollar business decision or whether it’s on the set of The Apprentice in my famous boardroom, I like to know what people think. After all, I surround myself with talented advisors for that very reason. I value their opinions and want to hear them. But that doesn’t mean I always do what they say.
Even more frequently, I get loads of unsolicited advice. Everyone has an opinion on what you should do and how you should do it. Although most people mean well,
more...
41 comments
Spot Real Estate Opportunities the Donald Trump Way
“Education, research, knowledge - learning in general - are at the core of my success.” - Donald J. Trump
We’ve been working on a new book here at Trump University, Trump University Wealth 101. It won’t be published for a few months, but I didn’t want to make you wait that long to learn some truly remarkable insights from our Chairman, Donald J. Trump, on the art and science of developing properties.
Trump Secret #1: Be Thorough
“Plug in and learn everything you can,” Mr. Trump writes in the new book. “You never know when information will come in handy.”
For example, Mr. Trump
more...
6 comments
The Second Time Is the Most Critical
A success strategy you need today from The Wealth Builder’s Blueprint
You meet with a venture capitalist to obtain funding for your new company, and you get shot down. Or a loan officer shreds your mortgage application before your eyes.
Those are the times when you are very likely to just give up on your dream. It can be nearly impossible to try again. But the second attempt is the most critical. It represents the time when you begin to learn significant information about what you are doing - information you need to succeed.
Part of the problem is that we are
more...
7 comments
Keep It Short, Quick, Crisp and Clean
I’ve often said that business is a relay race. All team members must be fast, focused, and able to coordinate with each other. Each member has to know how to run with and pass the baton. No runner can lag behind or the entire team will suffer.
Someone who once analyzed my negotiating technique concluded that I had an advantage because I got to the point faster than everyone else. He said that while my adversaries were formulating their sentences, I had finished writing the book. I cut straight to the point because, before I speak, I map out the deal in
more...
47 comments
You Are Your Brand and Your Brand Is You
Insights from Bud Bilanich, The Common Sense Guy
As a small business owner whose brand is me, I recognize the importance of personal branding. I am a keynote speaker, executive coach, organization effectiveness consultant, and author. I am my business; therefore, my brand needs to speak for me.
When I decided to brand myself, I began by asking everybody I know a simple question. “When you think of me, what is the first thing that comes to mind?” An overwhelming number of people said, “Your common sense approach to business and life.” My first reaction was, “Uh oh, common sense doesn’t make for much
more...
1 comment