The Trump Blog

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 you feel a bit the same way as students of Trump University. It’s a good time to get those goals in order and to focus seriously on what you’re hoping to accomplish. Hope is important, but putting it into action is what will separate you from the dreaming masses.

That’s one thing I’ve noticed about Mr. Trump that serves as a daily reminder to me. He doesn’t stop. It doesn’t matter how much he’s accomplished in one day, he’ll still be at it at 6 p.m., checking out his properties, making and taking calls, going through piles of mail and documents, and getting all the details in order. I will say that is something that impressed me from day one and still manages to impress me. It has improved my own discipline and power of focus too.

I mention this to you because having an example to follow is a good way to learn. You may not have Mr. Trump around, but in relaying this information to you, I hope it will be an inspiration. Last week after a late and very demanding day, I heard him pick up and the phone and call someone in California about the trees on his property in Palos Verdes at The Trump National Golf Club. He spoke to several people about the trees, and went into great detail about them. I turned to a colleague who heard these conversations as well, and we both said at the same time, “He never stops!” He still manages to surprise us.

The ever-unfolding Trump empire includes a launch this month of Ivanka Trump’s new signature line of jewelry. She has a beautiful boutique at Madison Avenue and 62^nd Street in case you visit the city. It’s worth a visit. I stopped by last night and it’s fantastic. You can see that certain things run in the family--Ivanka is directly involved in 33 real estate projects around the globe and yet she manages to start her own line of jewelry anyway!

Also on the horizon is the opening of the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago. The hotel is due to open this December, and the entire building is slated to be finished by spring of 2009. This has been a tremendous job, and Don Jr. has been on it from the start. It’s a gorgeous building.

We had a special event on September 11^th in Trump Tower. Mr. Trump and The Trump Organization hosts The September Concert each year, which was founded on the first anniversary of 9/11 with the message of peace through music. The goal is to bring people together, to reaffirm a hope for peace and to celebrate life--and that’s exactly what it does. This concert now appears in 40 international cities, and in 60 U.S. cities, including over 110 concerts in New York City. Eric Trump introduces the event and the performers, and Mr. Trump, Don Jr., and Ivanka are present along with members of The Trump Organization as well as the public. This has been a very successful concept and it’s a great example of how an idea--or a dream--can become reality. The Trump Organization congratulates the founder, Haruko Smith, and the Vice Chairman, Veronica Kelly, for their dedicated work. They are terrific examples of putting hope into action, and the results speak volumes about their energy and focus.

Speaking of energy, I guess we’ll be revving up for The Apprentice team’s arrival next month. I’ll keep you posted on what promises to be another great season. Stay tuned!