I took these notes at Learning Annex Wealth Expo which took place on Nov 17-18, 2007. I will have a separate post on my overall impression.

I didn’t expect it, but I really enjoyed listening to him. He didn’t have a clear theme for his speech and jumped around many different topics but was very funny and entertaining. He is in the position where he freely speaks his mind so he talked a lot about his passions: beautiful women, sex, making deals, real estate, golf

• Success reasons do not change (if you look at successful people of different generations)
• Have to have “success” innately
• Entrepreneur needs to have the following 3 qualities
  • smart
  • imagination
  • can handle pressure
• Growing economies, opportunities to make money: China, India, Russia
• US economy will stay at the current level or will go down
• Trump was voted “most competitive business man” by “business week” readers
• You have to know your limits — not everyone can be a successful businessman
• Sleeps 3 hours
• “Love what you do” — (MG: this seems to be a common message across all speakers);
• How to run your business:
  • be “paranoid”: think positive, but always think about “negative”
  • “keep your left up”
  • hire best people and do not trust them (Vs common belief to “hire best and do not macro manage”)
  • your employees have to respect you, no friendly discussions of topics not related to work
  • a bit stand-offish
  • a bit of fear by employees
  • “going against tide” can lead to significant success/returns
  • Always expect problems and solve them fast
  • If somebody goes after you:
    • get even
    • screw them to the wall
    • people watch you — do not let anybody take advantage of you, b/c other people will do the same
• Try to get free publicity
• Real estate
  • go back to your bank to renegotiate your mortgage, threat to sue
  • 2 years ago his recommendation was NOT to invest
  • Now he recommends to invest, but not in NY
  • Start looking/learning now
  • Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate!!!
• Believes in luck, but “The harder I work, the luckier I get” — quote by a famous golf player
• Huge proponent of prenaps (made fun of McCartney)
• Iraq — meanest guy will take over once our troops leave
• Next season of Apprentice is Celebrity Edition: Lennox Louis, Tito Ortiz, etc
  • Made fun of Martha for blaming the failure of her Apprentice on him
• “Does not like stupid people” — MG: i can relate to that…