Peter
Tycoon Richard Branson shares some lessons on being a successful entrepreneur and growing your company.
Watch the video.
Be sure to read part 1 first!
Adventures of a Hustler: Aristotle Onassis Part 2
To be successful, keep looking tanned, live in an elegant building (even if you’re in the cellar), be seen in smart restaurants (even if you nurse one drink) and if you borrow, borrow big. – Aristotle Onassis
Understanding the Shipping Industry
The story of Onassis’ empire becomes that much more interesting, and dare I say “exciting,” if you understand its basic structure and dynamics. So lets take a look at the industry back then. To start with, there were typically two types of ships that you could own: liners and tramps. Liners carried passengers and general cargo on fixed routes and schedules. If you had a Liverpool to New York ticket you had to be there to board on time or you would miss it and have to wait for the next sailing. The Titanic is perhaps the most famous example of a liner. For this reason liners can be thought of as the “buses” of the sea.
How Aristotle Onassis Grew His Empire
There’s no such thing as too far. You understand? You push everything as far as you can. You push and you push and you push until it starts pushing back. And then you push some goddamn more. – Al Pacino
One of the most interesting tycoons you can read about is the Gatsby-like Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis (1900- 1975). He was one of the most high profile people on the planet back in the 1960s and ‘70s. You could say that he was the Mick Jagger of the business world back then. The media covered not only his business life but his personal one as well, particularly his romantic affairs with famous actresses, models, opera divas, and a presidential widow.
The Big Short War
I haven’t had time to follow this story due to various deadlines but will try to find some to read this Vanity Fair piece on the battle royale.
Hedge-fund titan Bill Ackman has vowed to bring down Herbalife, the 33-year-old nutritional-supplement company, which he views as a pyramid scheme. With his massive shorting of Herbalife stock, the price plummeted, prompting two fellow billionaires—Ackman’s former friend Dan Loeb and activist investor Carl Icahn—to take the opposing bet on Herbalife. As the public brawl rivets Wall Street, William D. Cohan learns why, this time, it’s personal. (source)
Here’s Why You Should Study Tycoons
Before you can attempt something truly big, you will need the courage.
Before you can have the courage, you will need the knowledge.
Do you have what it takes to succeed at the tycoon level?
Here are three reasons why any serious entrepreneur needs to study tycoons:
– Tycoons are creative problem-solvers. While most people give up on their goals after hitting an obstacle or having a set-back, tycoons almost always find a way to get the deal done and keep their momentum rolling forward. Where there’s a will there’s most certainly a way.
– They are unstoppable. They are real life “Terminators.” Friedrich Nietzsche is famous for having written about the “will to power,” which he believed to be the primary driving force in humans. Specifically, it’s the ambition and drive for achievement, recognition, and the highest possible position in life. Tycoons tend to be the best examples of people with this type of drive.
– And last but not least, they are builders. They build companies, edifices, and empires. The best ones leave behind a legacy as well.
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