The Art of the Deal
by Donald Trump
– Some of the best deals are the ones you do not make.
– Always listen to your gut feeling and not just what looks good on paper.
– You need to be able to act promptly.
– He has his food ordered in and sent to his office because going out to eat is a waste of time in his opinion.
– He does not like parties but will go if he needs to for business purposes.
– Aim high and keep pushing, pushing, pushing to get what you are aiming for.
– A lot of dealmaking is not about intelligence but about instincts.
– Think big. If you have to think anyways, you might as well think big. Most people think small.
– Don’t take too seriously your critics.
– Leverage is having something the other guy needs or wants – always deal with leverage.
– Deliver the goods. You can create excitement and get away with things for a while, but eventually people will figure it out and you cannot con them forever… You must deliver the goods.
– Contain the cost – spend what you have to but don’t spend what you don’t have to.
– When all of his friends in college were reading comics, he was reading books on politics and other important issues.
– Anything cleaned up and maintained is worth more money – if you wax and polish your car, you could probably get $400 more out of it; and the same goes with real estate and everything else.
– It does not stay up at night worrying about many things, it is mainly an optimist.
– Be direct, simple and enthusiastic.
– A good-looking presentation goes a long way.
– Quality attracts more quality.
– Credibility is crucial.
– Hire the best people and give them a salary they deserve and you will have a topclass organization.
– There are times when you must be aggressive and other times we must be willing to just lay back and be calm.
– Great management pays off.
– A good view is worth a small fortune.
– In any partnership, you are only as strong as your weakest link.
– Leadership is the key to getting the job done.
– You are not measured by how much you undertake, but how much you accomplish.
– Learn to overcome obstacles and motivate others to do their work.