$1000 and an Idea !!!
a Review of the book by Sam Wyly – Entrepreneur to Billionaire
– by Don Dalyrimple 12/13 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz
“What I learned creating and building Bonanza Steakhouse, Maverick Capital, Michael’s stores, University Computing, Sterling SW & Green Mt Energy”
As you see from above, Sam has had a series of “successful” Entrepreneurial ventures. He has lived a full life and was compelled to share his journey in his autobiography. There is a scene towards the end of his book that is inspiring. Late in life, he has a surprise birthday celebration with the people that he had made a difference with throughout his life. That moment was surreal and slow motion-like for him. Would we all have the privilege of a similar moment. It’s a great book to think about your own strategies to your life and business in light of how a highly successful entrepreneur maneuvers. Here are four things I learned from Sam Wyly:
1. Focus on the Deal. Many people get distracted on working harder building things that may not have consequence over time. Sam was a deal maker. He shares how he put seemingly impossible deals together using relationships, capital & savvy. There’s always a deal, if you can persist in bringing the pieces together.
2. Gratitude is the greatest of all virtues. His story pieces together the cumulative impact of the people that made a difference in his life from his HS coach to his parents to even his adversaries. He expresses gratitude, and the Universe reciprocates. I enjoyed hearing about his upbringing & the trials he experienced. They helped him become strong in character & judgment. They also compelled him to give back.
3. Know who you are. He wrote, “If you don’t know who you are, becoming an entrepreneur can be a very expensive way of finding out.” He knew his talents. He knew the talents of others and surrounded himself with gifted people. He knew how to get to the goal with his talent augmented with the passions & abilities of others. This helped him avoid mistakes. It also helped him keep a healthy perspective on his own ego. Very wise.
4. Read. This was a cornerstone to his success and allowed him to broaden his knowledge and opportunities. Sam stated, “Reading is one of the keys to success, because if you won’t admit what you don’t know, you’ll never discover what you need to know.” He was involved in completely different ventures from computing to software to steakhouses to energy production. Education is something that happens throughout his life, and because he kept growing. He had eyes to see opportunities and take advantage of them.
5. Life is short, very short. We all have a limited amount of time and gaining such perspective that Sam provides in the pages of his memoirs is truly inspiring. His example helps me focus on today and going after the goals I set – by 1) getting it clear & 2) working in my strengths. We get there with people we invest in and that invest back in us. These are timeless lessons on how life & business work.
Comments: Is there any you could add?