How To Be Wealthy and Successful - Why Live a Mediocre Life - Life is Too Short, Live Large!

Jordan Wirsz, How Young entrepreneur became a millionaire

2011-09-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

At the age of 12, Jordan Wirsz was growing weary of being raised in a poor household and having to go without. So he decided to change that.

To earn some money, the Summerlin resident began selling herbal supplements at 12 years old. As his business savvy grew, Wirsz gained confidence and decided he would become a serious businessman. And a passion for aircraft worked its way into the picture.

Wirsz began brokering helicopters at age 14 and flying airplanes at 15. He made a solo flight at 16, earned his private pilot, instrument and multi-engine instrument licenses at 17 and became a licensed commercial pilot at 18.

Now, at the seasoned age of 22, Wirsz is the president and chief executive officer of Diamond Bay Investments, 6212 W. Desert Inn Road, a real estate investment firm.

"Since I was 5, I've had a fascination with aviation," Wirsz said.

When he was 14, he noticed there was a helicopter on sale on the Internet, so he contacted the owner. Wirsz said he was hoping to purchase the helicopter for about $2,500. However, after a few e-mail correspondences with the owner, Wirsz found out the price was $55,000.

"And he said that I sounded much more mature than 14 through the e-mails, and then he said, 'If you find a buyer, I'll give you $2,500.' "

Three months later, Wirsz found a buyer and received his $2,500.

"I invested it in commodities, expecting to make about $1 million, and I lost all but $6.32 of it," he said.

Wirsz grew up in Southern California, living with his mother. He moved to Florida at age 16 and began living with his father. Around this time, Wirsz developed an online company that sold aviation equipment for pilots, which he eventually sold.

"I didn't have time to go to school," Wirsz said. "Between the ages of 16 and 18, I worked from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the airport washing and fueling planes."

Wirsz said to earn time flying and gain knowledge of planes, he worked at an airport in Florida for several years doing odd jobs and completing any work that needed to be done. Therefore, Wirsz was home-schooled, and received his high school diploma, but college never seemed worth the time, he said. He discussed his collegiate possibilities with his numerous mentors, but concluded that his "real-life experience" was essentially just as valuable.

"It wouldn't make sense for me to go to school now," he said. "Just to get a piece of paper, it wouldn't be in my best interest. You don't necessarily need the degree when you are your own boss."

"At 18, I started getting involved in real estate and began investing in trust deeds," Wirsz said. "It (the business) was an interest I forced my way into. I wouldn't say my parents were that supportive."

But he had his own incentive and drive. "I'm a 22-year-old millionaire. It can't get much better than that," he quipped with a grin. "But it can, actually. It can get much better, because I strive to reach new goals and learn more every day."

Wirsz's long-term goal is to have a $1.25 billion net worth. Why? The answer is simple: he wants to be a billionaire.

"My goal is to donate $250 million to charities throughout my life. And to be able to pass on about $250 million," he said.

Wirsz said the charities he is most involved in are the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation, which provides children and adolescent cancer patients or survivors and their families with education and support, and an orphanage in Mexico.

"I went down there (Mexico) coming up on two years ago, and with my church, we built a home in three days," he said.

"Religion plays a huge part in my life," said Wirsz, a nondenominational Christian. "Every day, I thank God for helping me get to where I am."

He explained there came a point in his life when he had enough money to do anything he ever cared to do, but it wasn't necessarily fulfilling. "Religion fulfills my life, not money. You can buy what you want and party it up, but it doesn't provide the fulfillment."

Wirsz is active in aerobatics -- performing rolls and loops and other feats often seen in air shows -- and is looking forward to flying with his girlfriend Sunny Reifel in future air shows when she finishes her aerobatics training.

Wirsz, who owns three airplanes, said he grew tired of being a commercial pilot for an engineering company after about six months on the job.

"In five months, I went from being the new guy to lead pilot and topped out at $22,000 a year," said Wirsz, who now flies for mere enjoyment.

Reifel, a former U.S. Airways pilot, said Wirsz is the most genuine person she has ever known.

"He is so unique, not just because he is so young and successful, but because success has followed him because he always has the best intentions," said Reifel, 22.

One of Wirsz's many endearing traits is his reliability, Reifel said. "When he commits to something he follows through wholeheartedly."

One of Wirsz's mentors, Bill Burrows, shared similar sentiments. Burrows, a lieutenant with the Colton Police Department in California, has known Wirsz for about 10 years.

"He is a remarkable person," said Burrows, 49. "So full of energy, but yet still so respectful."

For now, besides running the investment firm, Wirsz is writing a book about how to achieve success.

"My biggest piece of advice is to surround yourself with people you strive to be like and to listen to what they say," he said. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't listen to what people had to say. Mentors are still huge in my life. Absolutely everyone should have a mentor."

Burrows, Wirsz's first mentor, said Wirsz still asks for his advice on a regular basis.

"In the end he makes his own decisions," Burrows said. "But he talks to a lot of people before he makes a decision. But he does it to collect information, and then he makes the best decision he can."

Millionaire Vishen Lakhiani How to be a Millionaire

2011-09-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

Vishen Lakhiani is the co-founder of quirky, award winning-company Mindvalley, comprising of 50 innovators, artists, dreamers, and geniuses from 20 countries.
Mindvalley’s mission is to bring together marketing and technology to help spread enlightened ideas. Vishen works with authors, thinkers, authors and leaders who have pioneered new ways of doing traditional things: parenting, entrepreneurship, spiritual growth, self-development and more. Mindvalley’s team of programmers and marketers then work to build the systems to take these ideas mainstream.

The result is a new kind of publishing company; one that merges software, mixed media, video, mobile apps and social networks to put authors in the personal development movement in front of the internet generation while bypassing traditional media like printed books.

More recently, Vishen started a not-for-profit cause called Awesomeness Fest, an annual invite-only gathering of entrepreneurs in paradise locations like Hawaii or Costa Rica where entrepreneurs come together to speak, network, connect and share ideas on personal growth and contribution. All proceeds are donated to charitable causes. Awesomeness Fest is now fast gaining momentum and turning into an international event.

Something special happens when you interacting with so many thought leaders, philosophers and business and personal development coaches. Their ideas tend to seep into your business and Mindvalley over the last few years has become an testing-ground of sorts for new and experimental ways of entrepreneurship and business. What happens when employees share in profits? Or are given an hour a day to spend on personal growth? What if company meetings are banned and replaced with “Awesomeness Reports”?

The results have been a runaway success. Mindvalley has made it into the WorldBlu List of Most Democratic Workplaces for four consecutive years and is considered one of the top places in the world to work. It attracts people from some 23 countries and employees are put through a growth and learning process that is being duplicated by companies worldwide. Vishen is a highly sought speaker and consultant in the art of attracting top talent, growing employees and creating healthy work culture.

As a highly successful entrepreneur, there is some method to his madness, making him one of the most sought after speakers in the world of internet business building and company culture. He’s shared the stage with Tony Robbins, Sir Richard Branson, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Noble Prize winner and former State President of South Africa, F. W. de Klerk, Stephen Covey and other luminaries.

Billionaire Richard Branson Wisdom on How to be successful, wealthy and rich

2011-08-31T22:49:00.000-07:00

I was born in 1950 and educated at Stowe School. It was here that I set up Student magazine when I was 16.

In 1970 I founded Virgin as a mail order record retailer, and shortly afterwards I opened a record shop in Oxford Street, London. In 1972 we built a recording studio in Oxfordshire where the first Virgin artist, Mike Oldfield, recorded 'Tubular Bells'.

In 1977 we signed the Sex Pistols and we went on to sign many household names from Culture Club to the Rolling Stones, helping to make Virgin Music one of the top six record companies in the world.

With around 200 companies in over 30 countries, the Virgin Group has now expanded into leisure, travel, tourism, mobile, broadband, TV, radio, music festivals, finance and health and through Virgin Green Fund we are investing in renewable energy and resource efficiency.

In February 2007, we announced the Virgin Earth Challenge - a $25 million prize to encourage a viable technology which will result in the net removal of anthropogenic, atmospheric greenhouse gases. In July of the same year I had the honour of joining my good friend Peter Gabriel, Nelson Mandela, Graça Machel, and Desmond Tutu to announce the formation of The Elders, a group of leaders to contribute their wisdom, independent leadership and integrity to tackle some of the world's toughest problems.

I am also very proud of the work of Virgin Unite, our not-for-profit entrepreneurial foundation, which continues to focus on entrepreneurial approaches to social and environmental issues and enjoy supporting their work in every way I can.

Millionaire Publisher Felix Dennis On How to Get Rich

2011-08-31T22:11:00.000-07:00

About Felix Dennis
Felix Dennis is one of Britain’s best known entrepreneurs. He was born in Kingston-upon-Thames in 1947.

After leaving Harrow College of Art, Dennis wasted a great deal of his youth playing in R&B bands. In 1971 he was imprisoned by the British government as a co-editor of OZ magazine at the culmination of the longest conspiracy trial in English history. Dennis recorded a single with John Lennon to raise money for a legal defence fund.

Following his acquittal by the High Court of Appeal, Dennis went on to found his own magazine publishing company in 1973. A pioneer in personal computer magazines, Dennis made millions with the sale of Personal Computer World to VNU and MacUser to Ziff Davis Publishing in the mid-eighties. He also co-founded a $2 billion computer mail order company which eventually went public on the NASDAQ.

Today, Dennis Publishing remains a privately owned company with its headquarters in London. Titles include The Week, Auto Express, Maxim, Viz, Computer Shopper, Monkey and Evo. The annual Sunday Times Rich List estimates that Felix Dennis is the 88th richest individual in the UK.

Following a life-threatening illness, Dennis’s first collection of poetry, A Glass Half Full, was published in November 2002 by Hutchinson in the UK. It has since become one of the biggest selling books of original verse in England for years. The launch of this book saw Dennis embark on the first of his now famous ‘Did I Mention the Free Wine?’ poetry reading tours covering several UK cities. In October 2003, Dennis appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company, along with several well-known RSC actors, reading from his work at The Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. This event proved so popular that two further such events, (one in New York City, one in Stratford-upon-Avon), took place in autumn 2004.

In September 2004, the US edition of A Glass Half Full was published by Miramax Books. The launch was supported by a 15 city coast-to-coast poetry reading tour of the US. Meanwhile, his second book of verse, Lone Wolf, was published in October 2004 by Hutchinson in the UK, again supported by a UK poetry tour.

The year of 2006 saw Dennis publish two more books in the UK. How To Get Rich, published by Ebury Press, launched in August. This title is a distillation of his business wisdom, dissecting the business failures and financial triumphs of ‘a South London lad who became rich virtually by accident’. In November Dennis launched his third poetry book When Jack Sued Jill: Nursery Rhymes for Modern Times taking inspiration from traditional nursery rhymes to rewrite his own, some-what darker versions tackling the outrages and absurdities of modern life in the 21st century.

2007 saw the launch of Island of Dreams, a beautiful, photo illustrated volume of poems inspired by the island of Mustique. All money raised by sales of the book is donated to the Mustique Community Library. Dennis founded the Mustique Community Library which provides over 4000 books for local inhabitants as well as computers with internet access and a video library.

In 2008 another book of poetry was launched entitled Homeless in My Heart, his most critically acclaimed collection to date. The book’s launch was accompanied by another poetry reading tour. The success of previous tours ensured packed houses in 11 cities from London to Edinburgh to Dublin. Also in 2008 the US edition of How to Get Rich was published by Portfolio.

Felix Dennis’s other interests include planting trees, commissioning bronze sculpture, drinking French wine and avoiding business meetings. He claims to spend three or four hours a day writing poetry, dividing his time between homes in Warwickshire, London, New York, Connecticut and the Caribbean island of Mustique.

Millionaire Mike Tyson - How to be Successful, Wealthy and Rich

2011-08-31T21:49:00.000-07:00

Michael Gerard “Mike” Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American boxer. Tyson was the undisputed heavyweight champion and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles. He won the WBC title when he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old, after defeating Trevor Berbick by a TKO in the second round. Throughout his career, Tyson became well-known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style.

He was the first heavyweight boxer to hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles simultaneously. Tyson is considered to have been one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time.

Tyson won his first 19 professional bouts by knockout, with twelve of them occurring in the first round. He unified the belts in the splintered heavyweight division in the late 1980s to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Tyson became the lineal champion when he knocked out Michael Spinks in the first 91 seconds of the fight. Tyson lost his titles to 42-to-1 underdog Buster Douglas on February 11, 1990, in Tokyo, Japan, by a knockout in round 10.

Tyson retired from professional boxing in 2006. Tyson and wife Lakiha (Kiki) currently reside in Las Vegas, NV. 2011 has been a busy year for Mike. He stars in The Hangover 2, he has a television show airing on the Animal Planet called “Taking on Tyson”, he launched a blockbuster iPhone game in iTunes called “Mike Tyson – Main Event” with mobile app creators, RockLive and he will be inducted into the boxing hall of fame.

Mike Tyson speaks about the pain it takes to become great

Millionaire Lil Wayne on How to be Wealthy, Successful and Rich

2011-08-31T21:42:00.000-07:00

With well over ten millions in sales, unquestionable street credibility, critical acclaim, industry accolades, eight Grammy nominations, and four Grammy wins for his multi-platinum selling album The Carter III, Cash Money/Universal Motown recording artist Lil Wayne has firmly laid to rest all doubt that he is anything less than the best rapper alive today. Wayne’s silky flow, along with his uncanny ability to weave incredible metaphors and similes wrapped in taunt rhymes accented by witty punch lines, compel rap fans around the world to hang onto his every word whenever his records are being played.

Now with his highly anticipated release Rebirth, the CEO of Young Money Entertainment (YME) is once again poised to take the world by storm. As the album’s title suggests, Rebirth is all about change and transformation and it represents Lil Wayne’s development as a man and as an artist. “On this album I want to show my growth as an artist,” says Wayne. “I want my fans to see how far I have come musically.”

Born Michael Dewayne Carter, Jr. and raised in New Orleans’ infamous Hollygrove neighborhood, Lil Wayne started his stellar career at age 12 when a friend introduced him to Cash Money Co-CEOs and brothers Ronald “Slim” Williams and Bryan “Birdman” Williams. Spotting his potential right off the bat, Birdman took the talented pre-teen under his wing and began grooming him for superstardom.

In 1993, Lil Wayne formed a duo with label mate B.G. and released an underground EP called True Stories. The record served as a perfect introduction to the game for Lil Wayne. Even then, he proved he had the skills to be a major player, but there was more in store for the young MC. In 1997, Lil Wayne and B.G. formed the southern super group Hot Boys with Juvenile and Turkand released the quartet’s debut album, Get It How You Live, which not only sold over 500,000 units independently, but also convinced Universal Records to ink a lucrative distribution deal with Cash Money Records.

Wayne’s star continued to rise with stellar verses on Cash Money albums such as the Big Tymers’ How You Love That (1998),Juvenile’s multi-platinum 400 Degrees, and Hot Boys’ Guerilla Warfare. In 1999, Lil Wayne scored a No. 1 single with the title track from his solo debut album, The Block is Hot, which sold over two million units. From there, Wayne never looked back. The following year he released his platinum sophomore effort, Lights Out, followed by 500 Degrees two years later.

Then Wayne kicked his career into overdrive with the critically acclaimed Tha Carter series. Tha Carter (2004) earned Lil Wayneanother platinum plaque and placed him among an elite class of hip-hop lyricists. Tha Carter II (2006) further solidified his status as one of the best MCs in the hip-hop game. But it was the critically-acclaimed Tha Carter III (2008) that gave him his iconic stature in popular music while making hip-hop history by selling one million copies in one week. The album also garnered Lil Wayne eight Grammy nominations and four Grammy wins.

Lil Wayne’s seventh album, Rebirth raises the artistic bar to unprecedented heights and promises to take him to even greater levels of success. It is without a doubt some of his best work to date, boasting production by some of by some of today’s hottest producers, namely Infamous (Lil Wayne, Plies, LL Cool J), Cool & Dre, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, and Chase N Cashe (Flo-Rida, Pussycat Dolls). Guest appearances include Eminem (“Drop the World”), Cash Money multi-platinum rock star Kevin Rudolf(“One Way Trip”), and “The Ladies of Young Money Entertainment” — Nicki Minaj (“Knockout”) and Shanell (“American Star,” “Prom Queen,” “Running,” “I’m So Over You”). Musically, Rebirth melds innovative rhymes with complex melodies accented by deep bass lines and touches of rock, reggae, and ’80s pop, giving listeners the kind of unexpected twists and turns that make for a great album.

Highlights include the intoxicating Cool & Dre-produced lead single, “On Fire,” which brings together the spirit of ’80s pop with a hypnotic Miami bass-inspired beat. It is a record that will heat up the airwaves while sending fans rushing to dance floors across the globe. “Prom Queen” is another standout track. Produced by Infamous, the song brings together elements of rock and hip-hop in a way that doesn’t compromise the integrity of either genre. “I have evolved both lyrically and musically as an artist and I want everyone to hear my growing pains,” says Wayne. “This is probably my best work yet."

Buttressed by stellar production combined with Lil Wayne’s seamless flow, distinct vocals, outstanding lyrics, plus his willingness to break new musical ground, Rebirth will no doubt be ranked among the finest albums of 2010.

Millionaire Ephren Taylor youngest black CEO of a public traded company on New York Stock Exchange,City Capital

2011-08-31T20:41:00.000-07:00

Ephren Taylor has seen the glitz, had the glamour, and gone through enough pain to earn his stripes as an “Elite Entrepreneur.” Taylor has started or acquired over 100 businesses in his 16 year business career that started when he was a 12 year old that designed a videogame because his parents couldn’t afford to buy him one.

Along the journey Taylor has become a history maker. As Tom Joyner coined him “walking history”, he became the youngest ever African American CEO of a publicly traded company, the youngest ever African American CEO of a publicly traded Biofuels company, a Wall Street Journal Best Selling Author, and the youngest regular contributor of Fox Business News network.

His first book, the Wall Street Journal Best Seller “Creating Success from the Inside Out” (John Wiley & Sons), serves as an expose of the mindset of today’s multi-millionaires while defining success as not only attaining wealth, but how to utilize it. Since releasing the book Taylor has been featured on ABC’s 20/20, Montel Williams, Forbes.com, CNBC, Fox News, and numerous other media outlets including being named by The Michigan Chronicle as one of the top “ten people making a global difference.”

Taylor’s entrepreneurial experiences have made him a firm believer in “failing well.” In his talks and his interviews he shares his challenges as well as his successes. Ephren Taylor is a firm believer that setbacks are excellent teachers and part of the journey to attaining ultimate success.

In his new book “Elite Entrepreneur” Taylor once again provides a blueprint to success. However, this time he has a more specific audience. Taylor bypasses people with a traditional, let’s-start-a-business-and-work-real-hard entrepreneur mindset. Instead he writes about those interested in becoming elite entrepreneurs— the ones who know the power of branding, who appreciate having the right team for the right project, and who are willing to have a detailed exit plan even at the startup phase. In short, the one who knows a well-run, successful business doesn’t take over your life; it provides you the opportunity to live a life you’ll love.
After running a number of companies Taylor has shifted his focus to being a “business accelerator” as he help entrepreneurs achieve quantum growths in their businesses.

What motivates Taylor the most is the ability to contribute as a thought leader to ideas for new solutions to problems that have plagued communities for years, decades, and in some cases, centuries. Summed up best in his closing comments in his interview with ABC’s 20/20, “you can always make more money, but changing someone’s life, that’s priceless.”

Millionaire John Shegerian from childhood Poverty to Multimillionaire - Secrets to Success

2011-08-31T20:28:00.000-07:00

John S. Shegerian is the Chairman and CEO of Electronic Recyclers International® (ERI) (www.electronicrecyclers.com) and ERI's subsidiary organizations, www. 1-800-RECYCLING .com and www.urbanmining.org. Established in 2002, ERI collects and recycles electronic waste, specializing in the sustainable dismantling of consumer electronic items. Under Shegerian's stewardship, ERI has fast become the largest and most efficient recycler of electronic waste in the world. ERI is licensed to de-manufacture and recycle televisions, computer monitors, computers, and virtually all other types of electronic equipment. ERI developed and houses the largest e-waste crusher in the world and processes more than 120 million pounds of electronic waste annually at its locations in California, Colorado, Indianapolis, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Texas and Washington.

Shegerian is also co-host of Clear Channel's "Green is Good", www.greenisgood.fm, the nation's #1 rated environmentally themed radio program, in which John interviews celebrities, company leaders and green nonprofits regarding environmental issues and opportunities. Guests have included Wal-Mart, FedEx, Hewlett Packard, Verizon, Enterprise Rent A Car, and many more.

An accomplished public speaker and author, Shegerian's inspirational memoir, Mandingo and Me is completed and will be published by Thomas Nelson, Inc. in May of 2012. Also, his regular columns on the subject of sustainability can be read regularly in Environmental Leader. His talks on sustainability, innovation and the benefits of running a green business have moved and inspired prestige audiences from China, India, and throughout Europe, to the World Bank, United Nations and the White House.

Prior to his work at ERI, Shegerian had co-founded www.financialaid.com, one of the most successful student loan companies in the country. While at financialaid.com, he also created www.rateyourcampus.com (a college student polling and feedback community) which then led to the creation of www.campusdirt.com (which evolved into the most relevant and trafficked college search engine). Also, www.campusclix.com was created and became one of the first college social networking properties on the web. In October 2004, Shegerian and his partners sold financialaid.com and all the aforementioned affiliated properties to Education Lending Group, which was purchased in February 2005 by CIT (NYSE: CIT).

In 2004, Shegerian created, and still serves as Founder and CEO of Addicted.com, a comprehensive, interactive website dedicated to helping those struggling with the disease of addiction, that has become the leading online space for the recovering community.

For his work with ERI, Shegerian has been named the Clean Tech Entrepreneur of the Year for Northern California by Ernst & Young. He has also received the "Innovator of the Year" award from the International Electronics Recycling Conference & Expo (IERCE) for his development of 1-800-Recycling .com and its role in democratizing the recycling process nationwide. ERI has also won "Recycler of the Year" and the "Industry Pioneer" award from the IERCE.

Shegerian is driven by his commitment to innovate and develop companies that benefit and inspire others and are socially responsible. Shegerian has a 25 year track record of quickly converting start-ups into large, highly successful business enterprises.

Shegerian serves alongside California state legislators as a member of the California Commission for Jobs and Economic Growth and was appointed to serve on the Governor's Gang Advisory Committee, focused on providing the State's top legislators with guidance pertaining to policies geared toward the reduction of gang and youth violence. No stranger to "recycling lives" and serving up second chances, In 1993, Shegerian had co-founded Homeboy Tortillas and Homeboy Industries, which continues to serve as a paradigm for urban renewal in America and was awarded the New York Stock Exchange "Building for the Future" Award for creating new jobs and opportunities for gang-impacted youth in post-riot Los Angeles. John is also the recipient of the prestigious "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award," presented by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Committee to businessmen working to provide compassionate solutions for society's problems.

Millionaire Daymond John founder of FUBU and Self made millionaire

2011-08-31T20:02:00.000-07:00

Daymond John Founder of FUBU fashions
Main Industry:
Fashion

First Huge Success:
FUBU clothing line earned $350 million in 1998.

Zodiac Sign:
Pisces

Did You Know?
He started out making and selling tie-top hats on the streets of Queens, NY.

Here's a true entrepreneur who keeps us dressed to the nines while we play hard on both field and walk down the path of life.

Daymond John's creative vision helped revolutionize the sportswear industry in the 1990s. As founder, president and chief executive officer of FUBU—“For Us, By Us”—Daymond created distinctive and fashionable sportswear and a host of other related gear. FUBU's phenomenal success made mainstream apparel companies realize the potential for fashionable sportswear that appeals not just to trendsetting urban youth, but to mainstream teens as well.

Daymond was born in the New York City borough of Brooklyn but spent his childhood in the Hollis neighborhood of Queens during the 1970s. An only child, he grew up in a single-parent household headed by his mother, who was a flight attendant for American Airlines but often held more than one job. His first foray into the apparel market came when he wanted a tie-top hat and was put off by the price. Daymond asked his mother to teach him how to use a sewing machine, and he began making the distinctive tie-top hats in the morning and then selling them on the streets of Queens in the evening hours.

One day in 1992, he and his friend sold $800 worth of hats and realized their ideas had definite potential. They created a distinctive logo and began sewing the FUBU logo on hockey jerseys, sweatshirts and t-shirts. Daymond lured some longtime friends into the business and asked old neighborhood friend, L.L. Cool J., to wear a t-shirt in a photograph for a FUBU promotional campaign in 1993. Daymond and his mother mortgaged the home they collectively owned for the $100,000 in start-up capital. Even more amazingly, she then moved out so the quartet could use the home as a makeshift factory and office space.

FUBU officially emerged in 1994 when Daymond and his partners traveled to an industry trade show in Las Vegas. Buyers liked the distinctively cut, vibrantly colored sportswear, and Daymond and his partners returned to Queens with $300,000 worth of orders. FUBU soon had a contract with the New York City-based department store chain Macy's, and they began expanding their line to include jeans and outerwear. A distribution deal with Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung allowed their designs to be manufactured and delivered on a massive scale.

As CEO and president, Daymond guided FUBU to a staggering $350 million in revenues in 1998, placing it in the same stratosphere as such designer sportswear labels as Donna Karan New York and Tommy Hilfiger. Over the last 16 years, Daymond has evolved into more than a fashion mogul. In 2007 the street-smart businessman penned his first book, Display of Power: How FUBU Changed a World of Fashion, Branding & Lifestyle, which was named one of the best business books of 2007 by the Library Journal.

Known as the "Godfather of Urban Fashion," Daymond is regarded as one of the most sought-after branding experts and keynote speakers in fashion and business today. With multiple business ventures on his resume, Daymond can be seen sharing his knowledge and business genius on numerous business and entertainment television programs.

Millionaire Chris Gardner from Homeless Man to Multi Millionaire

2011-08-31T17:45:00.000-07:00

Biography
Chris Gardner is the owner and CEO of Gardner Rich LLC with offices in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. Conquering grave challenges to become a successful entrepreneur, Gardner is an avid motivational and aspirational speaker, addressing the keys to overcoming obstacles and breaking cycles. Gardner is also a passionate philanthropist whose work has been recognized by many esteemed organizations.

The amazing story of Gardner’s life was published as an autobiography, The Pursuit of Happyness, in May 2006, and became a New York Times and Washington Post #1 bestseller. In paperback, the book spent over twenty weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and has been translated into more than thirty languages. Gardner was also the inspiration for the movie “The Pursuit of Happyness,” released by Columbia Pictures in December 2006. Will Smith starred as Gardner and received Academy Award, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations for his performance. Gardner was an associate producer on the film.

In his second New York Times bestselling book, Start Where You Are: Life Lessons in Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, published in May 2009, Gardner shared his philosophies on, and the crucial steps behind, creating a fulfilling, successful life. The book provided a much-needed blueprint for navigating tumultuous times with positivity, courage, tenacity, discipline and common sense. The book was released in paperback in May 2010.

In the fall of 2010, Gardner was named the Ambassador of Pursuit and Happyness for AARP, which has nearly 40 million members worldwide. His mission is to share his hard-won wisdom to encourage the 50+ audience to pursue new challenges, search for fulfillment at any stage of life, or craft the legacy they want to leave behind.

Born February 9, 1954 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Christopher Paul Gardner’s childhood was marked by poverty, domestic violence, alcoholism, sexual abuse and family illiteracy. Gardner published his autobiography out of a desire to shed light on these universal issues and show they do not have to define you. Gardner never knew his father, and lived with his beloved mother, Bettye Jean Triplett (nee Gardner), when not in foster homes. Gardner is indebted to Bettye Jean for his success as she provided him with strong “spiritual genetics” and taught him that in spite of where he came from, he could chart another path and attain whatever goals he set for himself.

Gardner joined the Navy out of high school and after discharge moved to San Francisco where he worked as a medical research associate and for a scientific supply distributor. In 1981, as a new father to son Christopher Gardner Jr., he was determined to find a career that would be both lucrative and fulfilling. Fascinated by finance, but without connections, an MBA or even a college degree, Gardner applied for training programs at brokerages, willing to live on next to nothing while he learned a new trade. Chris Jr.‘s mother left and Gardner, despite his circumstances, fought to keep his son because, as he says, “I made up my mind as a young kid that when I had children they were going to know who their father is, and that he isn’t going anywhere.”

Gardner earned a spot in the Dean Witter Reynolds training program but became homeless when he could not make ends meet on his meager trainee salary. Today, Gardner is involved with homelessness initiatives assisting families to stay intact, and assisting homeless men and women who are employed but still cannot get by. It is estimated that 12% of the homeless population in the United States is employed; in some communities that estimate is as high as 30%.

Gardner worked at Bear Stearns & Co from 1983-1987 where he became a top earner. In 1987 he founded the brokerage firm Gardner Rich in Chicago from his home with just $10,000. Gardner Rich LLC is a FINRA registered broker-dealer specializing in servicing public pension funds and Taft-Hartley plans for some of the nation’s largest institutions and unions. In addition to expanding its core business as an institutional securities broker, Gardner Rich has increased its participation in corporate underwriting and has expanded its brokerage services to include trading in global markets through both ordinary and ADR form.

Dedicated to improving the well-being of children through positive paternal involvement, Gardner is a board member of the National Fatherhood Initiative, and received the group’s Father of the Year Award in 2002. He served on the board of the National Education Foundation and sponsors two annual awards: the National Education Association’s National Educational Support Personnel Award and the American Federation of Teachers’ Paraprofessionals and School-Related Personnel (PSRP) Award. He also serves on the board of the International Rescue Committee, which works to provide access to safety, sanctuary, and sustainable change for millions of people whose lives have been shattered by violence and oppression. Gardner is still very committed to Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco, where he and his son received assistance in the early 1980’s. He has helped fund a project that creates low-income housing and opportunities for employment in the notoriously poor Tenderloin area of the city.

Gardner has also been honored by the NAACP Image Awards with awards for both the book and movie versions of The Pursuit of Happyness; Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women’s (LACAAW) 2006 Humanitarian Award; The Continental Africa Chamber of Commerce’s 2006 Friends of Africa Award; The Glaucoma Foundation’s Kitty Carlisle Hart Lifetime Achievement Award; The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA); Covenant House, Common Ground and other organizations committed to combating violence against women, homelessness, and financial illiteracy – issues of the utmost importance to Gardner.

Chris Gardner’s aim, through his speaking engagements and media projects, is to help others achieve their full potential. His practical guidance and inspirational story have made him a frequent guest on CNN, CNBC and the Fox News Channel. He has been featured on “The CBS Evening News,” “20/20,” “Oprah,” “Today Show,” “The View,” “Entertainment Tonight,” as well as in People, USA Today, Associated Press, New York Times, Fortune, Entrepreneur, Jet, Reader’s Digest, Trader Monthly, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Post and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, amongst other publications.

Gardner has two children and resides in Chicago and New York.

Billionaire Steve Jobs Rules of Success

2011-08-31T17:36:00.001-07:00

Entrepreneur. Born Steven Paul Jobs on February 24, 1955, to Joanne Simpson and Abdulfattah "John" Jandali, two University of Wisconsin graduate students who gave their unnamed son up for adoption. His father Abdulfattah Jandali was a Syrian political science professor and his mother Joanne Simpson worked as a speech therapist. Shortly after Steve was placed for adoption, his biological parents married and had another child, Mona Simpson. It was not until Jobs was 27 that he was able to uncover information on his biological parents.

As an infant, Steven was adopted by Clara and Paul Jobs and named Steven Paul Jobs. Clara worked as an accountant and Paul was a Coast Guard veteran and machinist. The family lived in Mountain View within California's Silicone Valley. As a boy, Jobs and his father would work on electronics in the family garage. Paul would show his son how to take apart and reconstruct electronics, a hobby which instilled confidence, tenacity, and mechanical prowess in young Jobs.

While Jobs has always been an intelligent and innovative thinker, his youth was riddled with frustrations over formal schooling. In elementary school he was a prankster whose fourth grade teacher needed to bribe him to study. Jobs tested so well, however, that administrators wanted to skip him ahead to high school—a proposal his parents declined.

After he did enroll in high school, Jobs spent his free time at Hewlett-Packard. It was there that he befriended computer club guru Steve Wozniak. Wozniak was a brilliant computer engineer, and the two developed great respect for one another.

After high school, Jobs enrolled at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Lacking direction, he dropped out of college after six months and spent the next 18 months dropping in on creative classes. Jobs later recounted how one course in calligraphy developed his love of typography.

In 1974, Jobs took a position as a video game designer with Atari. Several months later he left Atari to find spiritual enlightenment in India, traveling the continent and experimenting with psychedelic drugs. In 1976, when Jobs was just 21, he and Wozniak started Apple Computers. The duo started in the Jobs family garage, and funded their entrepreneurial venture after Jobs sold his Volkswagen bus and Wozniak sold his beloved scientific calculator.

Jobs and Wozniak are credited with revolutionizing the computer industry by democratizing the technology and making the machines smaller, cheaper, intuitive, and accessible to everyday consumers. The two conceived a series of user-friendly personal computers that they initially marketed for $666.66 each. Their first model, the Apple I, earned them $774,000. Three years after the release of their second model, the Apple II, sales increased 700 percent to $139 million dollars. In 1980, Apple Computer became a publically traded company with a market value of $1.2 billion on the very first day of trading. Jobs looked to marketing expert John Scully of Pepsi-Cola to help fill the role of Apple's President.

However, the next several products from Apple suffered significant design flaws resulting in recalls and consumer disappointment. IBM suddenly surpassed Apple sales, and Apple had to compete with an IBM/PC dominated business world. In 1984 Apple released the Macintosh, marketing the computer as a piece of a counter culture lifestyle: romantic, youthful, creative. But despite positive sales and performance superior to IBM's PCs, the Macintosh was still not IBM compatible. Scully believed Jobs was hurting Apple, and executives began to phase him out.

In 1985, Jobs resigned as Apple's CEO to begin a new hardware and software company called NeXT, Inc. The following year Jobs purchased an animation company from George Lucas, which later became Pixar Animation Studios. Believing in Pixar's potential, Jobs initially invested $50 million of his own money into the company. Pixar Studios went on to produce wildly popular animation films such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. Pixar's films have netted $4 billion. The studio merged with Walt Disney in 2006, making Steve Jobs Disney's largest shareholder.

Despite Pixar's success, NeXT, Inc. floundered in its attempts to sell its specialized operating system to mainstream America. Apple eventually bought the company in 1997 for $429 million. That same year, Jobs returned to his post as Apple's CEO.

Much like Steve Jobs instigated Apple's success in the 1970s, he is credited with revitalizing the company in the 1990s. With a new management team, altered stock options, and a self-imposed annual salary of $1 a year, Jobs put Apple back on track. His ingenious products such as the iMac, effective branding campaigns, and stylish designs caught the attention of consumers once again.

In 2003, Jobs discovered he had a neuroendocrine tumor, a rare but operable form of pancreatic cancer. Instead of immediately opting for surgery, Jobs chose to alter his pescovegetarian diet while weighing Eastern treatment options. For nine months Jobs postponed surgery, making Apple's board of directors nervous. Executives feared that shareholders would pull their stocks if word got out that their CEO was ill. But in the end, Job's confidentiality took precedence over shareholder disclosure. In 2004, he had a successful surgery to remove the pancreatic tumor. True to form, in subsequent years Jobs has disclosed little about his health.

In recent years, Apple has introduced such revolutionary products as the Macbook Air, iPod, and iPhone, all of which have dictated the evolution of modern technology. Almost immediately after Apple releases a new product, competitors scramble to produce comparable technologies. In 2007, Apple's quarterly reports were the company's most impressive statistics to date. Stocks were worth a record-breaking $199.99 a share, and the company boasted a staggering $1.58 billion dollar profit, an $18 billion dollar surplus in the bank, and zero debt.

In 2008, iTunes became the second biggest music retailer in America&mdsah;second only to Wal-Mart. Half of Apple's current revenue comes from iTunes and iPod sales, with 200 million iPods sold and six billion songs downloaded. For these reasons, Apple has been rated No. 1 in America's Most Admired Companies, and No. 1 amongst Fortune 500 companies for returns to shareholders.

Early in 2009, reports circulated about Jobs' weight loss, some predicting his health issues had returned, which included a liver transplant. Jobs had responded to these concerns by stating he is dealing with a hormone imbalance. After nearly a year out of the spotlight Steve Jobs delivered a keynote address at an invite-only Apple event September 9, 2009.

In respect to his personal life, Steve Jobs remains a private man who rarely discloses information about his family. What is known is Jobs fathered a daughter with girlfriend Chrisann Brennan when he was 23. Jobs denied paternity of his daughter Lisa in court documents, claiming he was sterile. Jobs did not initiate a relationship with his daughter until she was seven but, when she was a teenager, she came to live with her father.

In the early 1990s, Jobs met Laurene Powell at Stanford business school, where Powell was an MBA student. They married on March 18, 1991, and currently live in Palo Alto, California, with their three children.

© 2011 A&E Television Networks. All rights reserved.

Billionaire Steve Jobs Rules of Success

2011-08-31T17:32:00.000-07:00

Millionaire P. Diddy: How to be a Millionaire and Wealthy and Filthy Rich and Successful

2011-08-31T17:23:00.000-07:00

Singer, songwriter, producer. Born in on November 4, 1969, in Harlem, New York. Combs was raised by his mother, a model, after his father was murdered in 1974. He grew up in Mt. Vernon, New York and attended a Catholic boys school in the Bronx. Combs gained the nickname "Puffy" in high school because of his habit of puffing out his chest to make his body seem bigger. Combs is also known by the nickname "Puff Daddy."

Combs majored in business administration at Howard University, producing weekly dance parties and running an airport shuttle service while attending classes. He dropped out to pursue an internship at Uptown Records, which led to a talent director position. Combs rapidly rose to the level of vice president and had success producing several key artists for Uptown, but left the company in the early 1990s.

In 1993 he started his own production company, Bad Boy Entertainment, working with such upcoming and established rap, hip-hop, and R&B recording artists as Mariah Carey, New Edition, Method Man, Babyface, TLC, Boyz II Men, Li'l Kim, SWV, Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, and the late rapper Notorious B.I.G. (also known as Biggie Smalls). In 1996, Combs was named as ASCAP's Songwriter of the Year. By 1997, Bad Boy Entertainment had sold nearly $100 million worth of recordings and had made a multi-million dollar deal with Arista Records for management of the label.

After his friend Biggie Smalls was murdered in 1997, Combs recorded the tribute "I'll be Missing You" which topped the Billboard singles chart for six weeks and launched Combs' first album, No Way Out (1997) to platinum status. Soundscan named No Way Out as the third best-selling LP of 1997, with more than 3.4 million copies sold in the U.S. Combs released his second album, Forever, in 1999. Combs has also launched his own clothing line, Sean John, which debuted in America in 1999.

In December 1999, Combs and his then-girlfriend, the actress and singer Jennifer Lopez, were allegedly involved in a shooting incident at a New York City nightclub, in which three people were injured. Combs was later charged with four counts of illegal gun possession and one count of bribery, as prosecutors claimed he offered his driver, Wardel Fenderson, $50,000 to say that the loaded gun police found at the scene of the crime was Fenderson's. His trial began in late January 2001. On March 16, Combs was cleared of all charges, as was his bodyguard, Anthony "Wolf" Jones. Combs' protege, the young rapper Jamal "Shyne" Barrow, who was accused of firing wildly inside the nightclub and injuring the three bystanders, was found guilty of assault, reckless endangerment, and criminal weapon possession, but was cleared of the more serious charge of attempted murder.

In 2002, Combs released We Invented the Remix followed by Bad Boy’s 10th Anniversary … The Hits in 2004. Though his Bad Boy music label was seriously slumping, it found new life with Combs’ 2006 release Press Play, which featured Brandy, Mary J. Blige and Timbaland.

Combs branched into reality television with the premiere of his VH1 series I Want to Work for Diddy in August 2008.

© 2011 A&E Television Networks. All rights reserved.

Millionaire Will Smith Success Story : How to Be Successful and Wealthy and Rich

2011-08-31T16:17:00.000-07:00

Will Smith had once declared powerfully, “I don't know what my calling is, but I want to be here for a bigger reason. I strive to be like the greatest people who have ever lived.” It is this constant urge to ‘strive’ and to struggle that has made him one of the most sought after actors in Hollywood. Smith’s inspiring rise to the top in his career only reaffirms the fact that if you are looking for success, you need to have the right mindset to propel you up to the top. You can succeed only when you believe in yourself and your ability to act – like Smith, you need to believe that you are here for “a bigger reason.”

Born to an African American family in West Philadelphia, Smith had a rough childhood after his parents decided to separate when he was thirteen. The divorce however, came through when he was thirty-two. Smith never allowed his family problems to affect him and began his rapping career while he was still in his teens.

As the “The Fresh Prince”, Smith achieved huge success for his hip-hop work and went on to win the first ever Grammy in the Rap category. Smith spent his money freely during this time and soon The Internal Revenue Service assessed a $2.8 million tax debt against him and took away many of his possessions and even garnished his income. At such a juncture, any man would break down and perhaps even decide to give up.

What makes Will Smith such a successful man is the fact that he never gave up. Even when faced with dire hardships and looming bankruptcy, Smith moved on and signed the contract for the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which went on to become a roaring success. This show successfully launched Smith’s acting career.

Would he be such a popular actor today if he gave up on his career after he was almost bankrupt? The answer is a definite ‘no’. The mantra to success is that you can never afford to give up. You need to keep struggling and keep pushing yourself to the limit, until you reach the goal you have set up for yourself. Smith had set himself the goal of becoming "the biggest movie star in the world,” and today he is one of the top A-list Hollywood actors whose unprecedented success makes him a force to be reckoned with. Smith performs and delivers in his movies with an intensity that reflects his desire for success. While speaking about success, Smith admits that, “money and success don't change people; they merely amplify what is already there.”

Smith’s obstacle to success did not merely appear in the shape of a tough childhood and bankruptcy. He also had to overcome a tough marriage that led to a $900,000 lump sum divorce settlement for his wife and $24,000 per month in alimony and child support. However, what makes Smith capable to reaching true success is his strength of character. Instead of getting bitter, Smith says that like the broken down car that gets passed on by innumerable other cars on the street, “every once in a while it's your turn to be broken down. And you wait for the tow truck to come. That's how I viewed that difficult time in my life." It is this easygoing mentality and the power to view his problems in a positive light that makes Will Smith capable of reaching where he is today. The man himself affirms, “If it was something that I really committed myself to, I don't think there's anything that could stop me becoming President of the United States.” We all need this level of commitment to achieve success.

By: Life It Up

Millionaire Michael Jordan - How to Be Successful and Wealthy in Life

2011-08-31T16:03:00.000-07:00

Professional basketball player, Olympic athlete, businessperson, actor. Born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. Considered one of the best basketball players ever, Michael Jordan dominated the sport from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s. He led the Chicago Bulls to six national championships as well as earned the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Most Valuable Player Award five times.

Growing up in Wilmington, North Carolina, Jordan developed a competitive edge at an early age. He wanted to win every game he played. As his father James later noted, "What he does have is a competition problem. He was born with that...The person he tries to outdo most of the time is himself."

Jordan enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981 and soon became an important member of the school's basketball team. His team won the NCAA Division I championships in 1982 with Jordan scoring the final basket needed to defeat Georgetown University. He was also singled out as the NCAA College Player of the Year in 1983 and in 1984. During the summer of 1984, Jordan made his first appearance in the Olympics as a member of the U.S. basketball team, which won the gold at the games held in Los Angeles. Later Jordan helped the United States bring home the gold at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.

Jordan left college after his junior year to join the NBA. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he soon proved himself on the court. He helped the team make it to the playoffs and scored an average of 28.2 points per game that season. For his efforts, Jordan received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and was selected for the All-Star Game.

In 1985, he finished his bachelor's degree in geography and continued to play basketball professionally. While his second season was marred by injury, Jordan was breaking new ground on the court during the 1986-1987 season. He became the first player since Wilt Chamberlin to score more than 3,000 points in a single season. The following season, Jordan received his first Most Valuable Player Award from NBA—an honor he would earn four more times in 1991, 1992, 1996, and 1998.

By the late 1980s, the Chicago Bulls was quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with, and Jordan was an instrumental part of the team's success. The Bulls made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1990 and won their first NBA championship the following year by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers. A rising NBA superstar, Jordan became known for his power and agility on the court as well as for his leadership abilities. He eventually landed several endorsement deals with such companies as Nike, which further pushed him into the spotlight.

In 1992, the Chicago Bulls beat the Portland Trail Blazers to win their second NBA championship title. The team took their third championship the following year, dominating in the basketball world. Jordan, however, had other things on his mind. He lost his father, James, to an act of violence after the end of the 1992-1993 season. Two teenagers shot James Jordan during an apparent robbery and were later convicted of the crime. In a move that shocked many, Michael Jordan decided to retire from basketball to pursue baseball. He played for a minor league team, the Birmingham Barons, as an outfielder for a year.

In March 1995, however, Jordan returned to the basketball court. He rejoined the Chicago Bulls and helped them win the championship against the Seattle Sonics. That same year, Jordan made a big splash in another arena—film—as the star of Space Jam (1996). The film mixed live action and animation and paired Jordan with cartoon legends Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck on screen.

The next season Jordan came back even stronger, averaging 30.4 points per game. Starting all 82 games that season, he helped the team finish the regular season with 72 wins and clinch a win in the NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. The two teams faced each other again for the championships in 1998, and Jordan helped the Bulls beat them for the second year in a row.

Retiring after the 1997-1998 season, Jordan did not stray from the sport for too long. He joined the Washington Wizards as a part owner and as president of basketball operations. In the fall of 2001, Jordan relinquished these roles to return the court once more. He played for the Wizards for two seasons before hanging up his jersey for good in 2003.

In 2006, Jordan bought a share of the Charlotte Bobcats and joined the team's executive ranks as its managing member of basketball operations. He experienced some personal changes that same year, ending his 17-year marriage to his wife Juanita. The couple divorced in December 2006. They had three children together during the course of their marriage—Jeffrey, Marcus, and Jasmine.

The following year, Michael Jordan made news—this time as the father of an up-and-coming college basketball player. His eldest son, Jeffrey Jordan, made the team at the University of Illinois. Both Michael Jordan and his ex-wife Juanita have supported their son and tried to help him deal with playing in the shadow of a NBA legend. "He wants to be a basketball player, but he wants to do it on his own terms...The thing that we have tried to tell Jeff is that you set your own expectations. By no means in this world can you ever live up someone else's expectations of who you are," Michael Jordan said during an appearance on the Today show.

In April 2009, Jordan received one of basketball's greatest honors: He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Attending the induction ceremony was a bittersweet affair for Jordan because being at the event meant "your basketball career is completely over," he explained.

Outside of his work with the Charlotte Bobcats, Jordan is also involved in a number of business ventures, including several restaurants. He currently resides in Highland Park, Illinois.

Millionaire Muhammad Ali On why wealth is important

2011-08-31T15:47:00.000-07:00

Boxer, philanthropist, social activist. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky. Once one of the top American boxers, Muhammad Ali has shown that he is not afraid of any fight—inside or outside the ring. Growing up in the segregated South, Ali experienced firsthand the prejudice and discrimination that African-Americans faced during this era.

At the age of 12, Ali discovered his talent for boxing through an odd twist of fate. His bike was stolen, and Ali told a police officer, Joe Martin, that he wanted to beat up the thief. "Well, you better learn how to fight before you start challenging people," Martin reportedly told him at the time. In addition to being a police officer, Martin also trained young boxers at a local gym.

Ali started working with Martin to learn how to box, and soon began his boxing career. In his first amateur bout in 1954, he won the fight by split decision. Ali went on to win the 1956 Golden Gloves Championship for novices in the light heavyweight class. Three years later, he won the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions and the Amateur Athletic Union's national title for the light-heavyweight division.

In 1960, Ali won a spot on the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team. He traveled to Rome, Italy, to compete. At 6 feet 3 inches tall, Ali was an imposing figure in the ring. He was known for his footwork, and for possessing a powerful jab. After winning his first three bouts, Ali then defeated Zbigniew Pietrzkowski from Poland to win the gold medal.

After his Olympic victory, Ali was heralded as an American hero. He soon turned professional with the backing of the Louisville Sponsoring Group. During the 1960s Ali seemed unstoppable, winning all of his bouts with majority of them being by knockouts. He took out British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper in 1963 and then knocked out Sonny Liston in 1964 to become the heavyweight champion of the world.

Often referring to himself as "the greatest," Ali was not afraid to sing his own praises. He was known for boasting about his skills before a fight and for his colorful descriptions and phrases. In one of his more famously quoted descriptions, Ali told reporters that he could "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" in the boxing ring.

This bold public persona belied what was happening in Ali's personal life, however. He was doing some spiritual searching and decided to join the black Muslim group, the Nation of Islam, in 1964. At first he called himself Cassius X, but then settled into the name Muhammad Ali. Two years later, Ali started a different kind of fight when he refused to acknowledge his military service after being drafted. He said that he was a practicing Muslim minister, and that his religious beliefs prevented him from fighting in the Vietnam War.

In 1967, Ali put his personal values ahead of his career. The U.S. Department of Justice pursued a legal case against Ali, denying his claim for conscientious objector status. He was found guilty of refusing to be inducted into the military, but Ali later cleared his name after a lengthy court battle. Professionally, however, Ali did not fare as well. The boxing association took away his title and suspended him from the sport for three and a half years.

Returning to the ring in 1970, Ali won his first bout after his forced hiatus. He knocked out Jerry Quarry in October in Atlanta. The following year, Ali took on Joe Frazier in what has been called the "Fight of the Century." Frazier and Ali went for 15 rounds before Frazier dropped Ali to the ground, scoring a knockout. Ali later beat Frazier in a 1974 rematch.

Another legendary Ali fight took place in 1974. Billed as the "Rumble in the Jungle," the bout was organized by promoter Don King and held in Kinshasa, Zaire. Ali fought the reigning heavyweight champion George Foreman. For once, Ali was seen as the underdog to his younger, powerful opponent. Ali silenced his critics by defeating Foreman and once again becoming the heavyweight champion of the world.

Perhaps one of his toughest bouts took place in 1975 when he battled longtime rival Joe Frazier in the "Thrilla in Manila" fight. Held in Quezon City, Philippines, the match lasted for more than 14 rounds with each fighter giving it their all. Ali emerged victorious in the end.

By the late 1970s, Ali's career had started to decline. He was defeated by Leon Spinks in 1978 and was knocked out by Larry Holmes in 1980. In 1981, Ali fought his last bout, losing his heavyweight title to Trevor Berbick. He announced his retirement from boxing the next day.

In his retirement, Ali has devoted much of his time to philanthropy. He announced that he has Parkinson's disease in 1984, a degenerative neurological condition, and has been involved in raising funds for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the years, Ali has also supported the Special Olympics and the Make a Wish Foundation among other organizations.

Muhammad Ali has traveled to numerous countries, including Mexico and Morocco, to help out those in need. In 1998, he was chosen to be a United Nations Messenger of Peace because of his work in developing countries.

In 2005, Ali received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush. He also opened the Muhammad Ali Center in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, that same year. "I am an ordinary man who worked hard to develop the talent I was given," he said. "I believed in myself and I believe in the goodness of others," said Ali. "Many fans wanted to build a museum to acknowledge my achievements. I wanted more than a building to house my memorabilia. I wanted a place that would inspire people to be the best that they could be at whatever they chose to do, and to encourage them to be respectful of one another."

Despite the progression of his disease, Ali remains active in public life. He embodies the true meaning of a champion with his tireless dedication to the causes he believes in. He was on hand to celebrate the inauguration of the first African-American president in January 2009 when Barack Obama was sworn-in. Soon after the inauguration, Ali received the President's Award from the NAACP for his public service efforts.

As he has done every year since its inception, Ali hosted the 15th Annual Celebrity Fight Night Awards in Phoenix in March 2009. The event benefited the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation and the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center.

Ali has been married to his fourth wife, Yolanda, since 1986. The couple has one son, Asaad, and Ali has several children from previous relationships, including daughter Laila who followed in his footsteps for a time as a professional boxer.

How To Be Wealthy and Successful in Africa by Millionaire Tony Robbins

2011-08-31T14:58:00.000-07:00

HOW TO BE RICH BY TONY ROBBINS

For the past three decades, Anthony Robbins has served as an advisor to leaders around the world. A recognized authority on the psychology of leadership, negotiations, organizational turnaround, and peak performance, he has been honored consistently for his strategic intellect and humanitarian endeavors. His nonprofit Anthony Robbins Foundation provides assistance to inner-city youth, senior citizens, and the homeless, and feeds more than three million people in 56 countries every year through its international holiday "Basket Brigade." Robbins has directly impacted the lives of more than 50 million people from over 100 countries with his best-selling books, multimedia and health products, public speaking engagements, and live events.

What began as a young person's desire to help individuals transform the quality of their lives has grown into Robbins' lifelong crusade as he is called on by leaders from every walk of life-presidents, political leaders, advocates for humanity, CEOs of multinational corporations, psychologists, peak performance athletes, world-class entertainers, teachers, and parents. Since fathering the life coaching industry, Robbins has produced the #1-selling audio coaching system of all time. He also is a corporate Vice Chairman, and Chairman overseeing five private companies. Robbins has been honored by Accenture as one of the "Top 50 Business Intellectuals in the World"; by Harvard Business Press as one of the "Top 200 Business Gurus"; by American Express as one of the "Top Six Business Leaders in the World" to coach its entrepreneurial clients; by Forbes as a Top 100 Celebrity; by Justice Byron White as one of the world's "Outstanding Humanitarians"; and by the International Chamber of Commerce as one of the top 10 "Outstanding Young People of World."

Peace Negotiator & Humanitarian

Robbins was selected as Vice Chairman of Health, Education, and Science for the United Nations Research Center for the International Council for Caring Communities (ICCC) NGO. Working with the Organization of American States, the Carter Center, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Robbins participated as one of the members of the team that helped negotiate an electoral solution for peace to the strife and conflict that have devastated the Venezuelan people and their economy. Robbins has collaborated with political and business leaders in diverse world communities such as South Africa, England, Cuba, Panama, Venezuela, and the United States. Robbins has also been a national spokesperson for the Wellness Community, a nonprofit organization that provides support, education and hope to people with cancer and their loved ones. Through participation in professionally led support groups and educational workshops, people affected by cancer learn vital skills that enable them to regain control, reduce isolation and restore hope, regardless of the stage of disease. Through his strategies for "Leadership in Times of Crisis" and his systems for "Indirect Negotiations," Robbins has participated in negotiations that have broken the patterns of violence and de-escalated the rhetoric that invites it. Robbins has worked on teams that not only help mitigate further devastation and facilitate peaceful decision-making among conflicting parties, but also inspire conflicting parties to create a mutually beneficial and compelling vision that is aligned with their respective values, raising the standard by which they live. He is also the recipient of the Timmie Award, given by the esteemed Touchdown Club of Washington, D.C for humanitarian efforts.

Strategic Advisor to World Leaders

Robbins has met with, consulted, or advised international leaders including Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher, Francois Mitterrand, Princess Diana, and Mother Teresa. He has consulted members of two royal families, members of the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Marines and three U.S. Presidents, including Bill Clinton. Robbins has had the unique opportunity to identify patterns and model the underlying strategies generating consistent results for some of the most successful individuals in the world.

Successful Entrepreneur & Honored Business Strategist

A successful entrepreneur, Robbins serves as Chairman of seven privately held — in industries as diverse as hospitality, education, media production, business services, and neutraceuticals, and he holds an interest in and strategically directs a series of others. While diverse in characterization, all seven companies—plus his five holding companies—are geared toward Robbins' creed of improving the quality of life for people around the world: from Namale Resort & Spa, the award-winning, 325-acre tropical paradise in the Fiji Islands, to Twinlab Corporation, the highest-rated neutraceutical company honored in 2003 with the Consumer Satisfaction Award as Top Rated Retail Brand by Consumerlab.com, an independent testing group. Robbins' pursuit of creating and contributing to a higher standard of living is reflected by one of his subsidiary companies, Rebus Publishing, a leading consumer health and science publisher that has been communicating healthy ideas for more than 25 years through such avenues as the "UC Berkeley Wellness Letter" and "Johns Hopkins Health After 50" newsletter. Robbins was also the first individual in the personal improvement industry to surpass more than a billion dollars in gross sales.

Leaders and achievers already at the pinnacle of success in their respective fields call on Robbins to be their strategic advisor when they face critical decisions requiring creative options and a systematic evaluation of probabilities and consequences. American Express asked its entrepreneurial clients whom they would select if they could choose anyone in the world to personally coach them to take their businesses to the next level if price were no object. Robbins was chosen along with Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Warren Buffet, Lee Iacocca and Ross Perot.

Philanthropist

A founding strategist of the Presidential Summit for America's Promise, Robbins partnered in helping to design systems that generated over two million mentors for young people throughout the United States. Four Presidents and Secretary of State Colin Powell partnered with Robbins in the process. What began nearly 30 years ago as Robbins' individual effort to feed two homeless families has now grown into the Anthony Robbins Foundation's international holiday "Basket Brigade," which feeds more than three million people in 56 countries every year. His foundation has provided support or initiated programs in more than 2,000 schools, 700 prisons and 100,000 service organizations and shelters. Almost 20 years ago, Robbins personally sponsored a class of disadvantaged fifth graders in Houston, Texas, by becoming their personal mentor and sponsor of their college education. In 2003, these student "Champions" graduated from college—an experience that Robbins made possible. Each year, Robbins oversees his foundation's Discovery Camp, which helps more than 100 students from 18 countries design and initiate leadership programs to take home to their local schools.

Award-Winning Speaker

In addition to his global efforts to facilitate leadership, peace and philanthropy, Robbins is an award-winning speaker who has addressed such distinguished audiences as the British Parliament, Harvard Business School, the Gorbachev Foundation's Cold War Forum, the Presidents' Summit for America's Future, the State of the World Forum, Vice President Al Gore's Putting Customers First Conference, and the World Economic Forum. In 2006, he was invited to speak at the prestigious Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) Conference, attended by the world's most influential thinkers and leaders, including the founders of Google and Vice President Al Gore. His speech is one of the top ten most viewed in the history of TED, with more than two million views. Toastmasters International recognized Robbins as one of the world's greatest speakers, awarding him the Golden Gavel Award, its most prestigious honor. One of the most sought-after speakers in the world, more than four million people from over 100 countries have attended Anthony Robbins' live seminars, speaking engagements or training programs.

Internationally Best-Selling Author

Robbins is an internationally best-selling author with five books published in 14 languages, and he is the creator of the #1 personal and professional development system of all time, Personal Power; more than 40 million audiotapes have been sold worldwide. Robbins has created a system of total immersion that produces the education, strategies, and momentum for measurable and lasting change. Robbins is also the founder of Mastery University, which brings together the world's leading experts from their respective fields. In the past, Robbins' co-facilitators have included General Norman Schwarzkopf and Secretary of State Colin Powell on leadership, Dr. Deepak Chopra on psychoneuroimmunology, Peter Lynch and Sir John Templeton on finance, and Vice President Al Gore on creating peace in troubled times.

Mass Media Veteran

Robbins has developed and produced five award-winning television infomercials that have continuously aired on average every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day somewhere in North America since their initial introduction in April 1989. Recently, Robbins has created a series of six television shows that will air on primetime NBC in the summer of 2010. His work has been featured in major media including Time, Newsweek, Fortune, Forbes, Life, GQ, Vanity Fair, Business Week, Tycoon andSuccess magazines, the CBS Evening News, NBC News, ABC's Prime Time Live, Fox News, CNN and A&E as well as newspapers, radio programs, and Internet media worldwide. Robbins has been mentioned or featured in 15 major motion pictures, including a cameo role in the hit movie "Shallow Hal." In 2007, he was named to Forbes magazine's "Celebrity 100" list.

Authority on Peak Performance

Highly respected as the nation's foremost authority on the psychology of peak performance and personal, professional, and organizational turnaround, Robbins has advised and counseled Fortune 500 CEOs, world-renowned medical doctors, legends in entertainment, and championship sports teams including America's Cup winner, America 3; Stanley Cup finalist, Los Angeles Kings; NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs; and other teams from the National Hockey League, Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association. He has worked with elite coaches and athletes, including UFC Champion Chuck Liddell, tennis greats André Agassi and Serena Williams, and golf legend Greg Norman, along with champions from the National Football League, the PGA Tour, the U.S. Tennis Association and NASCAR. He has also coached various celebrities and musicians including Leonardo DiCaprio and Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day.

Innovator in Psychology and Intervention

As a recognized catalyst for developing systems and strategies for accelerated and lasting transformations in individuals worldwide, Robbins has been sought after by psychologists and psychiatrists for training. Robbins, along with his partner Cloe Madanes, created almost ten years ago the Robbins-Madanes Center for Strategic Intervention, which produces training materials and programs for the therapeutic community. Together they have trained more than 100,000 therapists. For more than 20 years, Madanes has served as world-renowned teacher of therapists. Two of her books are considered classic texts—Strategic Family Therapy and The Violence of Men. Robbins appeared as a featured author in one of her books—Relationship Breakthrough: How to Create Outstanding Relationships in Every Area of Your Life.Robbins and Madanes are actively involved in the Council for Human Rights of Children at the University of San Francisco, a prestigious international think tank created to develop and codify methods to ensure the rights of children are maintained and championed. Robbins was among the speakers featured at the Council's 2005 meeting at the University of Oxford, where he addressed "Alternatives to Institutionalization of Children and Youth in Crisis." He also has been a featured speaker at The Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference, the world's largest psychotherapy conference that brings together more than 10,000 industry leaders from around the world every five years.

Family Man

Robbins' commitment to creating an enduring legacy that will impact the world is surpassed only by his passion for family as a dedicated father of four children and a loving husband to his wife, Sage "Bonnie Pearl" Robbins.

http://www.tonyrobbins.com/biography.php

Millionaire Ryan Blair : From Gang Member to millionaire CEO -Advice to All aspiring African Millionaires and Entrepreneurs Millionaires

2011-08-31T14:48:00.000-07:00

by Dan Schawbel, contributor
I recently caught up with Ryan Blair, who is a serial entrepreneur and author of the new book "Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain."

Ryan established his first company, 24-7 Tech when he was only twenty-one years old. Since then, he has created and actively invested in multiple start-ups and has become a self-made multimillionaire. After he sold his company ViSalus Sciences to Blyth in early 2008, the global recession took the company to the brink of failure resulting in a complete write off of the stock and near bankruptcy. Ryan as CEO went "all in" betting his last million dollars on its potential and turned the company around from the edge of failure to more than $150,000,000 a year in revenue in only 16 months winning the coveted DSN Global Turn Around Award in 2010. In this interview, Ryan talks about how he re-branded himself after being in a gang, the issues with the education system, and more.
How did you shake your criminal record and re-brand yourself?
I remember when I was working my way up in the first company that employed me, I used to have nightmares that one day they'd find out about that I had been in a gang, call me into the office, and fire me. In the beginning I didn't talk much about what I'd been through. But eventually when I got to a point where I had established myself as a professional entrepreneur, I embraced my past, used it as part of my branding, and crossed over.

Ryan Blair
In this day and age people want authenticity. Now that the world is social, people know all about you. Assuming you decided to join humanity, that is. It turned out that as I started showing my true identity, so did the rest of the world. One of the reasons my company ViSalus is one of the fastest growing companies in the industry today is because we share our good, bad, and ugly. Like sharing a video of me playing a practical joke on one of my employees, for instance. As a result of embracing authenticity, I turned the company around from near bankruptcy to over $15 million a month today. Unlike our competitors, our distributors and customers know exactly who we are, and I'd say that corporate America has a lot of catching up to do.
What's your take on the educational system? Will a college degree help or hurt your chances at starting a successful business?
As a product of Los Angeles's public school system, in a state with the highest dropout rate in the nation (about 20 percent), I can tell you from personal experience that some of our brightest minds are being misidentified because of a one-size-fits-all learning environment. Because I had ADD and dyslexia I never got past the 9th grade.
I recall sitting with a career counselor in continuation high school, being told that I didn't have the intellect or aptitude to become a doctor or a lawyer. They suggested a trade school, construction, something where I'd be working with my hands.
The irony is that today I employ plenty of doctors and lawyers. Would you rather be a doctor or a lawyer, or a guy who writes a check to doctors and lawyers?
If President Obama phoned me today and told me he was appointing me Educational Czar, I'd turn education into a business, a capitalistic, revenue driven system, creating a competitive environment where each school is trying to attract customers, based on quality of customer experience.
As an entrepreneur, having a college degree or getting classroom training won't hurt your chances for starting a successful business, but it's ultimately not necessary. In Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers," he makes a point that it takes approximately 10,000 hours to master a skill set at a professional level. That means experience, over traditional education.
What three business lessons did you learn from juvenile detention?
I learned a lot about business and life from my time spent incarcerated. I like to call these pieces of wisdom my Philosophies from the Jail Cell to the Boardroom. One of the biggest lessons I learned was that in Juvenile Hall, new guys always get tested. When I went in the first time, I was just a skinny little white kid and I had to learn fast. People will be bumping into you on the basketball court, or asking you for things, testing to see if you're tough.

And everyone knew that if a guy let someone take their milk during lunchtime, they weren't as tough as they looked. Soon you'd be taking their milk everyday, and so would everyone else. It's the same for business, if you give people the impression that you can be taken, you will be.
Also, adaptation is the key to survival. In jail the guy who rises to power isn't always the strongest or the smartest. As prisoners come and go, he's the one that adapts to the changing environment, while influencing the right people. You can use this in business, staying abreast of market trends, changing your game plan as technology shifts, and adapting our strategy around your company's strongest competitive advantages. Darwin was absolutely right — survival is a matter of how you respond to change.
The last lesson I got from jail is that you have to learn how to read people. You don't know who to trust. It's the same for business because a lot of people come into my office with a front. I have to figure out quickly who is the real deal and who isn't. Based on that fact, I developed an HR system that I use when interviewing potential new hires that I call the Connect Four Technique. Yep, you guessed it. I make my future employees — and I have hundreds of them — play me in Connect Four.
Can everyone be an entrepreneur? Can it be learned or do you have to be born with a special gene?
No. Not everyone can be an entrepreneur. There are two types of people in the world, domesticated and undomesticated. Some people are so domesticated through their social programming and belief system, so employee minded, that they could never be entrepreneurs. And they shouldn't even bother trying. The irony is that this is coming from a guy who teaches millions of people how to become entrepreneurs. I'm literally selling a book about becoming an entrepreneur, telling you that not everyone should read it.
To be an entrepreneur, you have to have fighting instincts. Are instincts genetic? I don't think so, but you 'inherit' them from your upbringing. Now, if you're smart you can reprogram your beliefs. But there are still some people that would rather watch other people be entrepreneurs, like the people in the Forbes "richest celebrity list" than take the time to reprogram themselves, and live their lives like rock stars, too.
Is there a need for business plans these days?
When you've really got the entrepreneurial bug, the last thing you want to do is sit down and write a business plan. It's the equivalent of writing a book about playing the guitar before actually knowing how to play the guitar. You don't know what your new business is going to be like. And just like a guitar, a business will have to be tweaked and tuned multiple times, and you'll need long practice sessions and repetition, before you can get even one successful song out of it.
In my book "Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain," I actually included a chapter called "I Hate Business Plans" where I talk about this. Most business plans that get sent to me, I close within seconds of opening them up because they are full of fluff and hype. A business plan should be simple, something you could scribble on a scratch pad. No more than three pages of your business objectives, expected results, and the strategy to get there. But the best business plan is one built from a business that is already up and running and that matches the business's actual results.
The point is that you should be so obsessed with your business that you can't sleep at night because that's all you can think about. And that's your ultimate "business plan."

Dan Schawbel is the Managing Partner of Millennial Branding, LLC, a full-service personal branding agency, and author of "Me 2.0: 4 Steps to Building Your Future."

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/power-your-future/entrepreneurship-nothing-lose-everything-gain-183145165.html

Millionaire Russell Simmons: How To Be Super Rich

2011-08-31T14:33:00.000-07:00

Entrepreneur, philanthropist. Born October 4, 1957 in New York City. After a brief stint at City College of New York, Russell Simmons left school to promote local musicians, including Kurtis Blow and Run-D.M.C. In 1984, he and partner Rick Rubin founded Def Jam Recordings, creating the foundation for the cultural revolution known as hip hop. Def Jam signed the forerunners of the hip hop movement, including the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy and Run-D.M.C.

An ambitious entrepreneur, Simmons saw Def Jam as just part of his hip hop empire. His Rush Communications firm also included Phat Farm clothing company, television shows, a management company, a magazine and an advertising agency. His movie production house has produced such films as Krush Groove and The Nutty Professor. In 1999, he sold his stake in Def Jam Records to Universal Music Group for $100 million. In 2004, he sold Phat Farm for $140 million.

A strict vegan and yoga enthusiast, Simmons is also an active philanthropist. He helped found the Hip Hop Summit Action Network, the Rush Philanthropic Organization and the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding. He actively supports PETA and was named a Goodwill Ambassador to fight war, poverty and HIV/AIDS. He is the author of Do You! 12 Laws To Access The Power In You To Achieve Happiness And Success.

Simmons was married to model Kimora Lee from 1998 to 2008. They have two daughters, Ming and Aoki.

© 2011 A&E Television Networks. All rights reserved.

Millionaire 50 Cent From Rags to Riches - How to be Wealthy and Successful

2011-08-31T14:22:00.000-07:00

Curtis James Jackson III better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003) and The Massacre (2005). Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified 8 times platinum by the RIAA and has sold over 15 million copies worldwide. His album The Massacre has been certified 5 times platinum by the RIAA and has sold 11 million copies worldwide.

Born in South Jamaica, Queens, Jackson began drug dealing at the age of twelve during the 1980s crack epidemic. After leaving drug dealing to pursue a rap career, he was shot at and struck by nine bullets during an incident in 2000. After releasing his album Guess Who’s Back? in 2002, Jackson was discovered by rapper Eminem and signed to Interscope Records. With the help of Eminem and Dr. Dre, who produced his first major commercial successes, Jackson became one of the world’s highest selling rappers. In 2003, he founded the record label G-Unit Records, which signed several successful rappers such as Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, and Tony Yayo.

Jackson has engaged in feuds with other rappers including Kanye West, Ja Rule, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Cam’ron, Rick Ross, and former G-Unit members The Game and Young Buck. He has also pursued an acting career, appearing in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin’ in 2005, the Iraq War film Home of the Brave in 2006, and Righteous Kill in 2008. 50 Cent was ranked as the 6th best artist of the 2000-2009 decade by “Billboard Magazine.” (Also ranking as the 4th Top male artist and as the 3rd Top rapper behind Eminem and Nelly)

He was also ranked as the 6th best and most successful Hot 100 Artist of the 2000-2009 decade by Billboard Magazine. Billboard Magazine also named him the #1 Rap Song Artist of the 2000-2009 decade. His album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ was ranked as the 12th best album of the 2000-2009 decade by Billboard Magazine and the album The Massacre ranking as the 37th best album of the 2000-2009 decade by Billboard Magazine

Curtis Jackson III grew up in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, in New York City. He grew up without a father and was raised by his mother, Sabrina, who gave birth to him at the age of fifteen. Sabrina, a cocaine dealer, raised Jackson until the age of twelve, when she was murdered in 1988. Twenty-seven at the time, she became unconscious after someone drugged her drink. She was then left for dead after the gas in her apartment was turned on and the windows shut closed. After her death, Jackson moved into his grandparents’ house with his eight aunts and uncles. He recalls, “My grandmother told me, ‘Your mother’s not coming home. She’s not gonna come back to pick you up. You’re gonna stay with us now.’ That’s when I started adjusting to the streets a little bit”.

Jackson began boxing around the age of eleven. At fourteen, a neighbor opened a boxing gym for local kids. “When I wasn’t killing time in school, I was sparring in the gym or selling crack on the strip”, he recalled. In the mid 1980s, he competed in the Junior Olympics as an amateur boxer. He recounts, “I was competitive in the ring and hip-hop is competitive too… I think rappers condition themselves like boxers, so they all kind of feel like they’re the champ”. At the age of twelve, Jackson began dealing narcotics when his grandparents thought he was at after-school programs.

He also took guns and drug money to school. In the tenth grade, he was caught by metal detectors at Andrew Jackson High School. He later stated, “I was embarrassed that I got arrested like that… After I got arrested I stopped hiding it. I was telling my grandmother openly, ‘I sell drugs.’”

On June 29, 1994, Jackson was arrested for helping to sell four vials of cocaine to an undercover police officer. He was arrested again three weeks later when police searched his home and found heroin, ten ounces of crack cocaine, and a starter gun. He was sentenced to three to nine years in prison, but managed to serve six months in a shock incarceration boot camp where he earned his GED. Jackson said that he did not use cocaine himself, he only sold it. He adopted the nickname “50 Cent” as a metaphor for “change”. The name was derived from Kelvin Martin, a 1980s Brooklyn robber known as “50 Cent”. Jackson chose the name “because it says everything I want it to say. I’m the same kind of person 50 Cent was. I provide for myself by any means”.

Jackson started rapping in a friend’s basement where he used turntables to record over instrumentals. In 1996, a friend introduced him to Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC who was organizing his label Jam Master Jay Records. Jay taught him how to count bars, write choruses, structure songs, and how to make a record. Jackson’s first official appearance was on a song titled “React” with the group Onyx on their 1998 album Shut ‘Em Down. He credited Jam Master Jay as an influence who helped him improve his ability to write hooks.

Jay produced Jackson’s first album; however, it was never released. In 1999, after leaving Jam Master Jay, the platinum-selling producers Trackmasters took notice of Jackson and signed him to Columbia Records. They sent him to a studio in Upstate New York where he produced thirty-six songs in two weeks. Eighteen were included on his unofficially released album, Power of the Dollar in 2000. He also started the now-defunct Hollow Point Entertainment with former G-Unit affiliate Bang ‘Em Smurf.

Jackson’s popularity started to increase after the successful but controversial underground single, “How to Rob”, which he wrote in half an hour while in a car on the way to a studio. The track comically explains how he would rob famous artists. He explained the reasoning behind song’s content as, “There’s a hundred artists on that label, you gotta separate yourself from that group and make yourself relevant”. Rappers Jay-Z, Kurupt, Sticky Fingaz, Big Pun, DMX, Wyclef Jean and the Wu-Tang Clan replied to the song and Nas, who received the track positively, invited Jackson to travel on a promotional tour for his Nastradamus album. The song was intended to be released with “Thug Love” featuring Destiny’s Child, but two days before he was scheduled to film the “Thug Love” music video, Jackson was shot and confined to a hospital due to his injuries.

On April 24, 2000, Jackson was attacked by a gunman, alleged to be Darryl “Hommo” Baum, outside his grandmother’s former home in South Jamaica, Queens. He went into a friend’s car, but was asked to return to the house to get jewelry. His son was in the house, while his grandmother was in the front yard. Upon returning to the back seat of the car, another car pulled up nearby. An assailant then walked up to Jackson’s left side with a 9mm handgun and fired nine shots at close range. He was shot nine times: in the hand (a round hit his right thumb and came out of his little finger), arm, hip, both legs, chest, and left cheek. The face wound resulted in a swollen tongue, the loss of a wisdom tooth, and a small slur in his voice. Get Rich or Die Tryin’: The Movie (2003) (bonus documentary DVD). Interscope Records. His friend also sustained a gunshot wound to the hand. They were driven to the hospital where Jackson spent thirteen days. Baum, the alleged shooter, was killed three weeks later. Baum was also Mike Tyson’s close friend and bodyguard.

Jackson recalled the incident saying, “It happens so fast that you don’t even get a chance to shoot back…. I was scared the whole time…. I was looking in the rear-view mirror like, ‘Oh shit, somebody shot me in the face! It burns, burns, burns.’” In his autobiography, From Pieces to Weight: Once upon a Time in Southside Queens, he wrote, “After I got shot nine times at close range and didn’t die, I started to think that I must have a purpose in life… How much more damage could that shell have done? Give me an inch in this direction or that one, and I’m gone”. He used a walker for the first six weeks and fully recovered after five months. When he left the hospital, he stayed in the Poconos with his then-girlfriend and son. His workout regime helped him attain his muscular physique.

While in the hospital, Jackson signed a publishing deal with Columbia Records. However, he was dropped from the label and “blacklisted” in the recording industry because of his song “Ghetto Qu’ran”. Unable to find a studio to work with in the U.S, he traveled to Canada. Along with his business partner Sha Money XL, he recorded over thirty songs for mixtapes, with the purpose of building a reputation. According to Shady Records A&R Marc Labelle in an interview with HitQuarters, Jackson shrewdly used the mixtape circuit to his own advantage saying, “He took all the hottest beats from every artist and flipped them with better hooks. They then got into all the markets on the mixtapes and all the mixtape DJs were messing with them.” Jackson’s popularity rose and in 2002, he released material independently on the mixtape, Guess Who’s Back?. Beginning to attract interest, and now backed by G-Unit, Jackson continued to release music including 50 Cent Is the Future. The mixtape revisited material by Jay-Z and Raphael Saadiq.

In 2002, Eminem listened to a copy of Jackson’s Guess Who’s Back? CD. He received the CD through Jackson’s attorney, who was working with Eminem’s manager Paul Rosenberg. Impressed with the album, Eminem invited Jackson to fly to Los Angeles, where he was introduced to Dr. Dre. After signing a $1 million record deal, Jackson released the mixtape, No Mercy, No Fear. It featured one new track, “Wanksta”, which was put on Eminem’s 8 Mile soundtrack. He was also signed to Chris Lighty’s Violator Management and Sha Money XL’s Money Management Group.

In February 2003, Jackson released his commercial debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’. Allmusic described it as “probably the most hyped debut album by a rap artist in about a decade”. Rolling Stone noted the album for its “dark synth grooves, buzzy keyboards and a persistently funky bounce” with Jackson complementing the production in “an unflappable, laid-back flow”. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 872,000 copies in the first four days. The lead single, “In da Club”, which The Source noted for its “blaring horns, funky organs, guitar riffs and sparse hand claps”, broke a Billboard record as the most listened-to song in radio history within a week.

Interscope granted Jackson his own label, G-Unit Records in 2003. He signed Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck as the established members of G-Unit. The Game was later signed under a joint venture with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment. In March 2005, Jackson’s second commercial album, The Massacre, sold 1.14 million copies in the first four days-the highest in an abbreviated sales cycle- and peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 for six weeks. He became the first solo artist to have three singles on the Billboard top five in the same week with “Candy Shop”, “Disco Inferno”, and “How We Do”. Rolling Stone noted that “50′s secret weapon is his singing voice – the deceptively amateur-sounding tenor croon that he deploys on almost every chorus”.

After The Game’s departure, Jackson signed singer Olivia and rap veterans Mobb Deep to G-Unit Records. Spider Loc, M.O.P., 40 Glocc and Young Hot Rod later joined the label. Jackson expressed interest in working with rappers outside of G-Unit, such as Lil’ Scrappy of BME, LL Cool J from Def Jam, Mase from Bad Boy, and Freeway of Roc-A-Fella, some of whom he recorded with.

In September 2007, he released his third album Curtis, which was inspired by his life before Get Rich or Die Tryin’. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 691,000 units in the first week, behind Kanye West’s Graduation, whom he had a sales competition with, as both albums were released on the same day. He confirmed on TRL on September 10, 2008 that his fourth studio album, Before I Self Destruct, will be “done and released in November”. On May 18, 2009, Jackson released a song entitled “Ok, You’re Right”.

The song was produced by Dr. Dre and will be included in Before I Self Destruct. In Fall 2009, 50 is set to appear in the new season of VH1′s Behind The Music. On September 3, 2009 months upon the release of his “Before I Self Destruct” album 50 Cent posted a video for the Soundkillers’ Phoenix produced track “Flight 187″ which introduced his mixtape, the 50th LAW, and was also featured as a bonus track on his iTunes release of Before I Self Destruct. The song ignited speculation that there was tension between rapper 50 Cent and Jay Z for Jackson’s comments in the song.

He went on The Invitation Tour in the summer of 2010, in support of Before I Self Destruct album, and the shelved Black Magic album. On September 3rd, 50 Cent showed support to longtime mentor Eminem, and appeared on his and Jay-Z’s Home & Home Tour, performing hit songs such as “Crack A Bottle,” alongside his longtime mentors Eminem & Dr. Dre, amidst rumors that 50 was no longer working with Dre.

Jackson has established himself in a variety of fields. In November 2003, he signed a five year deal with Reebok to distribute a “G-Unit Sneakers” line as part of his G-Unit Clothing Company. He provided the voice-over as the protagonist in the video game, 50 Cent: Bulletproof, which was released for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and the PlayStation Portable. Its sequel, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, was released in early 2009.

He worked with Glacéau to create a Vitamin Water drink called Formula 50. In 2007, Coca-Cola purchased Glacéau for US$4.1 billion. Forbes estimated Jackson, who owns a stake in the company, earned $100 million from the deal after taxes. He has teamed up with Right Guard to launched a body spray called Pure 50 RGX Body Spray and a condom line called Magic Stick Condoms, in which he planned to donate part of the proceeds to HIV awareness. Jackson has signed a multi-year deal with Steiner Sports to sell his memorabilia.

In 2005, Jackson made a cameo appearance on The Simpsons episode “Pranksta Rap”, in which he makes light of his legal troubles. The same year, he starred alongside Terrence Howard in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin’. He starred in the 2006 film, Home of the Brave, as a soldier returning home from the Iraq War, traumatized after killing an Iraqi woman. Jackson is working on a role as a fighter in an Angola State Prison in Spectacular Regret alongside Nicolas Cage, and starred opposite Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in 2008′s Righteous Kill, a movie regarding a police death. He also started the film production companies G-Unit Films in 2007 and Cheetah Vision in 2008. In August 2007, Jackson announced plans to launch a dietary supplement company in conjunction with his movie Spectacular Regret.

In August, 2005, shortly before appearing in Get Rich or Die Tryin’, Jackson published an autobiography entitled From Pieces to Weight: Once upon a Time in Southside Queens. In it Jackson explores the cultural and economic forces that led him to sell cocaine and crack, details his entrepreneurship as a drug-dealer and then as a rapper, and reflects on his own ethos and on society. On January 4, 2007, Jackson launched his G-Unit Books imprint at the Time Warner Building.

He also co-wrote The Ski Mask Way, a novel about a small-time drug dealer who attempts to rob his employers, which is to be turned into a film. Jackson said he read Robert Greene’s The 33 Strategies of War and worked with the author on a book titled The 50th Law, an urban take on The 48 Laws of Power. In May 2008, Jackson met billionaire Patrice Motsepe to forge a joint venture selling 50 Cent-branded platinum.

In 2008, Jackson started a reality television show on MTV titled 50 Cent: The Money and the Power; the winning contestant, Ryan Mayberry, won a $100,000 investment from Jackson. In 2010, Jackson’s film company Cheetah Vision landed $200 million in funding.

On October 13, 1997, Jackson’s then-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins gave birth to a son, Marquise Jackson. Tompkins later sued Jackson for $50 million dollars, claiming that he said that he would take care of her for life; the suit, which includes 15 claims was later dismissed by a judge, calling it “an unfortunate tale of a love relationship gone sour.” As of February 2009, Tompkins’ and her lawyer are considering an appeal.

The birth of his son changed Jackson’s outlook on life: “When my son came into my life, my priorities changed, because I wanted to have the relationship with him, that I didn’t have with my father.” He credited his son for inspiring his career and being “motivation to go in a different direction”.

Jackson has a tattoo of “Marquise” with an axe on his right biceps. “The axe is ’cause I’m a warrior. I don’t want him to be one, though,” he explains. He also has “50″, “Southside”, and “Cold World” inscribed on his back because “I’m a product of that environment. It’s on my back, though, so it’s all behind me.” Jackson dated actress Vivica A. Fox in 2003. After a few months, he announced their split up on The Howard Stern Show when pictures from a photo shoot they did ended up on the cover of Today’s Black Woman magazine without his knowledge.

In 2005, Jackson expressed support for President George W. Bush after rapper Kanye West criticized him for the slow response in assisting the Hurricane Katrina victims. If his felony convictions did not prevent him from voting, he claimed he would have voted for Bush. He later stated that Bush “has less compassion than the average human. By all means, I don’t aspire to be like George Bush.”

In 2007, Forbes recognized Jackson for his wealth, placing him second behind Jay-Z in the rap industry. He resides in Farmington, Connecticut, in the former mansion of ex-boxer Mike Tyson. He put the mansion for sale at $18.5 million to move closer to his son who lives in Long Island with his ex-girlfriend.

On October 12, 2007, the Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut declared it “50 Cent Curtis Jackson Day”. He was honored with a key to the city and an official proclamation. One of his homes in New York purchased for 2.4 million dollars in January 2007 and at the center of a lawsuit between Jackson and ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins caught fire on May 31, 2008 while he was out of town filming for a movie in Louisiana.

In December 2008 50 told the Canadian press that he had been affected by the recession, losing several million dollars on the stock market. He also went on to say that he had been unable to sell his Connecticut mansion and pushed Before I Self-Destruct back because of the recent economic downturn. In November 2009, 50 Cent won in a lawsuit against Taco Bell over the fast food chain using his name to promote the brand without his permission.

The Top 5 Ways to Become a Millionaire – How to Become a Millionaire

2011-08-31T14:16:00.000-07:00

Anyone Can Become a Millionaire by Following a Few Simple Steps

Becoming a millionaire isn’t all that difficult and there are countless ways to achieve that milestone. Some people do it through real estate, others start their own business, while some simply get lucky by winning the lottery or winning big on a game show. What is even more interesting is that you don’t have to be wealthy to begin with nor do you have to earn six figures to reach this goal.

I know some people who earn well over $100,000 and all they have to show for it is a large mortgage payment and a fancy car that depreciates faster than a glass of milk left outside in the summer sun. Anyone can become a millionaire and there are five things you need to do to have the best shot of making that a reality.

1. Earn Income.

Clearly, the more money you make, the faster you can reach that milestone, but that doesn’t mean your average Joe with a average income can’t obtain millionaire status. The current median income in this country ranges between $35,000-$60,000 depending on where you live. Better yet, get married so you have dual incomes. The wonderful thing about having dual incomes is that even with two people in the household, your income may double, but your expenses typically don’t.

If you don’t earn even an average income, all is not lost. It is up to you to do something about it. A negative attitude about your job or your earning potential won’t change anything. Be proactive and make the decision to improve your situation. It is your life, so take control and realize that things don’t change overnight. It may take a few years of slow growth before you reach the point where you want to be, but you can do it if you try. Remember, short of inheriting money from a relative or winning the lottery, you will need reasonable income to become a millionaire.

2. Live Within Your Means.

Ok, so you have income but now what? It doesn’t matter how much money you make if you spend it all or spend even more than you make. It might be nice to eat out at nice restaurants every night, or to always be on the cutting edge of designer fashion but, this will only make you look like millionaire to others instead of actually being a millionaire. This doesn’t mean you have to live a miserable and miserly lifestyle, but you simply need to live reasonably. The bottom line is buying things and acting like a millionaire if you aren’t will simply empty your bank account and give people a false impression of your status, but that’s it.

Start by purchasing a home that you can comfortably afford and drive vehicles that suit your lifestyle without straining your budget. You don’t have to be pulling down $75,000 a year and drive a 1992 Civic Hatchback or live in a dump, but throwing your money at a 4,000 square foot home in a gated community with luxury cars or SUVs that cost as much as one year of your salary won’t help you become a millionaire. Some may argue that an expensive home and real estate in general is a good way to become a millionaire, but I will touch on that later.

3. Save Money.

This isn’t rocket science but if you earn a reasonable income and you live within your means, guess what, you will probably have money left over to save. But that’s exactly the problem. Most people treat savings as an afterthought, or something that only gets attended to after all the other bills are paid. People pay bills, buy things, and then whatever is leftover they try to save. That is the wrong way to save. I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but pay yourself first. Whether it is $100 a month or $1,000 a month, think of the savings as a bill that needs to be paid and do it regularly. If you are unable to save money you will find that your only wealth is in the form of material things. So, you need to start saving every month and you need to make it happen automatically. An online savings account can accomplish this for you, and on top of that you’ll be earning better interest on that money than you would be at your local bank.

4. Invest Wisely.

Now that you are saving money, you need to invest it wisely. Sticking it under the mattress or slowly building up in a savings account isn’t going to help you reach your goals any faster. You don’t have to read the Wall Street Journal or watch CNBC everyday while actively managing your portfolio in order to be a good investor. Some of the best investment advice is to simply invest regularly and in a diversified portfolio. If you do this you’ll already be doing more than most people and on your way to building wealth.

It is also important to remember that real estate is part of your investment picture, but it shouldn’t be all of it. Too many people stake almost everything they have into a primary residence and expect it to appreciate in value. Just like any investment, generally speaking, over time you will make money. There isn’t much debate about that, but relying heavily on real estate is no different than if you rely on one stock to fund your retirement. So, begin with opening up an investing account and put your money to work. It doesn’t matter if you are investing in stocks, bonds, or index funds, but keeping costs down helps you keep more of your own money. One of the best and cheapest places to start investing is at Zecco. The Free Trading Community: www.zecco.com.

You can become a millionaire by simply buying a single stock and holding onto it for 20 years if it goes up significantly just like you can buy a $500,000 home and have it double in value in 20 years, but that’s a pretty risky proposition. Take a lot of the risk out of the picture by making sure all of your eggs aren’t in the same basket and develop an investment strategy that will provide steady growth over the years..

5. Stick With Your Plan.

Finally, if you have done the previous four items the only thing left to do is to continue doing it and stick to the plan. As far as income is concerned, always be on the lookout for ways to increase your income, whether it is through climbing the ladder at your current job, finding work elsewhere, or maybe even starting a business on the side. Increased income will mean you can save even more, provided you aren’t foolishly spending the additional money. As that additional money gets tucked away into savings or investments it will continue to grow even more quickly.

It Isn’t Hard to Do if You Work at It

Unfortunately, most people are looking for a way to get rich quick or to capitalize on the next big thing. It is true that some people have made their wealth through playing the real estate market, while others have done so by investing in a few stocks that exploded, but this is the exception and not the norm. If the above list seems overly simplistic, that’s good. There are no secrets to becoming a millionaire and almost anyone has the chance to make it happen. The process is simple:

1. Make money
2. Don’t spend all of your money
3. Save some money
4. Invest that money
5. Repeat

Certainly, there are many factors in play that can make this easier or more difficult for different people. This is simply the process that you can use in order to reach that goal, whether it is in 5 years or 50, if you follow a few basic steps you can do it.

Millionaire Phillip Chiyangwa from Zimbabwe - How He Became a MultiMillionaire fro Rags to Riches

2011-08-31T14:03:00.000-07:00

"I did not have a good background where I inherited money from my parents, No I was a vegetable vendor. All I have are my parents’ genes and God gave me a gift and a task to become rich. What I can tell you though is that many black people are scared of wealth. They have a poverty mentality. They just can not accept riches. My advice to those who want to free themselves from poverty is to learn to appreciate wealth and not to be afraid of money. I have the largest house in Zimbabwe and I am not ashamed to say so. My house has 68 rooms and I used to have a Cessna twin engine aero plane which I sold in 2004 but I am planning to buy a bigger one just because I can afford it.”

ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe’s nephew, the flamboyant businessman and parliamentarian Phillip Chiyangwa is owner of arguably the largest and most expensive residential property after State House.

Variously described as extravagant, opulent, palatial, magnificent, Chiyangwa’s palace is a showpiece. Its owner built it in his own image -- controversial but flamboyant.
Chiyangwa recently allowed a Zimbabwean online property magazine, ExpoProperties into his mansion…and they spent half a day navigating through the myriad lounges and bedrooms that are furnished with exquisite items from round the globe.

Chiyangwa, the MP for Chinhoyi, has a mansion with 15 carports, 18 bedrooms, 25 lounges, 4 balconies, 9 servant quarters, 2 swimming pools and 3 heliports.

Imposing in outlook the house stands majestically on a 3 acre plot. The garden is well manicured with not a single blade of lawn out of place. Waterfalls cascade down rugged rock features while a fountain spouts white water as you drive into the paved driveway where you are immediately greeted with a staggering choice of 15 parking lots.

The tranquil surroundings are watered by pop up sprinklers (supplied by 2 boreholes), hosting innumerable varieties of plants and fish. The carport only has a BMW 745i and Mercedes Benz SL55 AMG V8 Kompressor parked. This is by no means the whole fleet of Chiyangwa’s luxury cars.

The customised kitchen in stunning black and white contrast is spacious and well appointed. Designed and constructed under the watchful eye of Chiyangwa’s wife, the gadget savvy and chic kitchen boasts a dining area, separate washing area and pantry.

With enough granite to satisfy Fred & Wilma Flintstone and gadgetry to make Inspector Gadget look amateurish, the kitchen is truly a marvel. It is natural venue for the family’s breakfasts and the origin of the culinary masterpieces that have been served to distinguished visitors.

Describing the maze-like lounges is a challenging task. From contemporary lime ensemble to tranquil earth colours and comfortable leather the lounges are a designer’s dream. A proliferation of rugs in a riot of colours characterises the lounges. With a who’s who of the world’s top brands the lounges represent a meeting of futuristic apparatus. TV’s flatter than a ‘20 bearer’, DVD players, stereos that look like a device from Star Trek and CD’s and DVD’s with total running time longer than Le Tour de France

The formal lounge is characterised by twin staircases crafted in teak, brilliant chandeliers and sophisticated, contemporary furnishings. The effect is completed by the well stocked bar with the finest whiskies, wines and liqueurs….an entertainer’s utopia.

Tiling is in the finest Spanish tiles. ExpoProperties say they counted 25 different varieties of ceramic tiles and twelve varieties of carpets deep enough to swim in.

The master bedroom has Italian furnishings. It is a suite comprising lounge, bar, bedroom, bathroom/toilet, dressing area and balcony. The cosy bar is styled in retro stainless steel and black. Chiyangwa also opened up his amiable legendary wardrobe of suits and shoes housed in a spacious dressing area finished in classical light oak and frosted glass. His selection of suits, shirts and shoes can make American rapper and fashion mogul P Diddy’s green with envy. Classically designed, the bathroom with the inevitable Jacuzzi, is tiled in black with a shower tucked neatly in one corner.

Other features include an office with a reception area clothed in sober navy. The customised workstation complete with state of the art PC is ideal for the intrepid legislator cum entrepreneur’s hectic schedule which often spills into awkward hours. The office suite links with the bedroom via an elegant staircase finished in saligna. Adjoining the office is pool table for the relaxation of the busy legislator.

Other recreational areas are housed away from the house. A stand alone sauna with a capacity of 20 and shower facilities is housed in the gazebo complex overlooking the office suite.A spa bath sits on top of the gazebo. From the spa bath one commands a view of the outdoor pool and an all weather tennis court to complete the recreational area.

Truly a fitting home for the man known for his largesse, Chiyangwa then regaled his visitors with accounts of the distinguished visitors who have graced the home.

Built for enjoyment, this house is simply in a league of its own.
Additional reporting ExpoProperties

Listen to Phillip Chiyangwa Speak about his mansion amongst other riches.

HOW PHILLIP CHIYANGWA MADE HIS WEALTH AND MONEY

LIKE or hate him, PHILIP CHIYANGWA (PC) is one of the most known Zimbabwean black businessmen to emerge in independent Zimbabwe, who features prominently in Africa’s Richest Black People List. His meteoric rise from a barefoot and spike haired vegetable vendor in the dusty streets of Hartley (now Chegutu) in Rhodesia to a flamboyant businessman, property developer and politician in Zimbabwe has never been understood by many, who have more often than not, claimed that his wealth is ill-gotten. Daring and unshaken in his spirited quest to get richer and richer, Mr Chiyangwa — who says he has a PhD in Common Sense — has courted controversy on his road to riches. Features Editor ISDORE GUVAMOMBE (IG) talks to Mr Chiyangwa (PC) about his upbringing, Business Empire, wealth and the future.

IG: Who is Philip Chiyangwa?

PC: I am a businessman, who has gone through a long way. I did not get my wealth yesterday. I got it through years of hard work, investment, reinvestment and strategic planning.

I am Christian but I must say these things are not manna from heaven. Where others see disasters and problems, I see opportunities. Even when I diversify, I remain focused. My mother Marita taught me to be astute and to be an entrepreneur from pamusika, the vegetable market. She taught me to buy and sell and my father taught me to cast visions and to stay focused. That is me.

IG: People say you are a crook . . .

PC: No, no, no! They are mad. If I stole a cent from anyone or anyone’s mother, grandmother or so, they should come and claim it. Kana ndakabira mai vemunhu kana tete kana mbuya vake ngavauye vatore because I now have the money, I have the money! My money is clean. When people are spiting me or sleeping, I am thinking hard and strategising to make more money. I have a doctorate in common sense, where academics and professional end, is where I start.

IG: HOW did you make your money?

PC: There is no magic in making money. You must characterise money as your friend. As blacks we have over the years believed that no one makes clean money. There is no magic in making money. They think money is difficult to make and that money is for those who have it already and that is wrong. If you have a problem with money it’s you because as for me, I have the money and I don’t have a problem with money.

In many homes people fight over small money and how then do they expect money to visit them when they fight over small money? If you value money and you wish to create and accumulate wealth, you must be able to sacrifice and do things to make it happen. All my investments are in Zimbabwe not outside Zimbabwe. I can export but I remain in Zimbabwe.

IG: That is a bit philosophical. Anyway, where did you grow up and how?

PC: I was born in what is now Chegutu. You know there is no tarred road in those locations? I grew up in the dust. I was born in a family of 14, same mother, same father and I was number seven, now I am number one. All those senior to me died. My mother was a vendor, a vegetable vendor and she was the first to teach me to buy and sell, which is what I do to make money up to today.

What differs is the scale. My mother sold vegetables, I sell stands and properties. I buy companies and sell, when it becomes necessary. My father was a restrictee, a political detainee in Whawha and Gonakudzingwa. He was in and out of detention for politics.

I went to school with old people, in Grade three, you would get someone 15 years old and in grade six or seven you would get someone 20 years old. You needed to be clever and it made me clever. In between school I was a vendor helping my mother.

IG: That famous story about your scramble with bigger boys to get to the top of the rural bus and grab vegetables . . .

PC: Ah, that story. Okay, as vendors we would get our vegetables from buses, Dikita, Matambanadzo and Masiyandaita, that came from rural farming areas like Musengezi.

Each time a bus arrived, there was pushing, shoving and jostling among vendors to grab the vegetables first. I was too small and young but I would run for my mother.

The other boys were big and strong so it was a struggle for me to get the vegetables from the bus career for my mother.

One day, I cycled to a place 15 km away and parked by the bus stop and when the buses arrived I paid for all the vegetables and when the buses got to Chegutu, the other vendors were told that they had all been bought by me. I was a rendezvous buyer.

This is how my mother became a wholesaler of vegetables and all vendors would get vegetables from her. It became a norm. This is how my mother managed to send all of us to school, as a vegetable wholesaler.

IG: After school did you ever work for anyone?

PC: Yes, my first job was working as a garden boy for an elderly Portuguese family that had abandoned Mozambique when Samora Machel took over power.

I was later to learn that those are the people who blocked sewer and water pipes in protest of black rule in Mozambique.

Between running their errands and tending their flowers and hedge, I would dream of getting rich.

I would think of having my children growing the same way like I did. Like I said, my father was a restrictee. My situation did not make me despair, it hardened me and made me more ambitious. My poverty inspired me. I always dreamt of getting rich. I knew my situation would change for the better.

IG: How did you leave?

PC: Cutting hedge as usual, the milky liquid accidentally got into my eyes and the old lady would not understand seeing me rinsing my eyes with water at the tap continuously.

She was enraged and shouted at me so I ran to my mother who took me to the shops and bought milk. She cleaned my eyes with the milk. I never went back.

IG: People say you are not educated, how far did you go?

PC: I am educated. I attended Universal College in Highfield and did bookkeeping, elementary, intermediate and advanced certificates. I did typing too. That was in 1976. In 1977, I did Accounting Machines (NCR and Burroughs) at Commercial Cotcers College, now Zedco; ask the old folk what it means.

It was a special course. I then went to work at York House in Bulawayo, now owned by Mines Minister Cde Obert Mpofu. While there I did an advanced diploma in accounting.

I left in 1980 to join Dunlop Zimbabwe as an Industrial Engineering, Assisted and Work Study Trainee. I learnt the whole process of making a tyre. That time my elder brother, the late David popularly known as Mr Bulk, was working at Chitungwiza Council as a debt collector and he pressurised me to relocate to Harare.

I made seven applications for jobs in Harare and was finally called by Willovale and I shocked them in that interview, where I finished answering questions in a record 15 minutes of the stipulated 30 and I got 100 percent. I was later to move to Van Leah together with Tichafa Ndoro, who is still Managing Director there and that is where I first met Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono, way back in 1982. So all those people who say things about me and Gono don’t know what they are saying, man. I have known him since that time, not yesterday.

IG: When exactly did you go into your own business?

PC: When I left Willowvale for Van Leah, my brother David, had left Chitungwiza Council and was buying and selling cars. I used to market cars for him from my office. I then decided to do my own thing and left.

IG: What did you go into as your first business?

PC: I formed Phids Electric Sounds, a disco that became very popular in Chitungwiza, Musami and St Ignatius and massive promotional work. I managed Hosea Chipanga, the Erosion Band and others. I dominated boxing promotion and wrestling. I managed the African Boxing Champion, Proud Kilimanjaro Chinembiri, Gilbert Josamu, Ambrose Mlilo, and Langton Tinago. I accompanied Kilimanjaro on his fight with Lennox Lewis, which was a fluke. I also did accounting books for many black business people who had shops. I felt I should be a businessman.

IG: Is this when you formed CIA?

PC: Yes, its actual name is Commercial Industrial Agency. We supplied stationary and furniture to rural schools and institutions and by 1984, I had started manufacturing my own furniture and selling it. My business then grew with the economy. Business was not difficult; there were opportunities for all enterprising young Zimbabweans.

In the 1990s, I became the first black to own a Betting Licence and the whites were after me. They wanted no black person in that industry. I was minting money; I had 43 branches throughout the country and employed more than 183 people.

IG: What did they do to you?

PC: Mashonaland and Matabeleland Turf Clubs were after me, man. They were white-dominated and there were an enclave of classic white racists, diabolic and protective of their interests. They spent three years fighting me. Suddenly, I was fighting all white people because I had gotten deep into their enclave.

I touched their raw nerve and white law firms came after me big time. Some blacks are apologetic to the whites because they don’t know these people. Most of them are coconuts for the whites to crush and eat. For whites to respect you, you must know that you are black, good and equal and as hungry for money as them.

IG: What can you tell us about Affirmative Action Group?

PC: I had enough reason to enter and fight agriculture, the white man’s nerve centre after my ordeal with the turf clubs. The only way was black empowerment and this is how we mooted AAG with the late Peter Pamire. I attacked them where it hurts most and founded AAG, 17 years ago. AAG has done extremely well for black Zimbabweans. It was the entrance of blacks into the private sector.

I am also a strategist.

IG: How did you leave politics, was it your involvement in the so-called Tsholotsho debacle?

PC: After MDC got into Parliament through the backdoor by taking advantage of the relaxation and infighting within Zanu-PF, the internal struggles took their toll on a lot of us. Some ended up cooking stories about me. I was caught up in that. Some said I was leading the Tsholotsho team. That led to my unfortunate exit from politics. I had to come to terms with the machinations of politics and I forgive those small-minded people who created the story for me.

IG: How have you received the Inclusive Government?

PC: After the formation of the inclusive Government I have been able to analyse the total ineptitude in dealing with the MDC-T. Tsvangirai has a collection of touts, bad apples, people who have failed in life yet to be in Zanu PF one has to have a distinction of competitive edge. Criminal perverts and excretes collected into MDC and Tsvangirai buries himself into the pus.

It is common cause that the Prime Minister is not among the most learned and he talks about me while addressing Harare councillors, without getting the facts right. I have more money anybody has ever come across and he said I was a crook. No one who has associated with Tsvangirai has ever made money like me. I challenge them.

IG: That brings us to your land deal with Harare City Council. What really happened?

PC: This was an unfortunate incident that was cooked up and made believable for the people of Zimbabwe. I wonder if the MDC-T can govern.

An incompetent assembly of people, who had absolutely no idea of law, facts of the deal gathered and decided to deal with Chiyangwa of Zanu-PF.

Firstly, the council was broke and I gave them money for salaries, US$7,1 million and they gave me land but as usual, this is a sign of the poverty in MDC-T. Tsvangirai brought into councils a baggage of corrupt councillors. We are now locked up with this kind of councillors, bereft of ideas and procedure. They sat and discussed my issue without getting in touch or inviting those who crafted the deal. It was a land swoop deal and they still owe me a lot of land, ask Tendai Mahachi the town clerk. I gave them 22 ha of land and they gave me 17 ha. Stupidity took over reasoning. If they owe me a public apology and if they pay little money I will forgive them. I have an affidavit from Mahachi on the deal.

IG: What positions to you currently hold?

PC: I am the president of the Construction Industry Federation of Zimbabwe, Vice president of the Zimbabwe Construction Industry Council which incorporates Zimbabwe Institute of Engineers, Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association, Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe and Real Estates Institute of Zimbabwe, among others. There are seven of them. Of course I am the founder and chairman of Native Investments Africa Group.

IG: In your life, which incident do you regret most?

PC: When I lost my daughter. She was my first child and she drowned in a swimming pool together with my friend’s daughter at Jameson High School in Kadoma. Apparently, I had influenced my friend Isaiah Chabveka to send his daughter to the same school with mine. Both girls drowned. It was very sad. It was a double tragedy.

IG: What is the future of your business empire?

PC: The future is to diversify; there are a lot of foreigners coming for our diamonds and other minerals. We need to look into that area. The housing project is being reviewed so that we provide cheaper stands at around $25 per month for 30 years. The poor must have access to decent accommodation. This is what we want.

I am a trendsetter, I want to take advantage of the situation and look at econometrics. I want to write my autobiography, I want to release two books on how to make money.

They are coming onto the market soon. I think it is easy to make money; there is nothing scientific about making money. I have a doctorate in common sense; I start where academics and professionals end.

Isadore.guvamombe@zimpapers.co.zw

Philip Chiyangwa on winning Tourism Personality of The Year Award

Zimbabwean Tycoon, Phillip Chiyangwa is a polarizing figure. There are not too many people who sit on the fence with him. You either like him or you don’t. But Love him or hate him, Chiyangwa or ‘PC’ as he is fondly known on the streets of Harare these days, is no doubt a mover and a shaker and an award winning businessman with interests and investments in property development, manufacturing, agriculture, heavy engineering and of late hospitality, travel and tourism.

H&C Editor Emang Bokhutlo and reporter, Patrick Chitumba, caught up with him in Alexandra Park where the headquarters of Native Investments, the half a billion American dollar business empire of Chiyangwa have relocated for a chat about his recent Tourism Personality of the Year award, that was bestowed on him by the Zimbabwe National Tourism Authority in the resort town of Victoria Falls on World Tourism Day.

A warm welcome to his opulent offices by his secretary and a short wait in the lounge and then the man of the moment makes a grand entrance from the carport full of life as usual and speaking loudly on the phone. As soon as he is finished with his phone call, we find out soon enough that interviewing Chiyangwa is a pleasure.

In typical cocky and abrasive Chiyangwa style, which has earned him a reputation from the media as flamboyant, he volunteers information fast and openly and doesn’t shy away from self praise, boasting and controversy. If there is a firm believer of blowing one’s own trumpet, it ought to be Chiyangwa.

Before we could even introduce ourselves formally, Chiyangwa had already placed two bowls, one with roasted peanuts and the other with roasted maize in front of us and sarcastically quipped: “These are our traditional foods in Zimbabwe but do you know that we had to wait for a white man to package and sell them instead of doing it ourselves.”

We quickly steer him back to the main subject of the interview, his Tourism personality of the Year award and he says, “We own 1/5 of the land in Harare. Our investment portfolio in tourism is massive and by the time I am finished with building my hotels, I will own more rooms in Zimbabwe than any other tourism investor in this country. Those that claim to be the largest hotel groups will be small in comparison. We are talking of about 5000 rooms.

“In Borrowdale alone we have 470 bedrooms and outside Harare we stretch as far as Victoria Falls, Masvingo, and Gweru. When we do business we like to go big, so we are not talking small investment here.”

Emphasizing that despite his huge appetite for tourism, his strength still lies pretty much in property, Chiyangwa said that they were open to partnerships and have in fact been discussing possibilities of management contracts with experts in the hospitality industry such as Best Western hotels, Legacy hotels and African Sun Limited. ”

Phillip Chiyangwa and Julius Malema

Reminding us that he also has the Africa Tourism Investor Award and Runner up to the Tourism Manager of the year award winner, in the private sector under his belt, Chiyangwa goes on to say, “I nearly finished the white man off, but he ran away with the award. The only reason he beat me to it though is that he is London based and his company has a secondary listing on the London stock exchange. The truth is you as a black Zimbabwean you can not go to London and say Zimbabwe is a good country to invest in, but he is one of their own, so he can do it.”

Asked what exactly it is then that he did to deserve the awards, he says, “If you conduct business with a certain level of passion and perfection, which we have been doing for years, the results would be recognition, awards and of course revenue creation and profit.”

Born some 50 years ago in Norton, just outside Harare, the CEO of Pinnacle Property Holdings went on to tell us that his money is not inherited, but initially came from selling vegetables on the streets which he went on to invest in property which gave him huge spin offs.

“I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth in the sense that I have been chosen by God to succeed and there’s nothing anybody can do about that but I definitely didn’t emerge from old money. I grew up helping my mother as a vegetable vendor and then I started buying land when some people were sleeping only for some of those people to wake up and start questioning me on how I got the land. I work hard and where some don’t see opportunities I do.”

To such detractors and critics who like to question his wealth, he says, God is the one who made the decision to cast a blessing on me so that I become the most successful person in my family, which is normal in every family.”

Asked whether this therefore meant that God made a decision to make others poor, he says, “If money is a visitor, why is it not visiting you? Ask yourself, do you have a charm or you do not have one? I did not have a good background where I inherited money from my parents, No I was a vegetable vendor. All I have are my parents’ genes and God gave me a gift and a task to become rich. What I can tell you though is that many black people are scared of wealth. They have a poverty mentality. They just can not accept riches. My advice to those who want to free themselves from poverty is to learn to appreciate wealth and not to be afraid of money. I have the largest house in Zimbabwe and I am not ashamed to say so. My house has 68 rooms and I used to have a Cessna twin engine aero plane which I sold in 2004 but I am planning to buy a bigger one just because I can afford it.”

Phillip Chiyangwa's Cessna twin engine aero plane

Further making an observation on why black people are generally poorer than the white folk and why he would never apologise for his lavish life, he says, “What I find amazing is that black people are mesmerised by the wealth that I have at the age of 50 when they don’t see anything wrong with Zuckerburg, a white kid being richer than me at such a young age. It is time black people start realizing that wealth is just material things, whether you are white or you are black you can have it because at the end of the day when you die, you can’t even take it with you. All that I am going to have when I am dead is a little piece of land in my home village, Zwimba where I am going to be buried, so what’s the big deal about riches that we should be afraid of them.”

Is he scornful of black people then? “No, I am just telling you the facts as they are. We hear of many black scientists but we never hear of their inventions. My advice to black people therefore is to just observe the white man carefully and whatever you see him do, copy it and do it somewhere else. If he packages maize, you package it too and sell it somewhere else,” he says repeating what he has been telling many of his students at his public lectures.

Phillip Chiyangwa with one of many of his luxury Cars with licence plate "tsivo" which means Revenge

Explaining his most recent property investment in an up- market suburb of Harare called Bluff hill, Chiyangwa, who survived tough economic times in Zimbabwe by inventing what he calls, ‘survival and sustainable products’ said he was on a mission to assist the less privileged to crossover by giving them an opportunity to own decent homes in a respectable residential area.

“Right now I am creating a new era in Zimbabwe and blurring the class lines and bridging the gap between the poor and those who have by giving even the so called poor a chance to own decent houses in Bluff Hill, which they originally couldn’t afford. I am doing this through my affordable housing scheme. People who want land through this scheme, which will cost them only U$150 a month for 25 years must line up for it and fill up the application forms. It is as simple as that.” He says

About some of the challenges he has had so far in business he says, “We have a problem with certain people who think every thing is about deals. If they hear you are investing in something they want to be in on the deal, not realizing that you have to sweat for your money and not everything is always about a deal. There’s also the African political system, which says, if you are eating you have to eat with me, otherwise you can’t eat all. It can be frustrating.”

Finally the man who consoled a Zimbabwean contestant who lost in Big Brother Africa All stars TV show, with US$300,000.00 making such a huge amount of money look like small change, said he did it simply to take Munya Chidzoga out of his distress. “The guy was clearly in distress because he was cheated in a show owned by Nigerians, run by Nigerians and presented by Nigerians, so it was only logical that we do something for one of our own,” He says closing the interview.