Entrepreneurs
The Success of Donald Trump
Donald Trump has used a combination of persistence, determination, confidence and calculated risk taking to become a success.
Donald Trump’s estimated net worth is $4 Billion.
Donald Trump became a Billionaire through his hugely profitable real estate endeavours and is president of The Trump Organization and the Founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts.
Trump has bounced back from adversity several times to not only become a billionaire but one of America’s most well known celebrities and a TV personality.
Donald Trump’s Early Career
The son of a real estate developer Trump seemed to have been inspired to take the same career path as his father. However, Trump junior had a bigger vision of the future that his dad did. When he was still at College Trump worked for his father during the summer and then began working for his father full time after his graduation. He was responsible for the financing of an expansion of their company by persuading his father to be more adventurous when taking out loans based on the equity held in their apartment complexes. That being said, it was a competitive business and the margins were very tight.
After moving to Manhattan, New York in 1971 Donald Trump became friendly with several ‘big players’. As he became increasingly aware of economic opportunity in the city Trump played a part in large property developments that would yield high profits through the use of modern design and gaining recognition from the public.
A turning point arrived in 1974 when Trump gained an option on one of the Penn Central’s hotels, the Commodore which wasn’t turning a profit but was in a great location near Grand Central Station. Within a year Trump had sealed a partnership agreement with Hyatt Hotels who, at the time, didn’t have a large downtown hotel. After a complex deal with the city to arrange finances, abate taxes and renovate the building, the hotel opened as the Grand Hyatt and was a huge economic success which made Donald Trump the City’s most recognised and most controversial property developer.
“If you’re interested in ‘balancing’ work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable.” – Donald Trump
The Growth of an Empire
Trump leased a site on Fifth Avenue adjacent to the famous Tiffany & Company in 1979. This was to be the location for the huge apartment-retail complex designed by Der Scutt and was to cost $200 Million. The aptly named ‘Trump Tower‘ opened in 1982 with fifty eight stories complete with six story atrium lined with pink marble and an eighty foot waterfall. Trump gained nationwide attention when the luxurious building attracted world-renowned retail stores and celebrity renters.
This was not Trump’s only project at the time, he was also researching the profitability of the casino, gambling business that was approved in New Jersey in 1977. Once again being keen to take the opportunity, Trump purchased a property in Atlantic City where he enrolled his younger brother to help him win a gambling license, financing and other permits. The parent company of Harrah’s Casino Hotels, Holiday Inn Corporation offered to partner with Trump and the $250 Million complex named Harrah’s at Trump Plaza opened its doors in 1982.
In 1986 Trump bought out The Holiday Inn Corporation renaming the property Trump Plaza Hotel. It was around this time that Trump also bought a Hilton Hotel owned resort when they failed to be granted a gambling license, renaming the $320 Million facility Trump’s Castle. Not stopping there, Trump progressed to purchase the largest casino-hotel complex in the world, the Atlantic City Taj Mahal which opened its doors in 1990.
“I wasn’t satisfied just to earn a good living. I was looking to make a statement.” – Donald Trump
Donald Trump’s Amazing Recovery
Trump wanted to expand his business and opted to build a condominium project in West Palm Beach, Florida and in 1989 he bought the Eastern Airlines Shuttle changing the name to Trump Shuttle. In the early part of 1990 Trump made his way to LA to reveal a plan to develop a $1 Billion facility for commercial and residential purposes, featuring a one hundred and twenty five story office building.
It was in that same year that the Real Estate Market experienced a downturn which negatively impacted the value and income of Trump’s empire with his personal net worth free falling from an estimated $1.7 Billion to $500 Million. Trump and his organization had to work extremely hard to get many loans to stop the whole empire from falling apart which led many to ask whether or not the company could survive bankruptcy. Trump’s fall from grace was viewed by many as a symbol of the social, business and economic excesses of the previous decade.
However, the story does not end there. Remarkably, Donald Trump fought his way back from nearly $900 Million in debt to a net worth of nearly $2 Billion by 1997!
Conclusion
It may seem like a cliché that to become a successful entrepreneur you have to take calculated risks and be able to bounce back even when times get extremely tough but Donald Trump is living proof of these attributes.
Trump is an amazing man who really has always done what ever it takes to make his visions a reality and has never taken no for answer even when a recovery was seemingly impossible.
Donald Trump Picture Quote

Business
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Entrepreneurs
The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025
Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.
9. Eliminate Favoritism
Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.
10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.
11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.
12. Provide Leadership Development
Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.
13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:
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Build diverse talent pipelines
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Embrace flexible work models
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Design compelling career paths
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Simplify HR processes
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Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
Entrepreneurs
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