Henry Ford

Chop your own wood and it will warm you twice.

Although Mr. Edison was called ‘The Wizard’ of the electrical world and everyone thought that electricity was the coming thing, he actually encouraged me to go with my second car.

Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.

The philosophy of life indicates that our principal business on this planet is the gaining of experience.

I wouldn’t give five cents for all the art in the world.

The highest use of capital is not to make more money, but to make money do more for the betterment of life.

I have very good executives and great children. They’re very good.

Nothing can be made except by makers, nothing can be managed except by managers. Money cannot make anything and money cannot manage anything.

The five separate fingers are five independent units. Close them and the fist multiplies strength. This is organization.

My philosophy is that if I have any money I invest it in new ventures and not have it sitting around.

No matter what his position or experience in life, there is in everyone more latent than developed ability; far more unused than used power.

My motto is: Always get even. When somebody screws you, screw them back in spades.

My advice to budding property developers: do it on the cheap and you’ll get a cheap price. Don’t avoid putting in skirting just because it’s hidden by a sofa.

[To his ex-entertainment lawyer Eric Eisner who resigned from the presidency of The David Geffen Company in 1991 just as a deal was about to be made with some Japanese] Keep your stock. [Eric sold it.]

…capitalism does live by crises and booms, just as a human being lives by inhaling and exhaling.

Without hustle, talent will only carry you so far.

I did not feel ‘evil’ when I wrote advertisements for Puerto Rico. They helped attract industry and tourists to a country which had been living on the edge of starvation for 400 years.

I believe in benevolent dictatorship provided I am the dictator.

Did I have a problem with lying to get the job? None whatsoever.

There are people who are really good managers, people who can manage a big organization, and then there are people who are very analytic or focused on strategy. Those two types don’t usually tend to be in the same person. I would put myself much more in the latter camp.

Your business, and your brand must first let people know what you care about and that you care about them.