Henry Ford

We have had just one main purpose during these years, and that is to give the people transportation of the most dependable quality at the lowest possible cost. Our car was called the Universal Car thirty years ago, because it fulfilled so many needs; it is The Universal Car today for the same reason.

I do not believe a man can ever leave his business. He ought to think of it by day and dream of it by night.

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

Work mixed with management becomes not only easier but more profitable. The time is past when anyone can boast about ‘hard work’ without having a corresponding result to show for it.

This is the only reason Greenfield Village exists-to give us a sense of unity with our people through the generations, and to convey the inspiration of American genius to our young men. As a nation we have not depended so much on rare or occasional genius as on the general resourcefulness of our people. That is our true genius, and I am hoping that Greenfield Village will serve that.

Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes shine to the stars.

First and foremost, I’m a real estate person. And that’s what I love the most.

I was never involved in arms trading. In the Russian Federation, arms trading is the prerogative of the state.

Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.

Never write an advertisement which you wouldn’t want your own family to read. You wouldn’t tell lies to your own wife. Don’t tell them to mine. Do as you would be done by. If you tell lies about a product, you will be found out — either by the Government, which will prosecute you, or by the consumer, who will punish you by not buying your product a second time. Good products can be sold by honest advertising. If you don’t think the product is good, you have no business to be advertising it.

I remember flying in, driving down 101 in a cab, and passing by all these tech companies like Yahoo! I remember thinking, ‘Maybe someday we’ll build a company. This probably isn’t it, but one day we will.’

The thought in my mind was that I must be a good merchant. If I were a good merchant, the rest would probably take care of itself.

My style of deal-making is quite simple and straightforward. I aim very high, and then I just keep pushing and pushing and pushing to get what I’m after.

Our aim is to compete with any luxury brand. Candy & Candy will be a luxury brand, recognised in Rodeo Drive, New York, Dubai, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and London. Those are the major centres in the world. It will be synonymous with the design of homes, houses, flats, yachts, aircraft and retail.

Asking me to come work here is the dumbest idea you ever had. It has been a waste of a year.

Nobody’s ever called me Sir Richard. Occasionally in America, I hear people saying Sir Richard and think there’s some Shakespearean play taking place. But nowhere else anyway.

In the long run people are going to buy the cheapest and the best article no matter where it is made.

A low wage business is always insecure.

I do not believe a man can ever leave his business. He ought to think of it by day and dream of it by night.

Never stop testing, and your advertising will never stop improving.

Entrepreneurs are always taking feedback, especially from their customers, bankers, workers, and sales force. Without straightforward feedback, entrepreneurs cannot make sound decisions.