James Cash Penney

I do not believe in excuses. I believe in hard work as the prime solvent of life’s problems.

It was always my practice to train salespeople under my direct supervision, and to treat children with the utmost consideration.

There’s no better friend to any merchant than a fair competitor.

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 definition of an executive’s job is brief and to the point. It is simply this: Getting things done through other people.

The best of merchandise will go back to the shelf unless handled by a conscientious, tactful salesman.

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

As members of the Ford Motor organization we are engaged in the production of an article of use for the people of all countries. Our principle is to make our work as profitable for the buyer as for the seller.

You should consider an employment change before you consider selling out.

I always said that mega-mergers were for megalomaniacs.

No one should buy on reputation alone. They should come and see it and inspect it, feel it and touch it.

If you need a machine and don’t buy it, then you will ultimately find that you have paid for it and don’t have it.

Our friendship was based on my payouts. That wasn’t a friendship when – as, for example, it’s me, my friends, we are friends for many years, and it doesn’t matter for me what the position is, where they work; we simply are friends. And with Mr. Berezovsky, our friendship was based on my payoffs.

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

My mother was an entrepreneur… She found being on relief humiliating. She built this business from scratch… In 1951 my mother opened this store…

Advertising people who ignore research are as dangerous as generals who ignore decodes of enemy signals.

This is a perverse thing, personally, but I would rather be in the cycle where people are underestimating us. It gives us latitude to go out and make big bets that excite and amaze people.

No king on earth is as safe in his job as a Trade Union official. There is only one thing that can get him sacked; and that is drink. Not even that, as long as he doesn’t actually fall down.

The quality of an organization can never exceed the quality of the minds that make it up.

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.

[On Calvin Klein asking him ‘Why don’t you call it Geffen Records?’] People in the record business just don’t do that. They come up with names likes Asylum, Capricorn, or Island. [Calvin Klein said if you put your own name on the door ‘You’ll get laid more.’]