#243 Francis Greenburger (Real Estate Billionaire)
Founders
From Legacy to Enterprise
This chapter explores the intricate family dynamics influencing the speaker’s life, particularly their relationship with their father, a literary agent. It chronicles the speaker’s transition from the literary world to real estate after their father's death, drawing on lessons learned from family struggles. As they navigate their own entrepreneurial journey, the chapter highlights the challenges and transformative experiences that shape their business perspective and personal growth.
What I learned from reading Risk Game: Self Portrait of an Entrepreneur by Francis Greenburger.
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[1:26] I can be extremely stubborn when I have a hunch about something.
[3:31] I knew all too well that markets can turn on a dime.
[5:40] Money that had once flowed freely dried up over night.
[6:41] I always listened to other people's ideas because that is how you happen upon the good ones.
[6:46] Logic is no match for bureaucracy.
[7:33] This ruthless industry has created far more bankruptcies than it has billionaires. Saying no is the most important judgment that you make.
[9:00] Time to Make the Donuts: The Founder of Dunkin Donuts Shares an American Journey (Founders #231)
[9:09] Sometimes the best lessons that you learn in life are from what you discover in the weaknesses of otherwise very good people.
[15:54] My father was terrible with money. His knack of mismanaging it, losing it, or not making it in the first place was an incredible source of stress within our family.
[19:09] The constant question mark that was my parents's checkbook balance made a lasting impression.
[24:31] His pride in my abilities formed the basis of the self-confidence that allowed me to start businesses, sell books, make crazy friends, and love women at an age when most others were busy with their homework.
[29:40] The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America's Banana King (Founders #37)
[30:12] I see opportunity where others saw nothing.
[31:34] He doesn't dilly-dally. This guy moves fast. It's not like I proved it once, let me try two or three times. He is like it worked once, it's gotta work over and over again, and he immediately starts to scale it.
[37:40] Don’t interrupt the compounding: I was skating on razor thin margins that a busted toilet could threaten. But I prefer to remain on the edge as I kept my buildings running rather than sell any of them before they grew to the much higher value that I had a hunch they would one day achieve.
[40:45] The idea that builds his empire: By co-oping I would be dealing with tens of thousands of dollars in sales, rather than hundreds of dollars in rents.
[41:58] Once something works don't dilly dally. Go as fast as you possibly can.
[43:08] Lots of folks thought what I was doing was insane.
[43:17] I knew something that the market had not yet fully embraced.
[47:06] My advice to those with expanding businesses is that they must first make a decision about how they want to allocate their time and structure their business so that the balance reflects that.
[49:33] Children require attention and involvement. This takes you out of your self orientation and makes you invest in another person who can only pay you in one currency: Love.
[50:09] If anyone had asked me in 1990 what the chances of my business survival was I would have said 1 in 100. I still consider it a miracle that we didn't go bankrupt.
[53:12] The main lesson is never delay discomfort. Waiting or ignoring a problem never solves it. Just run towards it.
[55:36] Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future (Founders #30)
[56:27] Every parent’s worst nightmare.
[1:06:25] Disaster usually rises when short-term profit takes precedence over lasting value creation.
[1:08:21] I don't pick investments. I pick jockeys, not horses.
[1:10:31] Tuxedo Park: A Wall Street Tycoon and The Secret Palace of Science That Changed The Course of World War II (Founders #143)
[1:10:52] The Richest Woman in America: Hetty Green in the Gilded Age (Founders #103)
[1:13:52] Real security comes from adaptability.
[1:13:59] Independent thinking in its simplest forms means not assuming that the status quo was the best answer, the right answer, or the most effective answer.
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Get access to the World’s Most Valuable Notebook for Founders at Founders Notes.com
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“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested, so my poor wallet suffers.” — Gareth
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“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — Gareth
Be like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast
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