033: Barry Sternlicht | What's in his Silver Fortune Cookie?

For the founder, chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital Group, getting fired in the prime of his career is the best thing that ever happened to Barry Sternlicht. He recruited a couple of friends, borrowed a few million dollars, followed a business plan that bucked all conventions, and set off on a path that would make him a real estate and hotel investing star. He tucked away this mantra in his wallet for eight years: “Perseverance is genius in disguise.” He found it in a fortune cookie. Sternlicht, in fact, is a treasure trove of adages which have no doubt driven him through the tough times. His father, a holocaust survivor, was one of his first inspirations. www.SpartanUpPodcast.com/033Lessons:1. Perseverance is genius in disguise.2. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.3. Find the freight trains in your life and then get on them instead of in front of them.