Bernie Marcus is the legendary co-founder of The Home Depot and one of America’s most generous philanthropists. For the past five years, Bernie has mentored PragerU CEO Marissa Streit. In this conversation, Bernie shares his insights on building one of the most successful companies in American history, the value of hard work, overcoming adversity, and why young people must stop listening to “idiot professors.”

00:00 - Welcome to Real Talk

01:12 - The American Dream Is Alive and Well

07:06 - Growing Up in a Working Class Family

09:10 - Was Bernie Part of a Gang as a Kid?

11:28 - You Make the Best Out of the Worst

12:51 - Bernie’s Vision for Home Depot 1

6:45 - From Humble Beginnings to Major Growth

18:18 - “Ask Me, I’m an Owner”

19:09 - Life after Home Depot

19:26 - Surround Yourself with People Smarter than You

21:40 - 40 Years after Its Founding Home Depot’s Model Still Works

23:14 - Customer Service Makes the Difference

25:00 - Millions of People Have Benefitted from the Home Depot

26:41 - Failure Is Not Fatal

27:53 - If You Dwell You’re a Loser

29:28 - Are Young People Losing Pride in Their Work?

32:53 - Capitalism Is Not a Dirty Word

33:31 - Don’t Listen to Idiot Professors

34:48 - Bernie’s Best Advice to Young People

36:54 - Allow Adversity to Make You Stronger

37:15 - Bernie’s Philanthropic Efforts

46:50 - Thanks & Final Thoughts

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Bernie Marcus's Impact on the Success of The Home Depot