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DaleKing

Many of us have business idols whom we look up to and aspire to be like. So who`s your business idol?
Dale KingDKing2007-7-4 6:57:47

DaleKing

I don`t really idolize anyone, but I greatly admire the accomplishments of  John H. Johnson, the founder of Ebony and Jet magazines. He had the necessary charisma, tenacity and passion to convince corporate America that there was such a thing as a black consumer market
In 1942, he took out a $500 loan that he used to send charter subscription offers to Supreme Liberty customers. Within a year, sales soared from 5,000 to 50,000.
Based on that success, in 1945 Johnson launched Ebony, modeled after Life magazine. In 1951, he added Jet, a more news-oriented magazine that chronicled the growth of the civil-rights movement.
I highly recommend reading his autobiography,  Succeeding Against The Odds. That book is as good as it gets for providing inspiration.I also have a great deal of admiration for BET founder, Robert Johnson who is also the owner of the Charlotte Hornets basketball franchise.
Johnson borrowed money to start his own cable brand, BET. Launched in 1980, it was profitable within five years. In the early `90s BET became the first African-American-controlled company to be traded publicly on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1998 Johnson bought it back and then sold it to Viacom, pocketing a reported $1.5 billion himself and retaining his position as chairman and CEO.
Dale KingDKing2007-7-4 8:4:24

DaleKing

I didn`t know those mags had been around so long.  That`s really cool.

Steve, those magazines are classics. They`re staples in most black households, as well as in many doctors and dentists offices.
Both magazines feature some of the most beautiful women in the world. I`m talking drop dead gorgeous! The editorials aren`t too bad either!
I agree with you about Disney. He was a visionary, indeed!
Dale King
DKing11/10/2007 6:05 PM

daleyfla99

Personal development gurus, Anthony Robbins and Jim Rohn.  Both deliver first class information and do it extremely well.  Jim Rohn has a rock solid organization, and much of what he teaches is timeless and valuable. 
Anthony Robbins I love because he understands human nature very, very well, and has positioned his organization to take advantage of human nature.  I think by decentralizing his organization he may be making an error, but time will tell.  He has a lot more money than I do (yet) so I can second guess him all I want.
I also admire Vic Johnson (asamanthinketh.net) for bootstrapping his way back from virtually bankrupt to a millionaire and helping people along the way.
And of course, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. Captains of Capitalisim.

AntonioDestiny1

I admire Steve Jobs.....

LogoMotives

There`s a few people I admire in the business world:Milton Glaser - he was one of the first designers to take graphic design to a whole new level.  In 1974, as a senior in high school, I saw his book Graphic Design and it gave a name to what I wanted to do when I grew up.  It also debunked the idea that a person couldn`t make a living in such a profession.  Fast forward nearly 30 years and I found myself at a cocktail party, in honor of myself and the other speakers at an international design conference, and Milton Glaser was there.  I`m a nervous wreck meeting him - but the man could not have been more down-to-earth, engaging and gracious.  In one of his conference sessions he  discussed how important it is to give back to others - something I have always done.  A woman stood up and asked how the little nonprofit music festival in her  hometown ended up with a logo designed by  Glaser.  He said he had always been a  fan of music programs and the small music festival had asked for his help.  These days if I get an email from Milton Glaser I still nearly wet myself.Others I admire greatly also are always giving back to the community or supporting important, yet sometimes unpopular, causes.  Their success is not about themselves - but rather about helping others.  Some of my other business idols are:Kenneth Cole - his book Footnotes: What You Stand For Is More Important Than What You Stand In offers great business and social responsibility lessons.Luciano Benetton - co-founder of Benetton.  The company`s Colors Magazine and BenettonTalk sites are incredible.Paul Newman and A. E. Hotchner    - co-founders of Newman`s Own -  their book Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good is a great business story.- J.
LogoMotives2007-7-22 13:58:6

latarsha

My business idols are Disney and Apple.These businesses were started by visionaries who had enough strategic guts to stand on the edge of innovativeness and create something that still exists and stays close to what they imagined.

classy

I`m another individual that doesn`t really idolize anyone.  I would definately have to give props to Bill Gates for bringing the internet to what it is today!
I really admire this site also, it brings me alot of inspiration

drvag

i thought al gore invented the internet?

bransonboy

My idols are the key to my success after reading 2 or 3 good books on them, they inspired me and gave me an entire new look on how to approach being a business. My idols are:
Richard Branson - You don`t have to ask why he is one, just take a look at the business empire he has built from nothing!
Duncan Bannatyne - I admire everything about him and his businesses, he was brought into the World in Poverty, and had a vision although poor - he worked as hard as he could to build his empire.

consumertreehouse

Warren Buffett without question. He is someone we should all look up to when it comes to business and investing.

UrbanMelt

- The Founders of StartupNation...I think these guys have really done some great things to represent a huge market of business owners that always seems to get overlooked.
 
- All the local, independent business owners out there, who provide quality products and services while adding a little personality and ingenuity.
 
 

EntrepreneurialMex

ScarFace 

entreplanet

howard schultz of starbucks, without a doubt!

TheBabyBoomerEntrepreneur

I admire marketing guru Robert Middleton. I love his products and his manner in teleseminars. Another marketing guru is Alexandria Brown. I want to be her when I grow up (even though I`m probably ten years older than her.
Martha Stewart. I don`t even like her show or her books particularly. However, her "Omnimedia" empire is one of the best examples of how to embrace all media types to build a business. Also, I admired how she handled herself during her legal troubles.

essayhelp

I admire knowledgeable  people who share the knowledge they have with others. Just to mention a few members of the SUN community Dking, Craig, Vincent, Nikole and others...
I once heard that a great way to become successful is by helping other people become sucessful.