Trump's Take On Financial Woes

Some words of wisdom, I like his attitude. Lot of simple yet good points. Wonder how many will listen?

Trump's Take On Financial WoesNEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2008

(CBS) To get some perspective on this week's financial crisis The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith caught up with master deal maker Donald Trump at his office in New York's Trump Tower.

"Did I read someplace that you never ever invest in the stock market?" Smith asked.

"I don't invest," Trump said. "I'm very lucky I didn't invest in the stock market. I was so tempted. In fact, I was very tempted even a few months ago to invest in the stock market. It seemed so low. And guess what? I had a lot of friends that did that and they're not very happy campers right now."

"You like bricks and mortar," Smith noted.

"I like brick and mortar," Trump said. "I like buildings like this where you can walk in and actually touch it."

"Although, even within your history it wasn't so long after the stock market crash in the late 80's, you yourself were on the brink," Smith said.

"I had trouble," Trump said. "There's no question in 1990, 1991, '92 there was a real estate depression like I've never seen."

"People watch you. People have gone to your seminars. They've certainly bought your books. They watch you on 'The Apprentice,'" Smith said. "Here's a smart guy like Donald Trump. What's he doing now? What would his advice be to the little guy who lives in Teaneck?"

"Well first of all, my advice over two years ago and during many of the seminars and many of the speeches I've made over the years -- don't buy real estate because I said it's too highly priced and don't take these exploding mortgages," Trump said. "Now I say buy. This is a great time to buy. This today is a great time to buy. And people will have to take back money. The banks are already in. So they'll take back money. You know they'll do a lot of things to get something sold. The last thing that banks want right now is your house. They have enough houses. And you go see the bank, and I tell this to so many people, go see the bank and make a deal. They don't want your house."

"I'm thinking back to you in those troubled times in the 90's for you, what was the most important lesson for you and what was your takeaway from that time?" Smith asked.

"Well first of all Harry, you have to be very smart. You gotta be cunning and smart and all, but you can never give up. And I had an expression I came up with and I think 'Business Week' wrote it. It was 'survive 'til 95.' This was in 1990, 1991. And it was a great expression, 'survive 'til 95.' And I survived and a lot of other people went bankrupt and they're gone," Trump said. "Well it's gonna be the same thing right now. It won't rhyme as well probably but over a period of three or four years lots of good things will happen. But you have to survive. So you can never ever give up. You have to be smart and you're either smart or you're not smart but you can never ever give up. You have to just keep going forward."

This summer Trump followed his own advice and sold a mansion he had bought in Palm Beach, Fla., for just shy of $100,000,000.
 
I believe survival in these times depends on what you did when times where better.

If you have been a very speculative investor then you may have trouble over the next few years as you will probably have a high LVR and CF-. It will be very frustrating seeing lots of opportunities but not able to take them.

If you are a very cautious investor you wont have a problem as you have a safe LVR and probably CF+. Unfortunatly you may not feel safe with the opportunities that will come along.

The best part about a slump is knowing that its only temporary, so the motto "Just Survive" sounds pretty good.
 
Ticket sales must be a little slow... they have a promotion on for "buy one; get one free"

I was thinking the same. It works out around the same price as the Early Bird price, from memory. I'd really like to know more detail about how long the main man speaks for, too. The site is a little scant on detail for my liking.
 
Hey Rob,

I pre-registered, months ago and the gist I got was that it is a whole day of other speakers and from memory Trump speaks for around an hour and a half at the end.

I've heard many of the others speak before and whilst I don't begrudge $500-$600 for something like this, I've allocated substantial funds elsewhere on home study kits and a property developing bootcamp later in the year, so I'm likely to pass this time.
 
I was thinking the same. It works out around the same price as the Early Bird price, from memory. I'd really like to know more detail about how long the main man speaks for, too. The site is a little scant on detail for my liking.

Don't think it would be more than an hour. Apart from the excitement and motivational aspect of seeing him in person, you'll probably get just as much info. from his books.
 
I am not a fan of Trump, what kind of business man bankrupts a casino where the odds are always in your favour? and I think it went down twice

He also had a multi million dollar trust fund.

IF he had invested that in low risk managed fund he'd be worth more now.
 
I think you're right Steve. We're so Trumped-out on books, TV, internet that people probably dont expect him to reveal anything ground breaking.
 
Hey Steve, I bought the Think Big book you recommended. The last book of his I read was Art of the Deal back when it first came out. It was in the $2 bargain bin. I enjoyed some of his ideas, but when I tried to share them with people I got "Donald who ..?". Ahead of my time. Story of my life :)

Michael, I pre registered, too. Now I'm thinking better of it. Think I'd actually gain more value for my air fare and accom dollars. by having a beer and chat with you, to be honest.
 
I think you're right Steve. We're so Trumped-out on books, TV, internet that people probably dont expect him to reveal anything ground breaking.

I don't expect to learn much (new information) at all, yet to me it's still worth hearing. Imagine if no one organised this seminar... how much would it cost you to fly to Manhattan and spend an hour with the guy? Probably more than $600.
 
Sometimes it's not about hearing anything ground breaking, but re-inforcement of why you are doing what you are doing, and from someone who's been there and done it a couple of times.:)

I loved Think Big and Why We Want you to be Rich. Trump new this recession was coming as he mentions it in the books.

Thanks for the post, Steve.

Regards JO
 
Why don't you call him and give him some advice. I'm sure he'd be eternally grateful.

I am not a fan of Trump, what kind of business man bankrupts a casino where the odds are always in your favour? and I think it went down twice

He also had a multi million dollar trust fund.

IF he had invested that in low risk managed fund he'd be worth more now.
 
Spot on guys, it's his general philospohy, ideas and attitude that I like. Ok the guy obviously likes himself a fair bit as well which at first put me off (years ago) - but once you read his thinking, it's just a generally good attitude that can sometimes comes off as arrogance.

His books are certainly worth a read, especially if you can find them in a bargain bin - well done Rob!
 
Hey Steve, I bought the Think Big book you recommended. The last book of his I read was Art of the Deal back when it first came out. It was in the $2 bargain bin. I enjoyed some of his ideas, but when I tried to share them with people I got "Donald who ..?". Ahead of my time. Story of my life :)

Michael, I pre registered, too. Now I'm thinking better of it. Think I'd actually gain more value for my air fare and accom dollars. by having a beer and chat with you, to be honest.

Sounds good Rob,

next time you're in Melbourne....give me notice and we'll catch up. If I'm ever in Adelaide, I'll give you fair warning also and we'll chew the fat over a beer or three.....but please not Southwark :D
 
Why don't you call him and give him some advice. I'm sure he'd be eternally grateful.

I wouldn't want to do him any favours...

His track record is shocking...
He grew up in a wealthy family (his father amassing a 400 million fortune) but was brat as a child and sent to Military school from the age of 13.

He worked initally for the family development business and used his fathers and companies money to purchase and develop his own sites (not bad when you don't need to meet any bank credit policies or even have to apply for a loan).
He went under during the late 80's recession in the states, structuring a bankruptcy package that left a lot of shareholders with little but left Trump and a few major creditors unscathed.

Funnily enough the reason he got into so much debt was his resort and casino activities, he risked excellent assets to keep those activities in the black and eventually floated them on the stock exchange in the 90's. The stock price was over $30 in 1996 and around $7 in 1998, having Never turned a profit.

This is the same asset base that caused him trouble in the last few years (2004) and caused bankruptcy AGAIN (third time, same casinos and resorts that the good assets paid for many times over).

Once again though Trump rose it from the ashes under the banner Trump Entertainment Resorts Holdings. (2005)

After 20 years of going broke in the casino and hotel industry what can he tell us about doing business?

And how has he held up so far with the credit squeeze, I wonder how geared he is/was and who his lenders are? are we going to see another bankruptcy action?

It can always be argued that he made a lot of money developing sites in Manhattan, which he was bullish on before most people. But don't forget his family was in the business of renting entire blocks throughout NY as low income housing so he knew his city like the back of his hand, and he got to use his fathers money to kickstart his first projects.

As for his personal character and integrity:

from NY times:
In 1989, Mr. Trump paused in building his real estate empire to run a 600-word ad in The New York Times, The Daily News, The New York Post and New York Newsday, at a total cost of $85,000, under the boldfaced heading, ''Bring Back the Death Penalty. Bring Back Our Police!''

The ad was in regards to police charging five teenagers with the bashing and rape of a central park jogger in the ad Trump states:
"I want to hate these muggers and murderers. They should be forced to suffer and, when they kill, they should be executed for their crimes.''

So the year he is about to go bankrupt he spends 85k on a one page rant in the NY times?

By the way, 4 of the teenagers went to prison and now DNA evidence suggests they are innocent. Trial by Media perhaps? Trump contributed to hysteria around the case.


Wow I got way off topic.

I guess I prefer a more conservative approach like Warren Buffet...

And yes I realise buffet is shares only and trump property only but I'm refering to investment philosophy and personal character - Trump is too much like the typical dodgy real estate agent on a larger brasher scale.
 
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I was thinking the same. It works out around the same price as the Early Bird price, from memory. I'd really like to know more detail about how long the main man speaks for, too. The site is a little scant on detail for my liking.

Some details about seminar

Please note that this is a full day event, with arrival from 10:30am and seating from 11:30am with Donald Trump appearing at the end. The agenda is broken up into 3 sessions. Session 1 includes the following speakers: Chris Helder, John Lazarou, Tony Ferguson, Troy Hazard. Session 2 includes: Amanda Stevens, Jamie McIntyre, Siimon Reynolds, Ross Greenwood. The Night Session with MC Catriona Rowntree includes: Phil Cass, Alan Jones, Sarina Russo and Donald Trump, followed by Donald Trump VIP Reception. Running times and speakers are all subject to change.

As per 'Player' Trump only seems to be presenting at the end of the day and only for a very brief time when taken in the context of the whole day event.

Seems like a waste of time for the money being charged.

Cheers
 
I think he's quite intimidating. I've met him when I worked in investment banking in NY. The team I worked for were financing him for a golf course on his new resort, he came to the office for a meeting once and I've had to read a few emails from him to.

I just found out BOA acquired Fleet Bank in 2003.
 
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