Trump: How to Get Rich

I look over some kitchen and bathroom fixtures, and we decide to go with the top of the line. My name and work have become synonymous with quality, and there’s a reason for it. We don’t skimp on anything, ever or anywhere. Don Jr. mentions looking forward to the topping-out party for Building #4. That’s a big day for builders, and it’s a celebration when the frame of the building, the superstructure, is completed, and everyone involved meets at the top for a party.

9:30 A.M. Norma comes in to tell me that Oscar de la Renta is on the line, and Costas and I decide to meet again in a couple of weeks. Our new Miss Universe, Amelia Vega, is from Santo Domingo, which is also the birthplace of Oscar de la Renta. He wants to meet her, and I don’t blame him. She’s a beauty, all six feet of her. We’re proud not only of her, but of the Miss Universe contest, which has become extremely successful since I bought it seven years ago. We beat out the competition in television ratings and we are highly regarded internationally as well. Ecuador has paid millions of dollars to host the 2004 contest, and we’re looking forward to a great time there.

Back to Oscar—he’s a class act all the way. His impeccable work speaks for itself.

9:45 A.M. I make a call to some wiseguy contractors who’ve been trying to cheat me. This can be a crummy business because of the scum of the earth it attracts, but you have to do what you have to do. Screaming at them is what I have to do.

10:00 A.M. I have three calls waiting: Mark Brown, the CEO and president of my three casinos in Atlantic City; Woody Allen’s office; and Mayor Bloomberg. I take the mayor’s call first, much as I respect Woody Allen and Mark. I think the mayor is doing a great job, considering he’s got one of the toughest jobs on the planet. Running a corporation is one thing; running a city is another, especially this one.

Our wonderful mayor, Mike Bloomberg.

With another great mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani, in 2000.

Woody Allen may go down to Florida and stay at the Mar-a-Lago, my club in Palm Beach. I’ve been in one Woody Allen film, and I never miss any of his movies.

10:30 A.M. I have my first Diet Coke of the day. I know I should drink mineral water, and I do sometimes, but I really like Diet Coke. Irina Dvorovenko calls in; she’s a ballerina at the American Ballet Theatre. She’s not only a sensational dancer, but also an incredibly beautiful woman. I’m not exactly a ballet fan, but because of Irina, that might be a possibility.

The television crew from Neal Cavuto’s team is ready for an interview. I ask what it’s about, and then we’re ready to go. After decades of interviews, they are easy for me to do, especially with someone like Neal, who is not only personable but also very knowledgeable. He and his team are pros all the way. And he gets the best business ratings on cable TV.

11:00 A.M. I received seventeen calls during the interview, and I begin to return them, in between the incoming calls. After so many years in business, knowing how to prioritize is second nature. It’s also a key factor in keeping up your momentum, even during a typical workday, which is crucial if you intend to become or remain successful. Everyone’s heard of the New York minute, but by now that’s outdated—it’s become the New York second. That’s no exaggeration. Seconds count when you have hundreds of phone calls a day to handle. One bogged-down conversation, and your momentum could be interrupted for an hour. So when I say momentum is crucial, I mean it. You’ll know when you’ve got it, and you’ll know when it’s being disrupted.

I return Joe Cinque’s call; he’s an executive with the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences, which presents the coveted Five Star Diamond award. My properties have received several of them. Joe is a high-spirited and generous man, but he’s difficult to please and discerning when it comes to giving out awards. He’s just returned from Sardinia and mentions that he still thinks the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach is the most beautiful resort he’s ever seen, worldwide. Coming from him, that’s saying something. I always liked Joe, and now I like him even more.

I return Regis Philbin’s call. He and his wife, Joy, are among my closest friends, and he’s even more fun off-screen than on-screen, if you can imagine that. I always look forward to spending time with them—they are both solid-gold people. We’re on for dinner at Jean-Georges Restaurant, which is in the Trump International Hotel & Tower and is considered to be one of the finest restaurants in the world. With Jean-Georges Vongerichten in charge, how could it not be?

I take a call from Mark Burnett, the brilliant creator and producer of the reality show calledSurvivor. It was his idea to doThe Apprentice, and we are busy working on the details.