Page 111 - How To Get Rich

Over the past few years, since reality shows came into vogue,
television networks have been trying to get me to do one. They approached
me with offers for substantial amounts of money, but the concept was
always predictable. They wanted to follow me around with cameras,

watching me make deals, brush my teeth, and, most certainly, comb my
hair. None of this appealed to me at all.
One day, I was approached by the head of CBS Entertainment, Les
Moonves, who wanted to broadcast the live finale of the hit seriesSurvivor
from Wollman Rink in Central Park, which I control through a long-term
lease. It sounded like a great idea to me, especially when they told me they
were going to build a jungle to replicate the one in which theSurvivor

contestants had been living.
When I arrived at Wollman Rink that night, I was amazed to see what
they had been able to do. They had transformed a city skating rink into an
exotic wildlife scene. As I was heading toward my seat, an attractive
young man approached me and said, Hi, Mr. Trump, I’m Mark Burnett and
I’m the creator ofSurvivor.

I said, Mark, you don’t have to tell me that. Everybody knows who you
are, but it’s really nice to meet you.
He said, You know, Mr. Trump, I have an idea and I’d love to see you
at your earliest possible convenience.
A week later, he came to my office. Before he got to his formal
presentation, he did what any smart entrepreneur would do: He made sure
he established a connection with me.

He did this by telling me that I’m a genius. Some people may consider
such flattery excessive, but when you’re on the receiving end, it’s usually
okay.
In the most passionate terms, he told me how, fifteen years ago, when
he was selling shirts on Venice Beach and barely making a living, he had

read a copy ofThe Art of the Deal. He said it had changed his life.
If that’s so, I said, why haven’t you given me twenty percent?
He laughed heartily. I knew he was setting the table, but he was setting
it brilliantly. I was impressed.
Then he told me his idea forThe Apprentice —a series set in the jungle
of New York City, the toughest jungle of them all, where people tear each
other apart just to get an inch ahead of the competition.