How Billionaires Become Billionaires

Inside The Evil Empire: How The Brothers Plan To Reshape America

Forbes has a long article on two of America's scariest billionaires coming in the Dec 24th issue. I refer to the Kochs.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielfisher/2012/12/05/inside-the-koch-empire-how-the-brothers-plan-to-reshape-america/

Donald Trump's Weekend From Hell

Donald Trump's Weekend from Hell

Sometimes you have to feel sorry for even a billionaire. This past weekend was a rough one for The Donald. First he got beat up pretty bad by both President Obama and Seth Myer at the annual Whitehouse Correspondent's Dinner. The Donald didn't look happy being the butt of all those jokes. In fact he looked absolutely livid.

Osama bin Ladin: Terminate with Extreme Prejudice

Then President Obama announces last night that U.S. Special Forces have taken out bin Laden. This killed The Apprentice's audience.

The harsh reality is that nothing Trump does now will top the end of Osama bin Laden. He can reshuffle The Apprentice Celebrity teams again, or fire Bert Convy (or whatever washed up celebs are participating), or order more gold tinfoil for the Trump Tower lobby, and it won't do a bit of good.

It's rather sad in a way. His campaign run barely lasted a month.

You can watch Trump looking livid here:

President Obama at the 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner

Seth Meyers remarks at the 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner (Fast forward to minute 12:00)

 

Nathan Tinkler Australia's Youngest Billionaire

Nathan Tinkler, Australia's biggest billionaire, has gotten a lot richer since taking his company public last August.

From mining to pizza, technology to dental care, rising share prices and successful company floats have added tens of millions  and in some cases hundreds of millions  of dollars to the wealth of leading businessmen and women since July.

Heading the list of big winners is coal tycoon Mr Tinkler, who has made a $100 million bid to buy the Newcastle Knights rugby league club.

Already one of the state's richest men, the public listing of his Aston Resources company in August - and increases in the value of stock since - has boosted his bank balance by at least $634 million, earning the 34-year-old a place in Queensland's exclusive billionaire club with an overall wealth estimated at about $1.027 billion.

"Nathan is a true entrepreneur," Mr Hannigan, who was headhunted from Xstrata to run Aston, said.

"His skill lies in identifying an opportunity, moving quickly to secure it and building the right team to develop it."

Nathan Tinkler is definitely worth tracking if you're interested in learning from tycoons.

 

Donald Trump Biography All American Billionaire Part 1

Donald Trump Biography All American Billionaire

This one hour look at Donald Trump's controversial golf course development in Scotland turns out to be a pretty good biography of the man himself. It ends up being inspirational.

Here's part 2.

Donald Trump Biography All American Billionaire Part 2

Donald Trump Biography All American Billionaire

Here's the second of four parts.

Here's part 3.

Donald Trump Biography All American Billionaire Part 3

Donald Trump Biography All American Billionaire

Here's the third part of four.

Here's the fourth and final segment.

Donald Trump Biography All American Billionaire Part 4

Donald Trump Biography All American Billionaire Part 4

Here's the fourth and final part of the BBC special on The Donald.

Find out how tycoons make their fortunes.

The Social Network: The Making of a Billionaire

FaceBook: The Social Network

The Social Network is now on my official list of ten all-time best business films. While compiling the original list years ago, I discovered that it was daunting task. Good business movies are as rare as hen's teeth.

I just came across the best review of The Social Network to date and I have read scores of them.

Click here to read it: The Making of a Billionaire

It's an Indian site located in Delphi.

Speaking of The Social Network, my two favorite scenes in a film loaded with them are the following:

Just before Mark Zuckerberg begins to build Facemash, he cracks his knuckles and wiggles his fingers to loosen them up while uttering the unforgettable line, "Let the hacking begin!"

The other scene is where he sets a lawyer straight, "The Winklevii aren't suing me for IP theft. They are suing me because for the first time in their lives things didn't work out the way they were supposed to for them."

My only complaint is that we didn't get to see the scene where Mark meets a group of venture capitalists while dressed in pajamas and a bathrobe to deliver a personal message from Sean Parker.

 

How Billionaires Become Billionaires: Warren Buffett

How Billionaires Become Billionaires: Warren Buffett 

This is the BBC program by Evan Davis on Warren Buffet that everyone was raving about after it came out.

 

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

 

 

How Billionaires Become Billionaires: John Kluge

John Kluge Redux: Entrepreneurial Life Lessons

Just noticed this fine piece on billionaire John Kluge by David Lerner.

Read it here.