Wollman Rink
New York City’s management fiasco with the renovation of Wollman Rink was an absolute classic. After six years of renovations to the tune of $12 million, the rink was still closed. Then the city announced in 1986 that the entire process of renovation was starting over again, from scratch. I could bear it no more and wrote to then Mayor Koch offering to construct a brand-new Wollman Rink and have it done in six months, at no cost to the city. It would be my gift to this great city.
This sincere gesture was spurned by Mayor Koch, but he published my letter in New York papers as a joke. Unfortunately for him, the New York journalists and public rallied to my side. He totally underestimated the press reaction. As one paper wrote, “The city has proved nothing except that it can’t get the job done.” Koch’s reaction to my magnanimous gesture reminded me of the old saying, “No good deed goes unpunished.”
The next day, after the papers and public took my side, Koch reversed himself completely. Suddenly, the city was virtually begging me to take on Wollman Rink. We had a meeting in my office on June 6, 1986, with city officials, and long story short, we came to an agreement. I put up the construction money and agreed to complete the work by December 15. At that point, the city would reimburse me for my costs, up to a cap of just less than $3 million, but only if the rink worked. If I came in under budget, the city would pay me back only what I’d spent. If I went over budget, I’d cover the overruns myself.
THE LOW POINT
Although I was genuinely interested in doing this renovation, I must admit that when I went over and saw the conditions I was walking into, I had a few moments of doubt. This rink is over an acre in size, which makes it one of the largest man-made rinks in the country. There were enormous holes in the roof of the skaters’ house, there had been extensive water damage, and the rink required 22 miles of pipes. It also required two 35,000-pound refrigeration units. I had publicly promised to complete all the work within six months! I wondered if I had backed myself into a potentially humiliating corner. If I failed, it would be in all the papers, and my reputation would definitely suffer. I had some challenges ahead of me, that’s for sure. The doubts went away as long as I kept the image of a beautiful and finished rink in my mind. I knew I could get it done, but I wasn’t kidding myself that it would be a piece of cake.
The physical conditions at the rink weren’t the biggest problem. There was such a lack of direction that the restoration process looked like a bumper car amusement ride that just went round and round in circles. There was no leadership. That’s when I made the decision to take charge and check on this project every single day. I wanted to know what was going on, who was doing what, and I personally oversaw the progress. For example, because I knew nothing about building rinks, I set out to find the best skating-rink builder I could. I spoke to experts and decided on a brine system for refrigerating the ice. It’s more costly but very durable. I approached every aspect of rebuilding the rink as a personal undertaking.
The rink was finished one month ahead of time—and under budget. It was well worth the effort. The gala opening celebration for the rink was a great occasion, and we had skaters Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill, Scott Hamilton, and others to help celebrate this great day for New York City. We finally had a working rink and a beautiful place for New Yorkers to play. All profits went to charity and the Parks Department. Everyone won.
Was this process easy? No, it was painstaking. Was it worth it? You better believe it. When you come to New York City, don’t miss it. Skating under the trees in Central Park and looking out on the magnificent skyline is an event you will never forget.
POSTSCRIPT TO THE WOLLMAN RINK STORY—21 YEARS LATER
Government bungling of the Wollman Rink project was made possible in part thanks to a terrible New York State law passed in 1921 called the Wicks Law. It requires local governments undertaking renovations or new building projects that cost more $50,000 to hire four separate contractors (general construction, plumbing, electrical, and heating and ventilation). Local governments must hire the lowest bidder in each of these areas, even though they could save a lot of time and money by hiring a single general contractor who oversees all subcontractors. Instead of allowing competition, what it does is increase up to 30 percent the cost of building anything for the government in New York.
Fortunately, there may be some new hope for getting rid of the Wicks Law thanks to recent media attention. On May 29, 2007, the New York Times ran an article by Dorothy Samuels in their Editorial section which was titled From Donald Trump to Eliot Spitzer: Still Battling Over a Wasteful Law. Ms. Samuels has always been an insightful writer who writes about significant issues. In bringing up the Wicks Law, she retold the story of how I saved Wollman Rink from government bungling—and managed to educate the citizens of New York City about something they probably weren’t aware of, unless they are in real estate construction. It’s something that affects them by driving up government costs and taxes. I have to say, it was nice to be remembered 21 years later as someone who tried to make a difference, and did. Let’s hope this situation will be remedied soon—it will benefit everyone.
19
DON’T LET FEAR STOP YOU—EVEN IN FRONT OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
Doubts Will Continue to Surface, Even after You’ve Made Up Your Even Mind to Go Forward Your Mind to Go Forward
A SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE STORY
What do you do when doubts continue to surface, even after you’ve committed to go forward? A lot of people mistakenly think that I stride the planet in a state of absolute certainty, all of the time. The truth is, there are times I have to wrestle with doubts after I’ve made big decisions. The challenge is what you do with doubts. Handled poorly, doubt can sap your spirit and resolve. Handled well, doubt should make you smarter and strengthen your chances for success.
I will always remember the day Jeff Zucker, the president of NBC, called to make an appointment to see me in my office. The Apprentice was already the hit of the season on NBC, and I didn’t think he’d be making a social call, considering the schedules both of us keep. However, I was not prepared when he came in and said to me, “Donald, do me a favor. Host Saturday Night Live.”
Hosting Saturday Night Live is usually a job reserved for professional entertainers, from Billy Crystal to Kevin Spacey, from Robin Williams to Alec Baldwin. While I was honored to be asked, I wondered if this was a very big chance to make a fool of myself. I had a few moments of doubts like that and then realized it would be a great opportunity as well as a great challenge. It might even be fun. I said yes.
THE LOW POINT
I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into, but it was too late now. After Jeff left, I started thinking of a live audience, comedy skits, a monologue, facing off with Darrell Hammond, who imitates me very well, and who knows what else they’d come up with. This is a particularly good story for this book because it illustrates how doubts—potentially one of the worst forms of adversity—can continue to surface, even after you’ve made up your mind to go forward—courageously—with some big risk. Let me tell you, I had major doubts about this one. It’s not always smooth sailing just because you’ve decided to do something with enthusiasm. Running through my mind was the fact that if the show was a disaster, millions of people would witness it, live, without edits. It was great opportunity to flop on a huge level. The doubts swelled, and I knew I had to regroup.
The more I thought about it, I realized: the show is legendary, I knew its creator, Lorne Michaels, and the writers are fantastic. I knew I’d give it my best shot. As I’ve always said, you’ve got to think big.
Anyway, the process of this live show was an incredible experience. First, on Tuesday, I met with Lorne’s team of gifted writers, led by Tina Fey. They asked questions and pitched a lot of ideas. It was an intense and productive hour. By Thursday, we were reading through the sketches with the members of the Saturday Night Live team. They are pros but very amiable and helpful, so it
was a pleasure and I felt some of my nervousness vanishing. I knew I was facing some pretty big hurdles, and I was wondering how it would all fall into place in the two days we had. I was also wondering how I would remember everything. I’m used to doing my own material, and as a public speaker, I’m at ease. However, this was a different scenario entirely.
Our first full day was on Friday, where we did run-throughs of the skits on the Saturday Night Live stage. The sets weren’t finished, but the theatrical aspect of what I was getting into was very apparent. There was so much going on around me that I didn’t have time to take into account the fact that I was feeling apprehensive—they had me in a lot of skits. I would be a hippie in a business meeting, the author of a romance novel, a lawyer, a character in The Prince and the Pauper along with Darrell Hammond, a keyboard player, and more. In addition, the costume changes had to be taken into consideration. There wasn’t much time between skits, and one skit required a mid-skit costume change. Fortunately, they have a wardrobe team that later takes over and navigates you through the show. Since I’m a guy who likes to know everything that’s going on, I will admit that a few times I felt a bit overwhelmed.
Things were going pretty well, and my confidence level was improving, especially when I saw that the Saturday Night Live regulars were enjoying the proceedings and having a few good laughs themselves. Then, I saw my costume for the chicken wings number. This was a commercial for Trump’s House of Wings, a skit that was popular from the first time we tried it out. It involves singing chickens, with me in the middle of them. I don’t need to say more. I had already said the chicken outfit was out, and what they gave me instead wasn’t much better: a bright yellow polyester suit that would make anyone look like a sitting duck for smart comments. I remember saying to someone, “What have I gotten myself into?”
Little did I know the hard part was coming: the monologue. Think about it: walking out on stage with millions of people watching, and hoping to be funny. Then think about this: What if I wasn’t funny? Here’s a word to the wise—don’t think about it! You have to go for it or you will just freeze up thinking about it.
I want to stop here to reiterate what I just wrote. It is absolutely true that sometimes you just have to get out there and do it. Being tentative can lend itself to fear, and fear of failure can halt you immediately. You have to work despite your fears, and very often they will disappear. Don’t let fear stop you!
I know, it’s easier said than done. I even said to the set builders at this point, “What am I doing here? I should be building, like you. I can relate to you guys.” Once I got deeper into the rehearsals, it went well. We got some good laughs, which, believe me, was a wonderful sound, and I had gotten through a very big test of my ability to handle pressure and a new environment. In fact, I remember thinking that maybe I’d ask Darrell over to my office one day, so I could take a break and he could play me for a few hours. Thinking these thoughts managed to take my mind off the live show the next night. It was all still very new to me.
The next day was Saturday, which ends up being a marathon day for everyone. We ran through the show for a live audience of three hundred people. This was considered to be the dress rehearsal, and the skits that are most popular with this audience will make the final show. That’s when I learned that we wouldn’t know what skits would be in the live show, or their order, until about a half hour before appearing live. I’m someone who likes having things in order and ready to go, no matter what it might be, this news hit me with a strange sense of surprise. I’m used to having and studying blueprints for a long time, for example. Being well prepared for critical meetings has been one of the secrets to my success. Just think, some of the skits we had rehearsed for two days would be cut out completely, including, it turned out, one of my favorites where I played a romance novelist. All the preparations for those skits would be null and void. Then we’d have a new running order and no time to get ready for it. I was in for an exciting time, that’s for sure.
I had to take a deep breath and realize that I just might be in over my head. This was big time, with a huge live audience to watch me as well as being on tape for history to see. My photo would go up on the wall in the halls of the legendary show. What if I flopped? Forgot my lines? Forgot the lyrics to the song I had to learn in five minutes? Put on the wrong costume? Looked like an idiot instead of a respected real estate developer? Believe me, you can have a lot of thoughts at critical moments like these. So if you’ve ever felt that way, know you’re in some good company. Here’s my advice—get to it and go on with the show!
That’s what I did, and beginning with the monologue, I have to say it was a night I’ll always remember. Everyone had a good time, from the wardrobe people to the Saturday Night Live pros, to the audiences, both live and at home, and to the musicians who made sure we were ready to go on when the time came. Here’s the best part—I had a fantastic time, and an experience that was worth every nagging thought and fear of failure thought that crossed my mind during that hectic week. Did I ever think I’d be the host of Saturday Night Live? Never! That’s what’s great about taking chances. Success won’t happen to you unless you decide to take chances first. Don’t settle for failure when you can take a few risks and change the course of your life, or at least enhance it. It may not be Saturday Night Live, but taking risks and putting yourself in uncomfortable new situations can definitely put some excitement into your life. If I can do a song and dance number with people dressed up like chickens, in a bright yellow suit, in front of millions of people, you can certainly stand to take a chance once in a while. I don’t want to hear any excuses. So go for it and never give up!
COACH TRUMP
MAKE IT HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE
Be a chameleon. When a challenging opportunity comes along, take full advantage of it. Learn from it. Taking risks and making mistakes is the best way to learn something new. Most of the time, you will surprise yourself.
Just dive in. Don’t give yourself time to doubt. If you’re thinking, “I’m not sure if I can do this,″ turn it into, “It’s going to feel great when I do this!”
20
DON’T TAKE YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY
People are surprised sometimes when they visit our offices and hear laughter coming from mine. I’m a serious businessman but I also know the value of laughter. That’s why I smile when I see those long serious faces in ads and commercials that are supposed to represent serious business being done. There’s no reason you can’t have some fun. In fact, if you’re not having fun, you know by now that I would advise you to find something else to do. Your job is probably not brain surgery, so lighten up a little.
A friend of mine, Joel Anderson, is a remarkable and very successful businessman. I had invited him to a major charity event, and I didn’t hear back from him until after the event had happened. He had been traveling, but he took the time to write me a note and send a check anyway. He explained that thanks to The Apprentice, I had become so famous that he was able to sell the signature on my letter for enough money to cover the charitable donation he was enclosing. I wrote back thanking him and told him I like having shrewd friends who know a good business deal when they see one. Both of us had a good laugh, and a good cause benefited.
That’s one way business works, and it can make every day a pleasure. Try to spice up your dealings and daily work routine with occasional jokes and laughter, and you’ll see how much more enjoyable your work will become. The people you work with will appreciate it, too, if you can make them laugh.
After the first season of The Apprentice, I wrote Mark Burnett a letter about how it had been a fantastic experience working with him. I explained to him that little did I know while writing The Art of the Deal back in 1987 that it would become a bestseller while at the same time being a catalyst to a young man selling T-shirts on Venice Beach in California. (That young man was Mark Burnett.) I also told him that if I’d ever said anything negative about guys who hang out on the beach, th
at “I hereby take it back.” We had become business partners but also friends, and the humor we enjoyed made the experience all the better.
It pays to have a sense of humor about yourself. I did a commercial for VISA a few years ago that required me to grovel around (or appear to be groveling around) in a dumpster to retrieve my VISA card. I was filmed on top of Trump Tower showing my card, when a gust of wind blows it out of my hand and onto the street below. A passerby notes when I crawl out of the dumpster, “And I thought he was doing so well!” I didn’t mind—I had a great time and the commercial was a big success. If I took myself too seriously, I would have missed out on a lot of fun and a nice paycheck. Business at its best should have both.
21
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO START OVER
Dubai
Sometimes it’s in your best interest to start over, even if you’re established and can afford to do as you please. A good example of that is the new Palm Trump International Hotel & Tower that’s going up in Dubai. I think most of us have heard of Dubai by now, in the United Arab Emirates. Just off the coast is a man-made palm-tree-shaped island, the Palm Jumeirah, that is a remarkable achievement of engineering and imagination. I partnered with Nakheel, the developer of over $30 billion in real estate in Dubai, to build a tower on this island.
Nakheel, in Arabic, means palm trees, so it follows that this would be their imprint in the Arabian Gulf. In 2005, we went into partnership and agreed that our hotel, which will be the luxury pivot point of the Palm Jumeirah, should be an extraordinary example of design and innovation. We both had the experience, the credentials, and the desire to do something amazing.
Trump Never Give Up Page 7
