In this title, two entrepreneurial Icons share experiences and insights into creating and building successful businesses. What makes some business owners wildly successful? What separates the entrepreneurs who build businesses from ones who just seem to create more work for themselves? How, exactly do the world's most prominent business builders seem to hit home run after home run? The answer: They have the Midas Touch. Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki believe the world needs more entrepreneurs. For the first time, two of the world's most successful and influential entrepreneurs will share their own Midas Touch secrets. Secrets that will both inspire you to find and fulfill your passion as well as provide you with the hands-on guidance you need to be successful. Through their real life stories of success, failure, perseverance and purpose, you'll discover how they do it and whether or not you have what it takes to drive your own entrepreneurial success.
Midas Touch
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About the Author
Donald J. Trump, Chairman and President of The Trump Organisation, continually sets the standards of excellence while expanding his interests in real estate, sports and entertainment. From his role as star and co-producer of the NBC hit series The Apprentice and The Celebrity Apprentice to his award winning golf courses and skyscrapers, his business acumen is unparalleled. An accomplished author, Trump has authored over ten bestsellers and his first book, The Art of the Deal, is considered a business classic. Trump is the archetypal businessman - a deal maker without peer and an ardent philanthropist. Robert T. Kiyosaki, best known as the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad. Kiyosaki has challenged and changed the way tens of millions of people around the world think about money. He is an entrepreneur, educator and investor who believes the world needs more entrepreneurs. With perspectives on money and investing that often contradict conventional wisdom, Robert has earned a reputation for straight talk, irreverence and courage.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 42 people found the following review helpful
By G. Tairov
Format:Hardcover
It may look like a fresh book filled with new ideas to anyone who's just discovered Trump or Kiyosaki; Those who read their previous titles, there's hardly anything new. The book still has value, good ideas and refreshers, but I'm starting to think that all they are doing is luring you in with a new shiny cover and a promise that you will discover something new. Some will be gullible enough to fall for this trap. Not a bad read, but it sure does look like they are not even trying any more. They both made good brands out of their names. They will milk that cow until it's dead.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By Andrew Szabo
Format:Hardcover
Donald Trump's and Robert Kiyosaki's book, Midas Touch: Why Some Entrepreneurs Get Rich--And Why Most Don't (Plata Publishing, 2011), is targeted at "people who are entrepreneurs or those who would like to be." It is not their first collaboration; in 2006, they co-authored "Why We Want You to be Rich" ("one message--two authors").
The book is organized around the metaphor of a hand, with each finger representing an important trait or principle for the entrepreneur. The thumb stands for character, the index finger for focus, the middle finger for branding, the ring finger for relationships and the little finger for "little things that count."
One merit of the book is the interleaving of the perspectives of Trump and Kiyosaki. You might think this kind of book would be ghost-written, at least by Trump, but the authorial voices sound authentic. In each chapter, both have their say--with Kiyosaki opening, and Trump responding--and there is some reference by each to the other's experience.
And yes, the two men do have things in common, including having had rich fathers whom they have since greatly surpassed in wealth [recall that Kiyosaki is author of the bestseller, Rich Dad, Poor Dad (2001)]. Neither Trump nor Kiyosaki could rightly be called "self-made" men, but both are self-invented. It seems to be mandatory in the self-help genre to have overcome extreme setbacks, and both Trump and Kiyosaki have plenty of that kind of trial to tell about
When we discuss the capabilities of the successful entrepreneur, the outer triangle of this diagram lights up. The entrepreneur must be a gifted generalist, who understands how to build a team, lead and execute on the corporate mission. The inner layers reveal specialized problems that the entrepreneur's team must master. There are many professionals--accountants, lawyers, programmers, marketers, finance people, and others--who greatly serve the mission, but who could not themselves lead. Trump usefully suggests sorting out, as a threshold question, which type of person you might be: entrepreneur/generalist or employee/specialist. Trump goes on to elucidate Kiyosaki's "quadrangle" of mentalities: Employee, Small Business Owner, Business Owner and Investor. One problem that Trump doesn't address is the entrepreneur who can start a great business but who cannot scale it up, later needing to be replaced by a proven operator.
The chapter on brand is perhaps the strongest in the book. In his discussion, "What's in a Name?" Trump suggests that entrepreneurs ask whether their business concept is meaningful (p. 122), posing such questions as:
What is the problem you want to solve?
Why is it a problem?
If your business were gone tomorrow, what would the world lose?
What makes you think you can solve the problem?
How does your product or service solve the problem?
How does your product or service make your customer's life better?
What do you think your customers really need from a company like yours?
Kiyosaki starts Chapter Four, "Relationships," with the proposition, "You can't do a good deal with a bad partner," and I found myself nodding, "Yes." Kiyosaki opened his selling career with some ruinous partners, but he restored himself and his honor. Indeed, in terms of resilience, one would have to say that the authors epitomize this quality and it is part of their winning way and maybe even their collaboration. Trump faced down the big banks during his ruinous financial squeeze, 1989-1994, and Kiyosaki was later able to repay the investors whose money his dishonest partner had pocketed (according to his own account).
Donald Trump has a brash personality that perfectly suits his mission, which is to polish the Trump brand at every opportunity. Trump has branded his own real estate projects, and those he lends his name to, in a way that greatly enhances their market value. His success in real estate branding is unprecedented. Why do people pay more for the Trump brand than for generic real estate? To be sure, there is a representation of quality, good location and successful execution. But in the end, it may be because you believe the brand premium will be repaid in the future by someone else who believes in the Trump brand. It's like what John Maynard Keynes said about market speculation: like a newspaper beauty contest, it's not about choosing the prettiest girl, it's about choosing what the voters will consider the prettiest girl, and they may in turn be considering what other voters will think, even to the fourth, fifth or higher degree--see his General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money (1936).
The chapters are headed by apt quotations. I liked this one, from Alexander Graham Bell: "Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus." (p. 45) Also, from Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon.com): "A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well." (p. 87)
One potential challenge for Trump, or for that matter, Kiyosaki: to the extent that you make your name into a brand, you face temptation to license it out; licensing can dilute your scarcity value and cloud your reputation for quality and performance. Pretty soon, your name is everywhere, and it may lose some of its caché. As James Baldwin once wrote, "Where everyone has status, it is also perfectly possible, after all, that no one has" [from Nobody Knows My Name, essay on "What it Means to be an American" (1964)].
The authors apparently view the power of a "Midas Touch" as an unalloyed good. In Greek myth, Dionysus granted King Midas' "insatiable prayer" (Aristotle, Politics, Book I) that whatever he touched might turn to gold. King Midas recognized his folly when his food and drink (according to one account, even his own daughter) turned to gold when he touched them. The king died of hunger. There is some unintended irony here. Trump's signal early success came when he transformed the decaying Commodore Hotel next to Grand Central Terminal into the gleaming Grand Hyatt, which he covered with a reflective glass facade. He did something similar with Trump International Hotel and Tower, at Columbus Circle, where he stripped the building to its skeleton and layered on a shiny new facade designed by Philip Johnson and Alan Ritchie. Here is a man who with his touch adds a surface that glimmers like gold--and whose added market value can be converted to hard currency. As far as I know, Trump eats and drinks comfortably, and his daughter Ivanka seems to do just fine.
Generally, if you're looking to emulate the entrepreneurship and brand-building prowess of Trump and Kiyosaki, this book would be a good investment.
(The author of this review, Andrew Szabo, is founder of MindBodyForce.com)
The book is organized around the metaphor of a hand, with each finger representing an important trait or principle for the entrepreneur. The thumb stands for character, the index finger for focus, the middle finger for branding, the ring finger for relationships and the little finger for "little things that count."
One merit of the book is the interleaving of the perspectives of Trump and Kiyosaki. You might think this kind of book would be ghost-written, at least by Trump, but the authorial voices sound authentic. In each chapter, both have their say--with Kiyosaki opening, and Trump responding--and there is some reference by each to the other's experience.
And yes, the two men do have things in common, including having had rich fathers whom they have since greatly surpassed in wealth [recall that Kiyosaki is author of the bestseller, Rich Dad, Poor Dad (2001)]. Neither Trump nor Kiyosaki could rightly be called "self-made" men, but both are self-invented. It seems to be mandatory in the self-help genre to have overcome extreme setbacks, and both Trump and Kiyosaki have plenty of that kind of trial to tell about
When we discuss the capabilities of the successful entrepreneur, the outer triangle of this diagram lights up. The entrepreneur must be a gifted generalist, who understands how to build a team, lead and execute on the corporate mission. The inner layers reveal specialized problems that the entrepreneur's team must master. There are many professionals--accountants, lawyers, programmers, marketers, finance people, and others--who greatly serve the mission, but who could not themselves lead. Trump usefully suggests sorting out, as a threshold question, which type of person you might be: entrepreneur/generalist or employee/specialist. Trump goes on to elucidate Kiyosaki's "quadrangle" of mentalities: Employee, Small Business Owner, Business Owner and Investor. One problem that Trump doesn't address is the entrepreneur who can start a great business but who cannot scale it up, later needing to be replaced by a proven operator.
The chapter on brand is perhaps the strongest in the book. In his discussion, "What's in a Name?" Trump suggests that entrepreneurs ask whether their business concept is meaningful (p. 122), posing such questions as:
What is the problem you want to solve?
Why is it a problem?
If your business were gone tomorrow, what would the world lose?
What makes you think you can solve the problem?
How does your product or service solve the problem?
How does your product or service make your customer's life better?
What do you think your customers really need from a company like yours?
Kiyosaki starts Chapter Four, "Relationships," with the proposition, "You can't do a good deal with a bad partner," and I found myself nodding, "Yes." Kiyosaki opened his selling career with some ruinous partners, but he restored himself and his honor. Indeed, in terms of resilience, one would have to say that the authors epitomize this quality and it is part of their winning way and maybe even their collaboration. Trump faced down the big banks during his ruinous financial squeeze, 1989-1994, and Kiyosaki was later able to repay the investors whose money his dishonest partner had pocketed (according to his own account).
Donald Trump has a brash personality that perfectly suits his mission, which is to polish the Trump brand at every opportunity. Trump has branded his own real estate projects, and those he lends his name to, in a way that greatly enhances their market value. His success in real estate branding is unprecedented. Why do people pay more for the Trump brand than for generic real estate? To be sure, there is a representation of quality, good location and successful execution. But in the end, it may be because you believe the brand premium will be repaid in the future by someone else who believes in the Trump brand. It's like what John Maynard Keynes said about market speculation: like a newspaper beauty contest, it's not about choosing the prettiest girl, it's about choosing what the voters will consider the prettiest girl, and they may in turn be considering what other voters will think, even to the fourth, fifth or higher degree--see his General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money (1936).
The chapters are headed by apt quotations. I liked this one, from Alexander Graham Bell: "Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus." (p. 45) Also, from Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon.com): "A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well." (p. 87)
One potential challenge for Trump, or for that matter, Kiyosaki: to the extent that you make your name into a brand, you face temptation to license it out; licensing can dilute your scarcity value and cloud your reputation for quality and performance. Pretty soon, your name is everywhere, and it may lose some of its caché. As James Baldwin once wrote, "Where everyone has status, it is also perfectly possible, after all, that no one has" [from Nobody Knows My Name, essay on "What it Means to be an American" (1964)].
The authors apparently view the power of a "Midas Touch" as an unalloyed good. In Greek myth, Dionysus granted King Midas' "insatiable prayer" (Aristotle, Politics, Book I) that whatever he touched might turn to gold. King Midas recognized his folly when his food and drink (according to one account, even his own daughter) turned to gold when he touched them. The king died of hunger. There is some unintended irony here. Trump's signal early success came when he transformed the decaying Commodore Hotel next to Grand Central Terminal into the gleaming Grand Hyatt, which he covered with a reflective glass facade. He did something similar with Trump International Hotel and Tower, at Columbus Circle, where he stripped the building to its skeleton and layered on a shiny new facade designed by Philip Johnson and Alan Ritchie. Here is a man who with his touch adds a surface that glimmers like gold--and whose added market value can be converted to hard currency. As far as I know, Trump eats and drinks comfortably, and his daughter Ivanka seems to do just fine.
Generally, if you're looking to emulate the entrepreneurship and brand-building prowess of Trump and Kiyosaki, this book would be a good investment.
(The author of this review, Andrew Szabo, is founder of MindBodyForce.com)
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
After reading just two chapters of this book, I knew it was going to be a winner. I therefore decided to put a highly recommend post for the book on two entrepreneur listservs I belong to. The remainder of the book did not disappoint me either.
I highly recommend this book for several reasons:
First and foremost, this book is about entrepreneurial mindset or frame of mind. This book is not about how to run a business. I found this perspective particularly valuable as I am currently personally shifting my mindset from that of being an employee to that of an entrepreneur.
Secondly, this book looks at the changing nature of the U.S. economy and how entrepreneurs must position themselves for success today and in the future. In this regard, I was reminded of the book title, What Got You Here, Won't Get You There
Thirdly is the discussion surrounding the Business- Investor Triangle which illustrates the 8 Integrities of Business. While this concept might not be new to some readers, what makes this information valuable is the discussion regarding how the entrepreneur should approach the triangle.
Finally, there is the discussion about what it takes for the entrepreneur to move from self employment to a business status as defined by Robert Kiyosaki's CASHFLOW Quadrants.
I found the book to be a quick, engaging read. Based on their experiences, Trump and Kiyosaki have identified five key factors of entrepreneur success. Each of the key success factors is a chapter in the book. Trump and Kiyosaki believe that to achieve success, today's entrepreneurs must master all five factors or attributes.
The five attributes are:
* Strength of Character
* FOCUS
* Relationships
* The Little Things
Having studied entrepreneurship to the extent I have, I now appreciate that becoming a successful entrepreneur involves four things:
1. Mindset
2. Product
3. Business systems
4. Capital
When it comes to mindset, I believe this book does a great job covering the topic. If you are an entrepreneur or want to be one, then I would highly encourage you to make this book one of your must reads in 2012.
I highly recommend this book for several reasons:
First and foremost, this book is about entrepreneurial mindset or frame of mind. This book is not about how to run a business. I found this perspective particularly valuable as I am currently personally shifting my mindset from that of being an employee to that of an entrepreneur.
Secondly, this book looks at the changing nature of the U.S. economy and how entrepreneurs must position themselves for success today and in the future. In this regard, I was reminded of the book title, What Got You Here, Won't Get You There
Thirdly is the discussion surrounding the Business- Investor Triangle which illustrates the 8 Integrities of Business. While this concept might not be new to some readers, what makes this information valuable is the discussion regarding how the entrepreneur should approach the triangle.
Finally, there is the discussion about what it takes for the entrepreneur to move from self employment to a business status as defined by Robert Kiyosaki's CASHFLOW Quadrants.
I found the book to be a quick, engaging read. Based on their experiences, Trump and Kiyosaki have identified five key factors of entrepreneur success. Each of the key success factors is a chapter in the book. Trump and Kiyosaki believe that to achieve success, today's entrepreneurs must master all five factors or attributes.
The five attributes are:
* Strength of Character
* FOCUS
* Relationships
* The Little Things
Having studied entrepreneurship to the extent I have, I now appreciate that becoming a successful entrepreneur involves four things:
1. Mindset
2. Product
3. Business systems
4. Capital
When it comes to mindset, I believe this book does a great job covering the topic. If you are an entrepreneur or want to be one, then I would highly encourage you to make this book one of your must reads in 2012.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Its a good book
very helpful read it, study it, then read it, then study it, then apply.i Found Roberts narrative style quite cool and he shared some really insightful stuff about success and what... Read more
Published 26 days ago by alvin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book for Entrepreneurs!!!
This Book is GREAT for entrepreneurs everywhere. Two Great Minds come together and help you understand what a entrepreneurs traits, skills, and understanding should be. Read more
Published 26 days ago by Jesse Garcia
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT BOOK! BUY IT!
I bought this just to dig in a little deeper with finance and investing, and it has turned out to be instrumental. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jeremy Truitt
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great book if you want to know more about business relationships
if you read Rich Dad, Poor Dad, you are going to read part of the same thing. the charter that I enjoyed was Business Relationships. Great experiences form Kiyosaki and Trump.
Published 1 month ago by Pedro L San Martin R
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Transaction
Quick and smooth transaction. Arrived on time. Love the material that Rich Dad and Donald Trump puts out...always very informative and helpful in my educational/financial growth.
Published 1 month ago by Michelle Haley
5.0 out of 5 stars
The world of Entrepreneurship, and how to be one.
A real time look at the world of Entrepreneurship, and how to be one. This is the meat grinder, and the ground floor of self development. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Alisonlight
5.0 out of 5 stars
Straight to the point and both contents are hooked to each other
This book of Midas Touch was only told by a friend in Facebook who pm me about I comment on Robert Kiyosaki because each time he post his on quotes I also comment and share in my... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ricardo B. Autida Jr.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good advice
Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki make a great team. Great advice and wonderful information for those in business or thinking of starting a business.
Published 2 months ago by Patricia A. Neal
5.0 out of 5 stars
Practical
A lot of the information you can apply in Life! Absulutle enjoyed it! Love the Practicality of the book and also the Life stories That Both Robert and Donald trump have shared!
Published 2 months ago by Janes Swart
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Book
The Donald has a lot of wisdom in business. I liked the book, its very straight forward and easy to read.
Published 2 months ago by Gary Karlin
