Carolyn 101: Business Lessons from The Apprentice's Straight Shooter (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Stephen Fenichell (Contributor) "My personal agenda, going into the meeting, had just one item on it: Impress Donald Trump..." (more)
Key Phrases: difficult boss, bad boss, Donald Trump, The Apprentice, Trump National (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Smart, direct, precise. These are adjectives viewers of NBC's hit reality show, The Apprentice might use to describe Donald Trump's left-hand woman, Carolyn Kepcher. Kepcher is a tough judge who can make or break hopeful contestants vying to get hired by Trump. In Carolyn 101, readers find a respected business executive and familial leading lady. Kepcher's personal stories draw an entertaining and inspiring picture of a scrappy, former waitress and restaurant manager, with a no-holds-barred approach to getting hired and succeeding in a mostly male-dominated environment in New Jersey--and, eventually, in The Trump Organization.

In Carolyn 101, Kepcher describes how she successfully synthesized her learned-on-the-job business acumen and motherhood duties to become a respected leader in the Trump empire. Plus, readers will love the snippets Kepcher shows of her famous boss, including his empathy to her personal life and foresight in choosing Kepcher for a management role at the age of 25: "I was twenty-five, a woman, and had never run a golf club in my life. But since Donald Trump trusted that I could handle it, I trusted myself to handle it."

It's clear from Carolyn 101 that Kepcher is a renaissance woman through and through. She balances the demands of the show, her job, and home-life, making her success that much more impressive. Those joining the workforce or already in the trenches will appreciate the firm advice she offers through personal stories and short blurbs dotting the pages, like this gem: "When someone hands you an opportunity, don't be afraid to take it." Case in point: Carolyn Kepcher, EVP and COO, The Trump Organization. --E. Brooke Gilbert

From Publishers Weekly

People familiar with Kepcher's stern demeanor and grim expressions on Trump's reality TV show will be pleasantly surprised by her sense of humor and her solid career advice. There are plenty of "the Donald" stories, but Kepcher's focuses on practical workplace strategies, from behaving and dressing appropriately in everyday situations to managing difficult bosses, handling office romances, firing employees and more. Kepcher serves up information confidently and unpretentiously, drawing on her own experiences, such as her travails with a nightmare boss when she first joined Trump's empire. These anecdotes yield aphorisms ("If your boss is a bully, you're probably stronger than he is"), which in turn add up to the curriculum–like title. Although some of Kepcher's comments about women using their appearances to get ahead may rankle, her suggestions on interview and résumé protocol, and on asking for a raise, ring true. Following Bill Rancic's You're Hired, this second book to emerge from The Apprentice this season manages to do what it needs to do.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 222 pages
• Publisher: Fireside (October 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743270223
• ISBN-13: 978-0743270229
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #161,918 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

143 of 151 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Carolyn Kepcher is smiling in the book jacket photo..., September 28, 2004

By	Corinne H. Smith (Athol, MA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

...and why shouldn't she be? The 35-year old corporate executive not only holds a dream job; she's also acquired skyrocketing fame because of her involvement with the TV show, "The Apprentice." Millions of us watch the program each week in order to see Donald Trump issue those classic final words to an unsuccessful candidate. But it's Carolyn that the fans, especially women, are now seeking out for business advice. Hence the need for this book.

Each chapter begins with the text of an actual e-mail sent to Carolyn: one from a fan, asking a basic business question. Her expansive answers draw on her personal experiences and the business sense she has gleaned throughout the course of her career. Through these stories, we learn of her transformation from Avon-selling teen to high school volleyball captain; from waitress to Manhattan restaurant manager; and from country club director of sales and marketing, to general manager of Trump National Golf Club, and finally to her current position as an EVP and COO in the Trump Organization. Along the way, Ms. Kepcher addresses such topics as employee-boss relationships, management styles, job searches, qualities of a good manager, qualities of a good employee, qualities of a good company, team-forging, and women's and family issues in the workplace. The chapters are sprinkled with Carolyn 101 maxims -- 68 of them! Each one could be printed and posted as a desk-side reminder for motivation. Examples are:

"You're the one in charge of your learning curve."
"Be the real thing, because all the highfalutin' pictures in the world won't hide it if you aren't."
"In the absence of trust, even the most generous act seems questionable."
"It is appropriate to go above your boss's head when he or she is managing you to fail."
"Never forget that today's mailroom clerk could be tomorrow's manager."
"The biggest office isn't always the best."
"A bad apple with a bad attitude can compromise the team."
"The best team is the team that continues to perform even when the manager is absent."
"Succeeding at difficult tasks is what will make you great."

And the resounding cry repeated throughout the text is the Trump credo: "If one of us succeeds, we all succeed. If one of us fails, we all fail." This stuff may sound trite to an MBA graduate, but it obviously works.

This book came to me at an appropriate time. Six months ago I resigned from a management position (under a "toxic boss," I've figured out, thanks to this book), and next week I will begin working in a new job with another organization. Ms. Kepcher's words were self-affirming and inspirational to me, coming as they did after tedious months of answering ads, mailing letters and resumes, and going to interviews. I now recognize my management style, and I now know what kind of environment I want to foster for my new fellow employees. I highly recommend "Carolyn 101" to anyone becoming a manager for the first time. I recommend it to anyone who's currently "between jobs." It'll help them work through the inevitable "could have, would have, should have" introspections. I recommend it to folks who have had at least two different bosses and/or employers, because readers who have had a variety of work experiences will better relate to the situations described here. And yes, the book will be helpful to recent college grads looking to enter the business world. But they should keep the volume in a safe place, because they're sure to want to come back to it again once they have some of their own comparisons to make.

Though "Carolyn 101" was obviously published quickly in order to capitalize on the TV show success, it is not a fluff piece with a short shelf-life. It is well-written and thought-provoking. And I suspect it will not be the last time we'll benefit from Carolyn Kepcher's insights and advice in print.

37 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good primer for new executives, October 4, 2004

By	Bernhard H. Klinder (Cleveland, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is really two books in one: A real world primer for new managers and an inside look at the bits of the Trump Organization and the show "The Apprentice." As a primer, the book is an excellent guide for new business grads, and junior executives. Carolyn candidly discusses her career experiences before joining the Trump Organization, describes how she got the job, reveals the hurdles she's faced, and offers some invaluable advice for others starting down the executive path. Although the advice is basic, I certainly see her principals lacking in the "Apprentice" candidates, and many junior executives. As an inside look into the Trump organization, the content is a very light and rather sanitized. You'll hear Mr. Trump is the best boss in the world, and the Trump Organization is the best in the world, but you won't find much detail about other managers, what makes the organization tick, or an insight into the overall culture, beyond what has already been written by Mr. Trump himself. There are a few "nuggets" of behind the scenes insight, but nothing compelling. Overall, the author(s) and editor achieved a fair balance between creating a management book and a pop culture curiosity: However, the book could have used more depth and feels as it was "rushed" into print. If this edition is successful, perhaps Mrs. Kepcher will write a more comprehensive follow up that focuses more on career management and less on "The Apprentice."

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great overview of business and inside look at the show, October 5, 2004

By	nickyd (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

I greatly enjoyed reading this book! I learned a lot about how to operate as a young professional in business, both as an employee and as a future employer. Carolyn is smart, straightforward, and insightful regarding how to succeed in the workplace, especially as a woman. Also, I appreciated the insights into the show The Apprentice, and definitely think the candidates from both seasons could have benefited from reading this book! Highly recommended.