The Trump Dynasty

Meredith McIver 5/4/2007

Tenacity is absolutely necessary for success

Don Trump Jr. started at the Trump Organization the same
month I did, which was September of 2001. I remember
being impressed by how unassuming he was as well as
how diligent he was. Not that I should be surprised,
because he has his fathers work ethic to the core. Hes a
serious businessman who takes on a lot of responsibility
and doesnt expect any breaks because of his family
heritage. If anything, he has more responsibility, which he
handles with aplomb. He is mature beyond his years.
A few years later, Ivanka Trump came on board, and by
then we knew what to expect. Shes a very hard worker, a
dynamo in fact, and theres no nonsense when she and
Don Jr. work together. They make a great team, and share
their fathers passion for real estate. Their passion is not

fabricated, its for real. Theyve taken the Trump

Organization global, in a big way and in a short time. Its
been remarkable to watch. Ivankas incredibly beautiful too,
by the way, but her demeanor cannot be mistaken for
anything other than professional. Shes a class act all the
way. I heard her father refer to her as being formidable
and I thought, right on.
Eric Trump joined his siblings in the fall of 2006, and he too
brings the same Trump work ethic to his position. He is 65
tall, but his countenance is not one of intimidation. He
knows what hes doing and has a low-key approach to
getting things done. Which means, being a Trump, they will
be done right and done with speed and gusto. He hosted
the September Concert tribute to 9/11 in Trump Tower, and
did a fantastic job at the microphone. Hes a natural.
Everyone is impressed with the Trump children, although it
feels strange to refer to them as children. They are
professional, articulate, well mannered, well grounded and
as far from being childlike as you can get. I know Mr. Trump
is proud of them, and rightly so. Watching them in action is
the best antidote to skepticism. They will do the Trump
name well for at least a couple of generations to come. The
Trump ethos is quality and it is in good hands.
Last week I was telling Don Jr. about the new book I am
working on with his father, which is called Never Give Up! It
will be similar in format to Trump 101: The Way to Success,
which came out last fall and was well received. Don asked
what it was about, and I told him it will describe some of the
challenges involved in the seemingly Midas-touch empire
that his father has built. When we hear the Midas-touch
syndrome applied to the Trump properties, we always have
a laugh. The Trump brand is what it is today as the result of
the hard work, integrity and the incredible tenacity that
started with Fred Trump, continued in a big way with Donald
Trump, and is flourishing today with the three new Trumps

at the Trump Organization. Id say the Trump brand is

poised to be bigger and better than ever.

One of my original observations here had to do with the

complexities of the development and management of large
properties. It requires amazing daily diligence as well as an
eye for details. I began to see how it can become a
consuming passion - because if youre not passionate about
it, it could drive you nuts. Nothing is easy, and to hear the
meetings and negotiations makes you aware of that fact.
Mr. Trump has likened doing business to combat, and I will
say that sometimes there is a war zone feeling around here.
One journalist who came up commented that spending a
day in the offices was like a day in the trenches - but the
good part is that it is never boring. The Sturm und Drang is
there for a good reason - just look at the results! It will be
exciting to see how the next few years unfold.

One lesson Ive learned from watching Donald Trump in

action is that tenacity is absolutely necessary for success.
That means a daily application of 100 percent focus and
nothing less. Its astonishing to see how he zones in on
something, and holds on until hes satisfied or the problem
has been resolved. It can be about trees, sinks, chairs or a
multi-million dollar project. All of them will receive his rapt
attention. So be tenacious, every single day, day in and day
out - and you too will see results.
Meredith McIver