His Secret To Success? Happiness. Sports Mogul Ted Leonsis

Courtesy Ted Leonsis

If you’re in business, entrepreneur or as the head of a major corporation, which comes first, business success, or happiness?

Actually, happiness has to come first if you want the success to follow, says a very successful and happy businessman and billionaire sports mogul.

Ted Leonsis was one of the early top executives at America online helping build that to the huge platform that it was.

Later he became owner of the NBA’s Washington Wizards, the NHL’s Washington Capitals, and the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, along with a huge regional sports network.

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But would any of that have been possible if he didn’t have an underlying foundation of personal happiness?

Not likely, Leonsis says. In his 2010 book The Business of Happiness he explains how happiness begets business success.

I met with him one February afternoon in his office in Washington, DC, where, by the way, he still maintains an AOL email address.

So here now, from 2010, Ted Leonsis.

Ted Leonsis turned 68 earlier this month.

How Does A Woman Define Success? Answers From Dr. Joyce Brothers

She was America’s first “pop psychologist.”. Dr. Joyce Brothers became instantly famous in 1955, as a 28-year-old, when she won the TV quiz show ‘’The $64,000 Question” by showing off her expertise in, of all things, boxing.

Over the next five decades, Dr. Brothers offered her advice via television appearances and a magazine column.

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Get your copy of Joyce Brothers’s book

She was the author of many books, including her1988 book called The Successful Woman, based on interviews she had done with dozens of some of the country’s most successful women.

And, among other things, her book sought to go beyond the Superwoman archetype, the modern woman who has it all. Or at least, seems to.

So here now, from 1988, Dr. Joyce Brothers.

Dr. Joyce Brothers died in 2013 at age 85.

Zig Ziglar, The Once-Broke Man Who Motivated Millions to Success

Photo by BrokenSphere

A baby boy born into a large and poor family in Alabama in 1926 would grow up to become one of the world’s most popular and effective motivational speakers.

His name was Hilary Hinton Ziglar – but more widely known simply as Zig Ziglar.

His first job was as a salesman for a cookware company. He quickly rose to a management position, but then discovered his true calling: motivational speaking.

Get your copy of Zig Ziglar’s book

While still in his 30s Ziglar began touring cities with other speakers, including the great Norman Vincent Peale.

By the 1970s Ziglar had formed his own coaching and speaking company. And in 1975 he wrote what turned out to be a phenomenal motivational book called See You At The Top.

In 1994 Ziglar published a follow-up book, called Over the Top. He and I met that summer to talk about it.

So here now, from 1994. Zig Ziglar.

Zig Ziglar died in November 2012. He was 86.

Why Phyllis George Decided She Would Never Say Never

Photo by John Mathew Smith

To some young women, being crowned Miss America would be the pinnacle of their life, their peak accomplishment.

To others the Miss America title is just the first of many notable accomplishments

Phyllis George won the title in 1971, representing Texas in the pageant.

Just four years later, she was hired by CBS Sports, to co-host The NFL Today.

And four years after that, she became First Lady of Kentucky when her husband John Y. Brown was elected Governor.

Get your copy of Phyllis George’s book

Later she became a successful chicken entrepreneur

And all of these things happened, she said , because her attitude never allowed her to say never period

That inspired her to call her 2002 book Never Say Never. A somewhat autobiographical book, it laid out ten things we can all do to achieve what he dream of.

So here now, from 2002, Phyllis George.

Phyllis George died in 2020 from a rare form of cancer. She was 70.

Barbara Corcoran

Photo: Jacqueline Zacco

She’s been a top New York City real estate broker for many years, but you may know Barbara Corcoran best for her role that’s one of the investors pitched by entrepreneurs each week on the TV series Shark Tank.

What you may not know is that Barbara Corcoran is one of 10 children, and that her very strong mother inspired her to become a business success.

I met Barbara Corcoran in 2003, when she wrote a book about the wisdom her mother had passed along to her.

So here now, from 2003, Barbara Corcoran:

Barbara Corcoran is 72. She is still very active as a public speakler consulant and columnist.