For the last twenty years, people have been telling me to write a book about my life. My path has been unique, taking me westward from Greece where I was born, to southern Africa, and finally to the United States. Everywhere I’ve landed I have made a beautiful life, not because I was born into great wealth or avoided making mistakes, but because I have an unusual outlook that colors every part of my life: I don’t believe in limits. My motto is “I make events, they don’t make me.”
I am a maker of things, plans, adventures, and success. Throughout my long life, I’ve made many things, including bread, leather garments, windows, and battery chargers. I’ve made winning sports teams, innovative businesses, and savored a great deal of material success. I’ve set my feet on the beautiful earth in more than forty countries around the globe.
Most importantly, I’ve made a beautiful marriage, a wonderful family, and life-long friends. My life unfolded in unusual times and exotic places influenced by war, cultural shifts, and civil unrest, as well as by unparalleled opportunities to be the architect of my own life. I’ve always valued my freedom to make my own choices and shaped my life around my decisions in how I invested my time and resources.
This freedom of choice is more precious to me than the money in my bank accounts or any material object. I controlled my own destiny, and I challenge you to do the same. If we were to meet in person, I’d share some of my stories. I offer you my story here, in hopes it will inspire you, regardless of your current circumstances, to make your life precisely the way you want it to be.
Additionally, for those of you who share my passion for business, you’ll benefit from my business experiences and the philosophy I built over many years of business success. Golden nuggets of business wisdom are interwoven into each chapter of this book. I’ve also summarized them for you in the Appendix. As you read this true story, I hope it makes you think, dream, and act on the potential in your life.