Winners Make it Happen: Reflections of a Self-Made Man: Leonard H. Lavin
Editorial Reviews
A great innovator of our time, Leonard Lavin epitomizes the American Dream. Forced to leave college to take care of family matters, Lavin entered the workforce early. He began his career as a salesman, but quickly discovered that he would rather own a company than work for one. Lavin purchased a tiny beauty supply company called Alberto Culver Corporation—best known for its chief asset, a hairstyling product called VO5 (for “five vital oils”)—and built the regional company into a revered Fortune 500 corporation. Now, in “Winners Make It Happen,” this self-made millionaire takes readers on a trip through his extraordinary life, and shares with new generations of entrepreneurs his blueprint for success.
Lavin reveals how his instinct-driven vision led him to build a small family business into a corporate giant, without the help of any formal business education, start-up funds, or financial backing. He revisits his groundbreaking achievements—for example, when he was the first to recognize the power of television to build women’s products into common household names. And he looks outside his corporate triumphs to explore his international success as a breeder of thoroughbred horses, from his first stakes winner in 1967 to his filly One Dreamer, who won the prestigious Breeder’s Cup Distaff in 1994.
In addition, Lavin shares anecdotes involving the legendary businessmen, entertainers, and politicians he has met along the way—including Richard Nixon, NBC founder General Sarnoff, CBS founder William Paley, and Abe Lastfogel, founder of the William Morris Agency.
Leonard Lavin sums up his journey to achievement: “Winners make it happen; losers let it happen.” As readers follow Lavin on his path to success, they too will discover what it takes to make things happen.
About the Author
Leonard H. Lavin
is a self-described “marketing person, salesman, business manager, and straight-shooter.” He is the founding president, CEO, and chairman of Alberto-Culver Corporation, manufacturer of VO5 hair products, Mrs. Dash, Static Guard, Molly McButter, and a host of other well-known household products. Alberto-Culver Corporation set the industry standard for enhancing brand awareness via television.
Lavin is also a World War II veteran (he participated in nine invasions in the Pacific theater), a noted philanthropist, and a celebrated breeder, trainer, and racer of thoroughbred horses. His Ocala, Florida–based Glen Hill Farms was recently named Florida Breeder of the Year for the second consecutive year.
Daniel Paisner
has co-authored 26 books, including: “America is My Neighborhood,” with Willard Scott; “One Man Tango,” with Anthony Quinn; “Pataki: An Autobiography,” with George E. Pataki; and the “New York Times” best-sellers, “Mountain, Get Out of My Way,” with Montel Williams, and “Last Man Down: A New York City Fire Chief and the Collapse of the World Trade Center,” with FDNY battalion commander Richard Picciotto.
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