There were times as I was writing this book when I felt like I was living in solitary confinement. I wasn’t the smartest person in the room, either—but I was the only person in the room—and there were times when I didn’t particularly like that guy.
I want to thank all of the RMITs and RWITs for their time and insight into this project. They truly are generous in the richest meaning of the term. They were generous with their time certainly, but more important generous with their stories, their insights, their personal success formulas, and even their failures. If it sounds as though I really like these people, it should. As hard as I tried to be a totally dispassionate journalistic observer of these big bucks creators, I found that a very difficult, near impossible task. Yes, I admire what they have accomplished, I respect the way in which they have grown their wealth, and I appreciate their generosity of spirit. Some of these super-successes were initially disinclined to be interviewed because of their laudable humility. However, when they understood that they could make a real difference in the lives of so many just by sharing their unique and very personal experiences, most accepted my invitation with pleasure. We are all better for their generous decisions.
Fortunately for me, just as I was about to be sick of myself, there was always someone sliding sustenance under the door and offering me a much-needed helping hand and more than a word or two of encouragement. To those that I lovingly refer to as team RMIT, I offer my appreciation and eternal gratitude. First, I thank the greatest support staff in the world—my wife, Connie, and our three sons, Cole, Chance, and Charles—for their unwavering love and belief in me. Thanks to Jane Berentson and John Koten, my colleagues at Worth magazine, who came to the rescue when I threw out the challenge to come up with a new and different way to view the wealthy in America for our tenth-anniversary issue. That special anniversary issue that we titled The Richest Person in Town was Jane’s idea. It was the inspiration for my desire to dig deeper into the lives of America’s greatest self-made success stories to determine what really makes them tick, and what lessons we could all learn from them. Alison Parks was my stalwart partner during the exciting and, at times, challenging Worth expedition—and I couldn’t have asked for a smarter or more competent collaborator or better friend with whom to enjoy the ride. Patrick Sheehan edited my words at Worth, always making them more lyrical and my observations more trenchant; he was, of course, the first person I asked to read my manuscript. His insights and suggestions were, as usual, on the money. Christian Kunkel, my overqualified and underpaid RMIT intern, did so much of the initial spadework to find the most successful self-made person in each town that I am sure his hands are still throbbing from the digging. Susan Weaver, my producer, could run a Fortune 500 logistics company blindfolded. She arranged dozens of interviews, arm-wrestled too many RMIT assistants to count, and always kept the interview process running like a Japanese train. My agents Dan Ambrosio and David Vigliano shepherded me and the Richest Man in Town idea into the right hands at Grand Central Publishing with great skill. My attorney, Marc Chamlin, kept everyone on their toes and offered immeasurable insight and encouragement. I owe special thanks to my editor, Rick Wolff, for his belief in this project, his constant encouragement, and his gentle hand on my manuscript. I’m immensely grateful to all.