| Bill Bartmann is well qualified to talk about | | | | sweetheart, Kathy, for opening his eyes to |
| what it takes to be successful. He is a | | | | this fact. It is as Barbara D'Angelis says, |
| billionaire, about the 25th richest man in | | | | |
| the world and has earned the accolade of | | | | "Until you're aware of what you're doing you |
| "Entrepreneur of the Year". However, life | | | | have no choice but to continue doing it." |
| for Bill Bartmann started out very | | | | |
| differently. | | | | However, at age 17, Bartmann was not aware |
| | | | that he continually put himself down until |
| Bartmann was one of eight children. His | | | | one night he was driving with Kathy, just 14 |
| parents were uneducated and so could not | | | | at the time, at his side when she suddenly |
| command well-paying jobs. He describes | | | | slapped the dashboard and said, |
| having to move frequently and even being | | | | |
| turned out of dwellings because they were | | | | "Pull over! Stop the car! Let me out!" |
| deemed not fit for human habitation. | | | | |
| | | | Shocked, he obliged. She told him that she |
| He has been homeless and was once part of a | | | | never wanted to see him again. She told him |
| travelling carnival. He's a former high | | | | that she loved him but that he was always |
| school dropout. He was a teenage alcoholic | | | | putting himself down. She had had enough. |
| and a member of a teenage gang called known | | | | |
| as the Manor Boys. He was also the smallest | | | | He was stunned. He had no idea. He loved |
| member weighing in at just 98lbs. This | | | | this young girl and he did not want to lose |
| didn't stop him from picking fights with the | | | | her. He pleaded with her explaining that it |
| 'big' boys. In some ways it's a trait that | | | | was a habit he did unconsciously. He said he |
| has stuck with him - not so much picking | | | | would change. She relented and agreed to |
| fights - but there's audaciousness to many of | | | | stay. While change wasn't easy the |
| his business ventures that leave many | | | | alternative didn't bear contemplating. He |
| wide-eyed with wonder. | | | | steadily built his self-esteem. He took the |
| | | | GED exam and put himself through college and |
| He truly understands the concept of risk and | | | | law school. |
| reward. A big risk can result in a huge | | | | |
| pay-off, but if it backfires it can leave a | | | | Kathy has been by his side ever since, |
| large dent in your pocket and bank balance. | | | | eventually becoming Bartmann's wife; they've |
| Bill Bartmann has experienced both extremes. | | | | been married now for 33 years. And, as |
| He has been a pauper, a millionaire, bankrupt | | | | further testament to her how savvy she is, |
| and a billionaire. | | | | she is his business partner, has been on the |
| | | | cover of Forbes and has been individually |
| It just shows that it's not your | | | | listed in the Forbes 400 wealthiest people in |
| circumstances that make an individual | | | | America. As you can tell Mrs Bartmann |
| wealthy. It's your mindset. He could lose | | | | deserves a story of her own but back to Mr |
| everything today and tomorrow he would simply | | | | Bartmann. |
| start to rebuild his fortune. | | | | |
| | | | It takes a diamond-hard resolve, an iron-clad |
| In a recent interview for Virtual Seminar | | | | self-esteem to endure the ups and downs that |
| Week, Alex Mandosian asked Bill Bartmann what | | | | he has experienced and earn the respect that |
| was in his view the key to success. Bartmann | | | | he has garnered from individuals as diverse |
| replied that he could sum up the key to | | | | as Mother Theresa, Mohammed Ali and Clarence |
| success to just one thing, something which he | | | | Thomas (U.S. Supreme Court Justice). |
| had identified at a young age. I held my | | | | |
| breath. This is what he said, | | | | Sure he's been tested. He's had his |
| | | | self-doubts, even bouts of depression - he |
| "All the successful people I knew in life had | | | | wouldn't be human otherwise. However, when |
| high self-esteem and all the losers had low | | | | your self esteem is strong and when you are |
| self-esteem." | | | | clear about your core values - the things you |
| | | | stand for and what you are unwilling to |
| Why was I expecting this billionaire to say | | | | compromise on - then you bounce back from |
| something different, more profound maybe? We | | | | these lows. And each time you bounce back |
| often complicate things unnecessarily. The | | | | just a little bit higher. |
| truth is often very simple and staring us in | | | | |
| the face as is beautifully and humorously | | | | Again, reinforcing the role that self-esteem |
| illustrated in Russell Conwell's Acres of | | | | or self-image plays in our ability to grow, |
| Diamonds. | | | | one just needs to take a look at the content |
| | | | of Bartmann's seminars. He doesn't teach |
| Also to quote Harv Ecker, | | | | people about the stock market, real estate or |
| | | | any other way to generate income. His |
| "You can have the greatest business | | | | seminars take a different approach, a more |
| strategies in the world but if you don't have | | | | fundamental approach. He knows and |
| the mindset to go along with them you won't | | | | appreciates the importance of self-esteem and |
| use them." | | | | the powerful tools he teaches are equable |
| | | | applicable to life as they are to business. |
| Our self-image drives everything that we do | | | | |
| and our self-image is inexorably linked to | | | | He promises "no tear-jerking or any tugging |
| our self-esteem and self-confidence. Improve | | | | at your emotions". Yet, how can you not be |
| your self-esteem and improvements in your | | | | emotionally moved by his story and is it not |
| life will naturally follow. Having a high | | | | by allowing ourselves to be swept away by the |
| self-esteem is indeed the key to success. | | | | emotional charge of this "rags to riches" |
| | | | tale that gives us hope that we too can |
| When Bartmann was growing up his self-esteem | | | | achieve great success in our lives? |
| was low. He gives credit to his childhood | | | | |