For What It's Worth: Business Wisdom from a Pawnbroker

by Les Gold

Businesses these days talk a lot about figuring out what the customer wants. Well, here’s your first the customer doesn’t know what he wants. This book is going to show you how to convince him he wants the thing you’re selling.
 
Les Gold has been in business since age twelve, when he started selling used golf clubs from his dad’s basement. Now he owns Detroit’s biggest pawnshop, American Jewelry and Loan, and is the star of the hit reality TV show Hardcore Pawn .
 
As a third-generation pawnbroker, Gold grew up in the business, dealing with cus­tomers who could be unruly and violent as often as they were friendly. He became good at selling just about anything and at buying items for what they were worth. Although he started at his family’s small pawnshop, he has now expanded into a fifty-thousand-square-foot former bowling alley, making a thousand deals a day.
 
On any given day, he could be taking a vin­tage car in to pawn or chasing down a thief who’s just stolen a gold chain from the store. No business school in the world can teach you as much about buying, selling, negotiating, managing employees, dealing with customers, advertising, tracking trends, and predicting the economy’s ups and downs.
 
In this entertaining, honest book, Gold takes you inside some of his weirdest, wacki­est deals and steals. From the monkey his dad once took in to pawn to the deal Gold made for a stripper pole, he has no boundaries for what he considers to be part of his business—and neither should you.
 
You will  
No place in the world prepares you better for the working world than a pawnshop, and Les Gold takes you inside his shop to share what he’s learned from fifty-five years in the most interesting job in the world.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business

224 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2013

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't own a business and probably never will, so at first Les's business tips seemed extraneous to me--I wanted to learn more about him, his family, and his business. But soon I realized he was slipping that background and those anecdotes in among the advice, and I was getting both what I'd bargained for (so to speak) and more. It's remarkable how successful he has been in the business given the lack of support he received from his own father, but beautiful to see how supportive and loving a dad and husband he has turned out to be. Interestingly enough, I find I've been recalling the business advice and insights quite a bit in the week following my reading the book!

[Madi Rietvelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

i binge watched hardcore pawn so i decided to try les’ book out and im not usually a big nonfiction/advice/motivational type book person but this was well done and it gave some more insight into his life and the show.

[Papillon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this book only 2 stars because a lot of it is unrelatable, for me at least. It was very slow-going in the beginning. If you give it a chance, it does get interesting. Les Gold has had a pretty interesting life. There are several life lessons to be had in this book. My biggest takeaway is that you have to believe in yourself and family ALWAYS comes first. The best thing I got from this is that if you get knocked off that horse, maybe find a different horse and jump back up on that sucker because it's going to be great when you and your new horse pass the old one laughing.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like many, I first became aware of the author through his TV show, "Hardcore Pawn." From the show, I was always impressed with how he patiently negotiated with irritating people from "the hood" and always kept his cool. The book makes it clear this guy has a doctorate in street smarts, and does an excellent job of telling us where he is from, how he got to where he is, and what he learned along the way. This is a great bio mixed in with concrete tips on how to go further in life. Common sense isn't so common any more and I like how he breaks things down to some basic core principles by which he lives and runs his business. I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to others.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.
I've watched some episodes of 'Hardcore Pawn' and Les Gold is a real character. I love the way all the family and staff interact with each other.
Les Gold writes his book as though he were in the room telling you about his life in person. He's straight and I like the way he says he treats his staff--more like partners and colleagues than just people who just work for him.
I also like the way Les describes his early life with his father, LG, his mother and his maternal grandparents. It was his maternal grandfather, Popsie, that encouraged Les the most. Les is also seemingly very appreciative of the support his wife Lili continues to give him.
A really good read. Not all the advice in the book may be relevant to everyone, but it gave me an insight as to how I could be a more confident and productive member of the team I work in.
Les says, basically, that you need a certain amount of self belief to get to where you want to be. You mustn't be afraid of the rejections and to be told no once in a while. Those situations can serve to make you stronger and more determined.
Family is everything to Les and I think that's the best thing.

[Anthony Messina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook: good advice and an interesting look at pawn broking

[chucklesthescot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grabbed this book because I have ofter sat slack jawed in front of the TV watching 'Hardcore Pawn'. The people that go into that shop all seem to be weird or psychotic plus his son and daughter's blazing rows can be pretty entertaining!

However, this is actually a mixture of the unhappy childhood of Les growing up with the father from hell, and a self help business guide for those who want to follow in his footsteps. It's not a book about the show.

I liked what he had to say about his most valued employee being his janitor, his life lessons, it's not a DIET it's a lifestyle change etc.

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

For What It's Worth, Les Gold reveals more than just practical advice-he gives solid action steps to creating a better life (if you want to), through emotional mastery, living with and pushing past fear and finally, shows how real success comes through compassion and service.

A cross between Neville Goddard and Napoleon Hill. Yes, that's a surprise as I have watched every episode of Hard Core Pawn. This book has a lot to offer.

[Copa Digato · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple read, redundant but still good advice all around. Les opens up about his childhood, his competitive father and ever loving grandfather Popi and his own transition to being a father. He talks about the show hardcore pawn and explains how he always had the passion to flip the negative image of the pawn shop and discusses his methods on doing so.

[Jason Weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, good insight for business owners, and a great story of how Les always was selling something from a kid to a now 60something year old man!

[Umberto · Rating 1 out of 5]

Its a bunch of random little stories mostly

mentions the fact that the online portion started by his son represents 15% of the business...three times.

Overall just did not really hold my attention.

[Stanley Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got some useful ideas out of it.

[Cullen Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little read for any salesperson hungry for next level and the mindset behind conquering 'fear.'