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Simplemente Rich
Rich DeVos es un destacado empresario que empezó su fortuna desde cero hasta convertirse en billonario. Hombre de familia y devoto cristiano, filántropo, conferencista internacional y autor de bestsellers —pocos famosos personifican el corazón del espíritu empresarial como Rich DeVos. Sencillamente Rich es una narración sincera de su recorrido, desde sus orígenes humildes hasta donde se encuentra actualmente; comparte desde su primera venta, siendo apenas un niño de la mano de su abuelo en los tiempos de la Depresión, hasta los increíbles resultados de su gigantesco éxito conocido a lo largo y ancho del planeta. Nos muestra cómo nunca se detuvo ni ante el más sencillo o complejo de sus retos hasta ver sus sueños convertirse en una realidad que fue más allá de sus propias expectativas. Rich DeVos aprendió desde su niñez acerca de la importancia del liderazgo y del significado de conformar una sociedad próspera y dinámica con el socio adecuado. DeVos creció en una familia originaria de Holanda que emigró a Michigan durante la época de la Depresión. Y fue allí, durante la escuela, donde conoció a su compañero de clase y vecino, Jay Van Andel, quien se convirtió en su mejor amigo y eventualmente en su socio de negocios de toda la vida. Su amistad perdurable dio inicio desde su adolescencia a diversos intentos para ser dueños de su propio negocio y su incansable anhelo por lograrlo los llevó a convertirse en los dueños fundadores del éxito internacional que en la actualidad es Amway. Inspirador, cautivante y lleno de corazón, Sencillamente Rich es la impactante historia de lo que representa pasar de unos comienzos humildes a la grandeza que muy pocos triunfadores logran alcanzar. A través de sus increíbles logros, tanto en los negocios como en su vida personal, por su asombrosa fe y generosidad, DeVos revela el verdadero significado del éxito.
288 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2014
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772 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 12, 2018
Rich DeVos is a great businessman, but even more importantly, he's a great man. In this memoir Rich recalls his first jobs as a young man, the lessons about business and life he learned from his parents, his grandparents, his church, and his community. The story of Rich and Jay and their many business ventures over 50 years together is more than a great business story, it's a lesson in friendship and loyalty. Throughout the book Rich speaks of the values and attitudes it takes to succeed in life. He promotes hard work, compassion for others, and the free enterprise system.
February 20, 2024
Я вже розповідала про цю книгу раніше, вона неймовірно надихаюча, тепла і дуже легко читалась ! Моя родина повʼязана з цією книгою і я вдячна, що Річ зі своїм другом колись створили потужний міжнародний бізнес з неймовірним цінностями та можливостями, в мене купууу заміток з цієї книги, які я можу застосувати в абсолютно різних сферах!
amway робить масштабні подорожі для тих хто досягає крутих результатів в бізнесі, я думаю це відбувається саме через те, що річ з його другом мали постійну жагу подорожувати і досліджувати світ 🌍
amway робить масштабні подорожі для тих хто досягає крутих результатів в бізнесі, я думаю це відбувається саме через те, що річ з його другом мали постійну жагу подорожувати і досліджувати світ 🌍
March 31, 2014
This is an encouraging memoir. He writes about the events in his life that have most shaped who he is today. He talks about his Dutch heritage, his friendship with Van Andel, starting Amway, becoming a motivational speaker, buying the Orlando Magic, his heart transplant and sailing the world. He is very open about his faith, affirming that he trusts in Jesus for his salvation. He is also open about his patriotism and political work. This is an open and honest memoir and is very encouraging. He reminds us that concentrating on helping others make their live better is the key to success.
See my full review at http://bit.ly/1hpyyoG.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
See my full review at http://bit.ly/1hpyyoG.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
April 20, 2019
A really good book to understand the co-founder of Amway. A lot of detail that his family will enjoy being able to read, and the Amway faithful will love. For me, it was detail I didn't really need.
It is nice to see a man not shy about his Christianity nor his wealth, use his wealth in such positive and Christian ways--not that he's using it to push Christianity, but that he's using his wealth for the service and betterment of humanity.
We could use many more people like Rich DeVos in this world. At least the one portrayed in the book!
I don't know any more about him that what I've read in this book, and admittedly an auto-biography is a very biased bit of material.
It is nice to see a man not shy about his Christianity nor his wealth, use his wealth in such positive and Christian ways--not that he's using it to push Christianity, but that he's using his wealth for the service and betterment of humanity.
We could use many more people like Rich DeVos in this world. At least the one portrayed in the book!
I don't know any more about him that what I've read in this book, and admittedly an auto-biography is a very biased bit of material.
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July 5, 2025I don’t know if I was a born salesman
reading Tom Sawyer and other classic literature
He read the same authors I talk about today— Norman Vincent Peale and Dale Carnegie.
The Japanese have bombed Pearl Harbor!” That’s how I found out about the war on December 7.
No cars were manufactured after the 1941 models came out. Materials ranging from paper and rubber to metal and food were in short supply because so much was needed for the war effort.
I titled my speech “What Does the Future Hold for the Class of 1944?” My father helped me rehearse in front of a mirror, coaching me on diction, gestures, where to pause, and which words to emphasize.
I told him I lived just a couple of blocks from him and asked if I might be able to catch rides with him to school. He was an enterprising type as well and said to me, “Why don’t you give me twenty-five cents a week to help pay for gas?”
Jay and I were an unlikely pair, but had we never made the attempt to befriend someone who outwardly might appear to be different from ourselves or acted different from ourselves, we never would have discovered how much we thought alike.
WHEN I WAS JUST twenty, I bought an airplane. I didn’t even own a car
My military pay was sixty dollars a month
The airport was eventually completed, but in the meantime, Jay and I constructed our own building at the site for a second business that was unrelated to aviation. We put up a twenty-four-by-twenty-four-foot wooden prefabricated building—we’d found a kit at a home show that included instructions and all the parts. We unpacked all the parts, followed the directions, nailed the pieces together, installed the electrical wiring, and ended up with the building that would house our next new business: the Riverside Drive Inn. Because our planes had to be grounded before dark, our jobs ended each day just before sunset. Rather than waste our evening hours, we thought opening a restaurant would be a way to make some extra money from people who worked at the airport, kept planes there, or simply drove there to watch airplanes.
We had no tables for indoor dining and served all our food on trays that we delivered outside to cars.
We bought an ice-cream vending business from a man who had about a dozen pushcarts he wanted to sell. We bought his carts and hired students during the summer to peddle Fudgsicles and paddle pops to kids in the neighborhoods. We also arranged with charter boat owners to offer fishing excursions on Lake Superior.
we were running low on fuel and landed our seaplane on a small lake in Northern Michigan. the lake was too small to allow us enough distance to build up the speed required for takeoff. We ended up tying the plane’s tail to a tree, and while one of our pilots revved the engine, Jay cut the rope, and the revving plane shot forward and lifted off the water to just barely clear the treetops on the other shore.
vitamin supplements, and the multilevel marketing plan was a new concept.
many Chinese suffered from osteoporosis because they drank little milk.
Realizing his product would require an explanation of its ingredients and benefits, he decided to sell his supplements himself rather than through stores. He started his own route of customers, and then recruited more salespeople, and within four years he named his company Nutrilite Products, Inc., and reported annual sales of $24,000.
We put ads in papers inviting people who might be interested in our products and our business opportunity and booked conference rooms in hotels or other public halls. Our presentations included a short film on nutrition. Jay typically welcomed our prospects, ran the projector, and answered questions.
Our sales pitch was simple. “Just try it. People say it helps them feel better. Just try it for a year and see what happens.” Out of twenty calls we might get four who were interested and maybe one who would buy. We always tried to convince each new customer to sign up for twelve months to give DOUBLE X a fair trial. Once a person was a customer, we explained to them the benefits of becoming a distributor. So not only were we approaching everyone we knew; our distributors were approaching everyone they knew and so on as they sponsored distributors.
The name American Way Association eventually became a little too long to handle, so we kept that name for the board and operated as a company under the shortened name Amway.
reading Tom Sawyer and other classic literature
He read the same authors I talk about today— Norman Vincent Peale and Dale Carnegie.
The Japanese have bombed Pearl Harbor!” That’s how I found out about the war on December 7.
No cars were manufactured after the 1941 models came out. Materials ranging from paper and rubber to metal and food were in short supply because so much was needed for the war effort.
I titled my speech “What Does the Future Hold for the Class of 1944?” My father helped me rehearse in front of a mirror, coaching me on diction, gestures, where to pause, and which words to emphasize.
I told him I lived just a couple of blocks from him and asked if I might be able to catch rides with him to school. He was an enterprising type as well and said to me, “Why don’t you give me twenty-five cents a week to help pay for gas?”
Jay and I were an unlikely pair, but had we never made the attempt to befriend someone who outwardly might appear to be different from ourselves or acted different from ourselves, we never would have discovered how much we thought alike.
WHEN I WAS JUST twenty, I bought an airplane. I didn’t even own a car
My military pay was sixty dollars a month
The airport was eventually completed, but in the meantime, Jay and I constructed our own building at the site for a second business that was unrelated to aviation. We put up a twenty-four-by-twenty-four-foot wooden prefabricated building—we’d found a kit at a home show that included instructions and all the parts. We unpacked all the parts, followed the directions, nailed the pieces together, installed the electrical wiring, and ended up with the building that would house our next new business: the Riverside Drive Inn. Because our planes had to be grounded before dark, our jobs ended each day just before sunset. Rather than waste our evening hours, we thought opening a restaurant would be a way to make some extra money from people who worked at the airport, kept planes there, or simply drove there to watch airplanes.
We had no tables for indoor dining and served all our food on trays that we delivered outside to cars.
We bought an ice-cream vending business from a man who had about a dozen pushcarts he wanted to sell. We bought his carts and hired students during the summer to peddle Fudgsicles and paddle pops to kids in the neighborhoods. We also arranged with charter boat owners to offer fishing excursions on Lake Superior.
we were running low on fuel and landed our seaplane on a small lake in Northern Michigan. the lake was too small to allow us enough distance to build up the speed required for takeoff. We ended up tying the plane’s tail to a tree, and while one of our pilots revved the engine, Jay cut the rope, and the revving plane shot forward and lifted off the water to just barely clear the treetops on the other shore.
vitamin supplements, and the multilevel marketing plan was a new concept.
many Chinese suffered from osteoporosis because they drank little milk.
Realizing his product would require an explanation of its ingredients and benefits, he decided to sell his supplements himself rather than through stores. He started his own route of customers, and then recruited more salespeople, and within four years he named his company Nutrilite Products, Inc., and reported annual sales of $24,000.
We put ads in papers inviting people who might be interested in our products and our business opportunity and booked conference rooms in hotels or other public halls. Our presentations included a short film on nutrition. Jay typically welcomed our prospects, ran the projector, and answered questions.
Our sales pitch was simple. “Just try it. People say it helps them feel better. Just try it for a year and see what happens.” Out of twenty calls we might get four who were interested and maybe one who would buy. We always tried to convince each new customer to sign up for twelve months to give DOUBLE X a fair trial. Once a person was a customer, we explained to them the benefits of becoming a distributor. So not only were we approaching everyone we knew; our distributors were approaching everyone they knew and so on as they sponsored distributors.
The name American Way Association eventually became a little too long to handle, so we kept that name for the board and operated as a company under the shortened name Amway.
October 4, 2024
Mình đã đọc cuốn tự truyện Becoming của phu nhân Michell Obama, một người mang tư tưởng của đảng Dân chủ. Và cuốn sách này của Rich, viết dưới tư tưởng và một người Kito giáo ủng hộ đảng Cộng hòa. Mình đã cảm nhận được phần nào sự khác biệt trong quan điểm và tư tưởng giữa hai đảng lớn nhất của nước Mỹ xa xôi.
Về câu chuyện và thông điệp mà Rich gửi gắm qua cuốn sách này là động lực cho những người trẻ như mình sống mạnh mẽ hơn, dám bước ra khỏi vùng an toàn và trải nghiệm những điều không tưởng. Mình thấy rất thích quan điểm của ông, giúp người khác thành công sẽ trở nên thành công. Bên cạnh đó, sự lạc quan và thái độ biết ơn mọi biến cố trong cuộc sống của ông cũng để lại ấn tượng lớn cho mình khi đọc cuốn sách này. Nhất là tinh thần yêu nước và biết ơn nền tự do của đất nước cũng được tác giả nhận mạnh qua xuyên suốt cuốn sách.
Tuy nhiên, có một số điểm mà mình cảm thấy hơi cấn một chút khi đọc là quan điểm của tác giả về chiến tranh, nhất là cuộc chiến ở Việt Nam. Theo như cảm nhận của mình, tác giả cho đó là cách nước Mỹ chống lại chủ nghĩa phát-xít, và xem việc tham chiến tại Việt Nam là cách người Mỹ yêu nước. Vậy những đau thương mất mát, những điều kinh hoàng mà chiến tranh để lại cho Việt Nam thì sao? Tác giả ngợi ca nền kinh tế tự do ở Mỹ nhưng lại không công nhận sự thật rằng chiến tranh đã khiến cho Việt Nam đau thương, thiệt hại và lạc hậu như thế nào.
Nhưng dù sao đây cũng là một cuốn tự truyện về thành công trong kinh doanh và cuộc sống, nên mình nghĩ nó vẫn là một cuốn sách hay.
Về câu chuyện và thông điệp mà Rich gửi gắm qua cuốn sách này là động lực cho những người trẻ như mình sống mạnh mẽ hơn, dám bước ra khỏi vùng an toàn và trải nghiệm những điều không tưởng. Mình thấy rất thích quan điểm của ông, giúp người khác thành công sẽ trở nên thành công. Bên cạnh đó, sự lạc quan và thái độ biết ơn mọi biến cố trong cuộc sống của ông cũng để lại ấn tượng lớn cho mình khi đọc cuốn sách này. Nhất là tinh thần yêu nước và biết ơn nền tự do của đất nước cũng được tác giả nhận mạnh qua xuyên suốt cuốn sách.
Tuy nhiên, có một số điểm mà mình cảm thấy hơi cấn một chút khi đọc là quan điểm của tác giả về chiến tranh, nhất là cuộc chiến ở Việt Nam. Theo như cảm nhận của mình, tác giả cho đó là cách nước Mỹ chống lại chủ nghĩa phát-xít, và xem việc tham chiến tại Việt Nam là cách người Mỹ yêu nước. Vậy những đau thương mất mát, những điều kinh hoàng mà chiến tranh để lại cho Việt Nam thì sao? Tác giả ngợi ca nền kinh tế tự do ở Mỹ nhưng lại không công nhận sự thật rằng chiến tranh đã khiến cho Việt Nam đau thương, thiệt hại và lạc hậu như thế nào.
Nhưng dù sao đây cũng là một cuốn tự truyện về thành công trong kinh doanh và cuộc sống, nên mình nghĩ nó vẫn là một cuốn sách hay.
August 10, 2017
Cuốn sách là tự truyện của Rich DeVos, đồng sáng lập tập đoàn bán lẻ đa cấp Amway. Nhìn chung hơi thất vọng về nội dung cuốn sách khi có vẻ mang phong thái đa cấp, hô hào, truyền cảm hứng nhiều, nhưng nội dung thực chất cụ thể cần phải làm gì để thành công, ông Rich DeVos đã làm gì để xây dựng Amway thì không nhiều. Đọc tới mấy chương cuối lại càng có cảm giác nhàm chán vì đây như một cuốn sách khoe khoang về các thành tích ông ấy đã làm được.
Điểm tốt của cuốn sách là kể về một số sự kiện khá hay ho mà ông DeVos đã từng làm, như ngay hồi trẻ hai người bạn học đã tự lái xe chu du trên nước Mỹ để bán hàng, hay như khi tự sắm một con thuyền để tự đi du lịch biển ở xa.
Đánh giá chung về cuốn sách chỉ đáng 2 sao đối với mình vì không đọng lại được bài học gì thiết thực lắm, và mình cũng không thích cách hô hào truyền cảm hứng phong cách đa cấp như quyền này.
Điểm tốt của cuốn sách là kể về một số sự kiện khá hay ho mà ông DeVos đã từng làm, như ngay hồi trẻ hai người bạn học đã tự lái xe chu du trên nước Mỹ để bán hàng, hay như khi tự sắm một con thuyền để tự đi du lịch biển ở xa.
Đánh giá chung về cuốn sách chỉ đáng 2 sao đối với mình vì không đọng lại được bài học gì thiết thực lắm, và mình cũng không thích cách hô hào truyền cảm hứng phong cách đa cấp như quyền này.
April 13, 2023
This book is so interesting. I could learn many things from Rich, the multi-level Empire (Amway ) helped me have an insight view in Wholesale. Nutrilite is the key product that led Amway to become legendary in their industry and its ethical, honest spirit of Rich has maintained this success to now. Through Rich's stories, Devos Family symbolizes freedom, liberty, and happiness. His acumen, taking risk spirit, and integrity are compassionate to everyone day by day, year after year, surpassing any complicated problem from his environment of old Nutrilite. However, the last part of the book, wasn't interesting to me by overly specific details about family culture because his mindset has huge differences from Asian family culture.
February 5, 2020
Một cuốn sách hay, thực tiễn. Câu chuyện kể về toàn bộ quãng đời của Rich Devos một cách ngắn gọn. Nhưng không vì ngắn mà nó thiếu những câu chuyện nhỏ sinh động, đầy màu sắc về cuộc sống và con người của ông. Từ những trải nghiệm thủa bé đến những hoài bão tuổi thanh niên, đến những nỗ lực kinh doanh suốt cuộc đời. Tất cả đều thể hiện được các phẩm chất quý giá ở con người ông. Với niềm mong muốn mạnh mẽ được giúp đỡ người khác, cộng với niềm tin và ý chí mạnh mẽ, rất nhiều thứ đã tạo nên một con người doanh nhân đáng kính trọng.
2020.4 sao.
2020.4 sao.
May 23, 2020
I wanted to learn more about the Amway Corporation and what it stood for. This book was recommended for me to do that. It’s simple and straight-forward in its writing. Rich DeVos’ life story as it became and grew from Amway. I appreciated his humility and generosity of spirit. As someone with more Democratic than Republican leanings, I also appreciated understanding this party from a somewhat less partisan perspective. Overall good read. Not literary or full of conflict, but still inspiring.
October 17, 2021
What a fantastic life of overcoming, perseverance, and integrity DeVos led! I can't believe everything he had to go through and how positive he stayed through it all. This book definitely makes me want to reevaluate how I pursue things in my own life and to maintain a positive and overcoming outlook as I chase my own dreams. I highly recommend this book to anyone who just needs a little faith that they can move on in whatever goal they are pursuing.
June 7, 2019
Great book!
Absolutely inspiration. Rich DeVos led an incredible life and learned many lessons along the way which he shares in these pages. He lived a values based lifestyle and there’s so much to learn from how he became successful and focused on serving other people, God, and country.
Absolutely inspiration. Rich DeVos led an incredible life and learned many lessons along the way which he shares in these pages. He lived a values based lifestyle and there’s so much to learn from how he became successful and focused on serving other people, God, and country.
October 25, 2019
What an incredible man. If you really want to understand what hard work, a value system, and putting others first looks like, read this book. If you are skeptical about the network marketing company, Amway, read this and it will enlighten you. Very inspiring. I give praises to anyone who has the guts to go out and make a better life for themselves by enriching the lives of others. Great book!
January 28, 2020
Absolutely phenomenal book. The pages illustrate the values that Rich DeVos and his partner and friend Jay Van Andel brought to their friendship, families, Amway, and the world. A must read for anyone wanting insight to the values that run the Amway organization and its journey to success.
October 29, 2020
Más bienaventurado es dar que recibir, creo que esto es lo que resume este libro autobiográfico, porque muestra la esencia de lo que el añadir valor a los demás, a tu comunidad, puede representar, aún en medio de una sociedad egoísta, el éxito no es solo dinero, es trascender en las vidas de otros
April 17, 2018
Fascinating personal account of the trials tribulations & perseverance building a global company & staying true to personal values.
February 18, 2020
Informative and inspiring
I thought I’d just be reading a story book about someone’s life and instead go to read a story filled with life principles to live by
I thought I’d just be reading a story book about someone’s life and instead go to read a story filled with life principles to live by
July 23, 2020
Great life story of a successful billionaire and I enjoyed the old stories
January 31, 2022
Beautiful book. Easy read. It's nice to read about people with integrity.
October 20, 2023
A watered down, glossed over account of something I believe to be a pyramid scheme.
November 11, 2024
Tremendous stories of overcoming
February 11, 2025
Хареса ми как е написана и, че успях да се пренеса в живота на този велик човек.
March 15, 2017
The first time I saw this book was only a month after the released in the US. It was a big deal for me, I want to buy it. At that moment, books was still a big investment for me. Time passed by, and it suddenly came up to me by surprise. During a particular seminar, his name appeared on the projector. So I realized once again about this book. Suddenly, within a week someone I know little about him lend this book to me. And I’m so grateful and thankful for his dedication. Well, it was quite an interesting story. He had been a war veteran, a business owner, a sailor (even set sail from the East Coast to the Caribbean), a heart transplant patient, Orlando Magic's owner (he even drafted Shaquille O'Neal)
Thank you P' Wit
Thank you P' Wit
February 13, 2017
ALL OF US are the product of our own cultural legacies, the environment surrounding us, the era in which we live and the opportunities arising from such factors combined. There is no such thing as a self-made man. “No one-not rock stars, not professional athletes, not software billionaires, and not even geniuses-ever makes it alone." (Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell).
What makes "Simply Rich" such an interesting and enjoyable read to me is how Rich Devos validates exactly this simple and yet powerful truth.
He talks about his Dutch legacy where faith in God, in family close-knitness, in community bonds and in hard work are traditional values passed down for generations, from far-flung ancestors to his immigrant grandparents and finally to him.
As a child, he grew up in an environment where he would ride in his grandpa's fruit cart every day around the neighborhood, where before each meal the family would pray in gratitude for the generosity of God, where with the absence of technologies parents and children would talk and listen to each other and where little Richard witnessed first-hand tenacity and optimism when his family fought its way through the Great Depression.
Such upbringing instilled in him great qualities for POTENTIAL SUCCESS . He was always full of positivity and optimism. He worked hard. He cared for other people and genuinely wanted to help them succeed.
And yet, as Rich Devos himself always emphasizes, he would not have been able to achieve such stellar success with Amway had it not been for the favorable conditions, the amazing opportunities and the perfect timing. His generation grew up in a prosperous post-war America whose victory brought about a general sense of optimism and an economic boom. He met Jay Van Andel who happened to be not only his best friend but also his business partner with whom he share the vision of Amway. The inception of their business coincided with the rise of consumerism. They pioneered in direct selling when the industry itself was still a myth. Most importantly, Rich Devos enjoyed strong support and encouragement from his family and friends.
Put all these pieces together, it becomes quite clear how he has come to where he is today.
Yet, what I truly admire about this man are his humility and his desire to give back to society. He always attributes his achievements to the support from others instead of taking all the credits. He always plans ahead for charity, rather than "rummaging in the pocket" to see what is left to give away.
What makes "Simply Rich" such an interesting and enjoyable read to me is how Rich Devos validates exactly this simple and yet powerful truth.
He talks about his Dutch legacy where faith in God, in family close-knitness, in community bonds and in hard work are traditional values passed down for generations, from far-flung ancestors to his immigrant grandparents and finally to him.
As a child, he grew up in an environment where he would ride in his grandpa's fruit cart every day around the neighborhood, where before each meal the family would pray in gratitude for the generosity of God, where with the absence of technologies parents and children would talk and listen to each other and where little Richard witnessed first-hand tenacity and optimism when his family fought its way through the Great Depression.
Such upbringing instilled in him great qualities for POTENTIAL SUCCESS . He was always full of positivity and optimism. He worked hard. He cared for other people and genuinely wanted to help them succeed.
And yet, as Rich Devos himself always emphasizes, he would not have been able to achieve such stellar success with Amway had it not been for the favorable conditions, the amazing opportunities and the perfect timing. His generation grew up in a prosperous post-war America whose victory brought about a general sense of optimism and an economic boom. He met Jay Van Andel who happened to be not only his best friend but also his business partner with whom he share the vision of Amway. The inception of their business coincided with the rise of consumerism. They pioneered in direct selling when the industry itself was still a myth. Most importantly, Rich Devos enjoyed strong support and encouragement from his family and friends.
Put all these pieces together, it becomes quite clear how he has come to where he is today.
Yet, what I truly admire about this man are his humility and his desire to give back to society. He always attributes his achievements to the support from others instead of taking all the credits. He always plans ahead for charity, rather than "rummaging in the pocket" to see what is left to give away.
November 20, 2016
"The only way to increase the wealth of the nation is to increase the business of the nation." (Rich DeVos, Simply Rich, Page 278)
Currently the 88th richest person in the world, billionaire Rich DeVos, shares his life and business, in this his memoir.
Rich DeVos is a totally self-made billionaire. He did not inherit any money from family. His parents and family worked hard, but were not rich. Forbes gives Rich DeVos a score of 10 out of 10, in respect to being self-made, which is the highest score you can obtain.
Rich DeVos grew up in a dutch neighbourbood, where he worked and went to school. He met his wife and longtime business partner in this neighbourhood, Van Andel. They started many ventures together before starting AMWAY. Some of those ventures included a pilot school and a fast food restaurant. After these small ventures, they got involved in multi-level marketing Nutrilite, a vitamin supplement. It was slow going at first, but overtime, they began to succeed in selling this product. They later bought Nurtrilite and the rest is history. They started selling home cleaning supplies and then got into manufacturing.
You will find that their greatest business didn't come from America, but actually came from China and Russia...communist countries.
Part of this book in my opinion was either to recruit distributors or assure distributors that a bright future is ahead for AMWAY.
You could tell the author knows he will die soon and wanted to write this book to the next generation.
Weaved throughout this book are keys to success and it is worthy of being read. One of my favourite quotes in his book concerning wealth is the following:
"When you have wealth you have a lot of options, When you're poor, you simply don't have many options..." (Page 185)
Currently the 88th richest person in the world, billionaire Rich DeVos, shares his life and business, in this his memoir.
Rich DeVos is a totally self-made billionaire. He did not inherit any money from family. His parents and family worked hard, but were not rich. Forbes gives Rich DeVos a score of 10 out of 10, in respect to being self-made, which is the highest score you can obtain.
Rich DeVos grew up in a dutch neighbourbood, where he worked and went to school. He met his wife and longtime business partner in this neighbourhood, Van Andel. They started many ventures together before starting AMWAY. Some of those ventures included a pilot school and a fast food restaurant. After these small ventures, they got involved in multi-level marketing Nutrilite, a vitamin supplement. It was slow going at first, but overtime, they began to succeed in selling this product. They later bought Nurtrilite and the rest is history. They started selling home cleaning supplies and then got into manufacturing.
You will find that their greatest business didn't come from America, but actually came from China and Russia...communist countries.
Part of this book in my opinion was either to recruit distributors or assure distributors that a bright future is ahead for AMWAY.
You could tell the author knows he will die soon and wanted to write this book to the next generation.
Weaved throughout this book are keys to success and it is worthy of being read. One of my favourite quotes in his book concerning wealth is the following:
"When you have wealth you have a lot of options, When you're poor, you simply don't have many options..." (Page 185)
October 16, 2016
Goodreads First Reads Giveaway Book.
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Simply Rich: Life and Lessons from the Cofounder of Amway: A Memoir is an autobiography of Rich DeVos, an American billionaire businessman and owner of the Orlando Magic NBA basketball team.
In this book, DeVos discusses his life, his business and his faith that were the foundation of his financial successes. Interesting in this local boy makes it big from Depression-era Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the inspiration he received from his grandfather, a popular door-to-door salesman. Also early in his life, he developed a strong friendship with Jay VanAndel, a friendship and business partnership that lasted a lifetime. With VanAndel, DeVos peddled Nutilite, a dietary panacea, a sales concept that would expand into the American Way Association, known today as Amway.
Through Amway, DeVos and his business partner sold people on the multilevel marketing concept, and grew the company internationally. A few years ago, several of his salespeople took him to court, claiming that their multi-level marketing was a pyramid scheme or some other illegal scheme that required its salespeople to purchase products from high-level distributors. Settled out of court for millions and resulted in changing some of its business practices, this issue was legally resolved. Yet, from reading this rags to riches story made me think that this book was just an elaborate way to justify Devos’s business practices and explain how great his philanthropic support was to his hometown of Grand Rapids.
Simply Rich was an interesting book just for Amway employees or residents of Grand Rapids. I doubt it would be of interest to others.
------------------------------------
Simply Rich: Life and Lessons from the Cofounder of Amway: A Memoir is an autobiography of Rich DeVos, an American billionaire businessman and owner of the Orlando Magic NBA basketball team.
In this book, DeVos discusses his life, his business and his faith that were the foundation of his financial successes. Interesting in this local boy makes it big from Depression-era Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the inspiration he received from his grandfather, a popular door-to-door salesman. Also early in his life, he developed a strong friendship with Jay VanAndel, a friendship and business partnership that lasted a lifetime. With VanAndel, DeVos peddled Nutilite, a dietary panacea, a sales concept that would expand into the American Way Association, known today as Amway.
Through Amway, DeVos and his business partner sold people on the multilevel marketing concept, and grew the company internationally. A few years ago, several of his salespeople took him to court, claiming that their multi-level marketing was a pyramid scheme or some other illegal scheme that required its salespeople to purchase products from high-level distributors. Settled out of court for millions and resulted in changing some of its business practices, this issue was legally resolved. Yet, from reading this rags to riches story made me think that this book was just an elaborate way to justify Devos’s business practices and explain how great his philanthropic support was to his hometown of Grand Rapids.
Simply Rich was an interesting book just for Amway employees or residents of Grand Rapids. I doubt it would be of interest to others.
February 20, 2024
A nice insight and journey of life, of seemingly one of, if not the pioneer and driver of the network marketing business model. I respect and admire his willingness to always be him and speak proudly of his faith and beliefs - especially seeing the expansion and massive global growth of his company- nowadays that may be discouraged or not seen as “politically correct” - yet here is sound evidence of how far and wide one can go being true to themselves. Also his upbringing and younger adult life was fascinating- again fantastic reminders of an age and respect amongst people that is not as common or even forgotten today.
To Our Continued Success!
Seemy
Waseem.tv/Blog
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P.P.S 😅 - You probably noticed from my profile that I’ve reviewed a LOT of books over the years now - if you love seeking knowledge like me I’d love to connect with you further as a like minded person (send me a friend invite! 😀) - Also if you are curious - here is my preferred and recommended resource for seeking timeless wisdom - Check it out via the website invite link below 👇🏼 (You’ll be able to claim some awesome books for free 📚)
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To Our Continued Success!
Seemy
Waseem.tv/Blog
👆🏼 P.S -
If you found this review helpful - I’d like to invite you to discover more on our blog. Where the community share some of our most important insights to level up each others knowledge 💡- from experience in studying books like this, training programs, podcasts and much more - visit the blog link above to find out more.
P.P.S 😅 - You probably noticed from my profile that I’ve reviewed a LOT of books over the years now - if you love seeking knowledge like me I’d love to connect with you further as a like minded person (send me a friend invite! 😀) - Also if you are curious - here is my preferred and recommended resource for seeking timeless wisdom - Check it out via the website invite link below 👇🏼 (You’ll be able to claim some awesome books for free 📚)
https://Waseem.tv/GoodReadsBookInvite
August 6, 2015
Pokud Vás zajímá příběh úspěšného a čestného člověka, jehož jediným životním cílem bylo žít naplněný život a pomáhat lidem udělat to samé, pak je úplně jedno co si myslíte o Amway a MLM. Prostě si tuhle knihu musíte přečíst.
Půjčím si citaci z jednoho webu: "Kniha Vás seznámí s historií společnosti i s překážkami, které museli zakladatelé firmy Amway v průběhu uplynulých 50 let překonávat. Dotýká se i některých kontroverzích témat, avšak díky tomu, že poskytuje ucelený pohled do zákulisí fungování firmy Amway a nabízí i historické souvislosti, přináší spolu s tím i logická a jednoduchá vysvětlení některých zdánlivě kontroverzních situací, ke kterým v průběhu více než 50 let existence společnosti Amway došlo."
Půjčím si citaci z jednoho webu: "Kniha Vás seznámí s historií společnosti i s překážkami, které museli zakladatelé firmy Amway v průběhu uplynulých 50 let překonávat. Dotýká se i některých kontroverzích témat, avšak díky tomu, že poskytuje ucelený pohled do zákulisí fungování firmy Amway a nabízí i historické souvislosti, přináší spolu s tím i logická a jednoduchá vysvětlení některých zdánlivě kontroverzních situací, ke kterým v průběhu více než 50 let existence společnosti Amway došlo."
July 11, 2014
Whether you like the company or not, you can't argue DeVos' inspiring story. He started with absolutely nothing in the 1950s, and in 2013 profited $11.8 billion. Numbers don't lie. If you can mute your skepticism for a moment, you'll learn some timeless life lessons from a man who -really- knows how to persevere in hard times and love people anyway. He paints in great detail not just the highs, but all of the not so glamorous parts of his life as well. I finished his book refreshed and encouraged - elusive qualities these days.
January 23, 2015
"Be a Life Enricher" and "You Can Do It!" Great Book full of #Perspective and #Mindset from a Billionaire in the Worlds #1 Direct Selling Company. From Growing up in Pre-WWII to building a company to growing the community to having Heart Surgery and Traveling the World. Not Enough People Know the Impact He's Had on Some Many of Our Lives without even Knowing it. #Leadership #WeAreAmway
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