You're Hired    by Bill Rancic Order:  USA  Can HarperCollins, 2004 (2004) Hardcover, CD, e-Book Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by J. A. Kaszuba Locke Even at age ten, Bill Rancic was an entrepreneur. He cooked pancakes for his Grandmother and her friends, gaining a $5.00 tip per plate. Of course, Grandma taught him how to cook, and she didn't know about the tips until Bill visited and served pancakes more than a few times! In high school Rancic restored and sold used cars. For a summer job, he and a partner established a boat wash and wax trade, and Bill later accepted a salaried position in commodity metals. A lucrative partnership named 'Cigars Around the World' was formed, and operated out of a studio apartment. The cigar mail-order business did well, later selling cigars in humidors on store counters, and leading to 'personalization' of the cigar bands for individuals and establishments. Real estate was next on the agenda for this ambitious individual - buying old buildings, renovating, and selling at a profit. The latter ventures were not without mishap as one of his renovation projects burned, gaining Chicago media attention. Rancic learned that having his own business, using ingenuity and negotiation skills, put him on the path to making money. His stated creed is 'Success in business is an attitude ... running businesses with humility, credibility, and adaptability.' Out of 215,000 competitors, Bill Rancic earned a place on The Apprentice, a TV show hosted by real estate mogul Donald Trump. Rancic persisted to the end of the competition, hearing the final declaration, 'You're Hired'. Those words gained Bill an annual salary of $250,000 to head a multimillion-dollar construction project in downtown Chicago, the Trump International Tower, which has a targeted completion date in 2007. You're Hired is an entertaining, and informative read about an enterprising individual, who is content with himself and not shy about taking risks. The reader becomes aware of an energetic, ethical, and ambitious man, gifted with a genius for establishing businesses, and generating income. In 'Lessons Learned' segments following the book chapters, Bill Rancic offers advisories On Leadership, On Values, On Strategy, On Success, and On Goals. Behind the scenes portrayals of The Apprentice competition and its competitors are candidly written. A few of Rancic's sidebar words of wisdom include, 'Be yourself, no matter what' and 'If you don't know something, ask'. Sound advice for whatever anyone chooses to do in life. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews