What I wanted was to be allowed to do the thing in the world that I did best - which I believed then and believe now is the greatest privilege there is. When I did that, success found me.

Don't stop at the first no. You have to be a risk taker. If there weren't room for creativity, the patent office would close down.

All I need as payment is a smile. That just really pushes me forward so that I'm always capturing the next opportunity to develop myself.

My role is to coach, encourage, inspire, motivate, and help people.

Never give up. The bankers and financial people did not take me seriously initially. Everyone thought I would fail. My attitude was that 'No' is an unacceptable answer when it comes to financing.

What really fueled me, and maybe infuriated me, is that nobody believed in me. Nobody. I don't even think I believe in myself. Part of what I was trying to do was to make the decision to go into business and find the guts to see it through. I was told that when I went in to see the bankers that I was supposed to be very muted, that I was supposed to blend in, that I was supposed to have the typical drab suit on.

No is an unacceptable answer. I'm allergic to no.