Billionaire twice over, 61-year old Donald Trump is still on top of his game with no plans to relinquish his position any time soon. Currently dealing with a shaky economy and a slumping housing market, homeowners can well use advice from this expert’s expert. In a Feburary 27^th interview with Martin Bashir of “Nightline” The Donald passed along these words of wisdom to those about to lose their homes to foreclosure:

"The biggest problem that I see in this country is that the bank will send, from a computer, a notice of default to a homeowner. And they'll say, 'Please leave the house in 10 days, and the homeowner doesn't know any differently. And they'll pack up their belongings from a house that they've lived in for 20 years and leave and they have no place to go. And it's a travesty." 

What should the homeowner do instead? “Call up the bank and negotiate,” Trump says. "If the bank is nice, they'll give them an extension, they'll give them lower interest, they'll cut something off the mortgage — they'll make it so it works. And if the bank is smart, they'll do that. If the bank isn't nice, fight the bank. Fight till the death."

Trump explains that, "the last thing the bank wants is a house." And he should know. Over the years, Trump has experienced his own financial crises. On a number of occasions he’s had to take creative, restructuring loans and give up hefty percentages of his enterprises to his financiers, in amounts that would crush most corporations.   

Besides his vast land holdings, this multi-billionaire has his finger in many pies, including: television shows both current and in development, a business university, a fragrance, and a board game. Diversified more than ever, he owns the Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants in collaboration with NBC, and he’s a best-selling published author with two Emmys to his credit. As testament to Trump’s financial wizardry, during the week I researched this article his net worth was quoted as $2.9 billion, and now, several days later, it has grown to $3 billion. For Donald Trump, a million dollar bank deposit is all in a day’s work. 

Love him or hate him, this business whiz has to be admired for his many accomplishments, and for his refusal to take defeat as an answer. Whether you dare to follow in his footsteps, or are merely hungry for success, his philosophy for risk-taking is worthy of consideration: jump off a cliff and grow wings on the way down.