Am I Being Too Subtle?

The Adventures of a Business Maverick

By: Sam Zell

Narrated by: Sam Zell

The traits that make Sam Zell one of the world's most successful entrepreneurs also make him one of the most surprising, enigmatic, and entertaining mavericks in American business.

Self-made billionaire Sam Zell consistently sees what others don't. From finding a market for overpriced Playboy magazines among his junior high classmates, to buying real estate on the cheap after a market crash, to investing in often unglamorous industries with long-term value, Zell acts boldly on supply and demand trends to grab the first-mover advantage. And he can find opportunity virtually anywhere - from an arcane piece of legislation to a desert meeting in Abu Dhabi.

"If everyone is going left, look right," Zell often says. To him, conventional wisdom is nothing but a reference point. Year after year, deal after deal, he shuts out the noise of the crowd, gathers as much information as possible, then trusts his own instincts. He credits much of his independent thinking to his parents, who were Jewish refugees from World War II.

Talk to any two people and you might get wild swings in their descriptions of Zell. A media firestorm ensued when the Tribune Company went into bankruptcy a year after he agreed to steward the enterprise. At the same time, his razor-sharp instincts are legendary on Wall Street, and he has sponsored over a dozen IPOs. He's known as the Grave Dancer for his strategy of targeting troubled assets, yet he's created thousands of jobs. Within his own organization, he has an inordinate number of employees at every level who are fiercely loyal and have worked for him for decades.

Zell's got a big personality; he is often contrarian, blunt, and irreverent, and always curious and hardworking. This is the guy who started wearing jeans to work in the 1960s, when offices were a sea of gray suits. He's the guy who told The Wall Street Journal in 1985, "If it ain't fun, we don't do it." He rides motorcycles with his friends, the Zell's Angels, around the world and he keeps ducks on the deck outside his office.

As he writes: "I simply don't buy into many of the made-up rules of social convention. The bottom line is: If you're really good at what you do, you have the freedom to be who you really are."

Am I Being Too Subtle? - a reference to Zell's favorite way to underscore a point - takes listeners on a ride across his business terrain, sharing with honesty and humor stories of the times he got it right, when he didn't, and most important, what he learned in the process.

This is an indispensable guide for the next generation of disrupters, entrepreneurs, and investors.

©2017 Sam Zell (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"The notoriously blunt businessman shares the ups and downs of his career and the lessons he’s learned in business - with just a little profanity - in a new book, Am I Being Too Subtle?" (The Wall Street Journal)

"Here we have the real Sam Zell: one of our nation’s most interesting, provocative, and successful practitioners of business and life. He’s a wise man who hates fuzzy thinking. He is a biker, wearer of leathers and jeans and boots and his signature quirky beard. He points his skis straight downhill. You know, all the usual things that the few really smart (but not too smart for their own good) business people do." (Steve Roth, chairman and CEO of Vornado Realty Trust)

"A highly readable and revealingly personal book filled with unique insights and unvarnished straight talk about business, people - their quirks and potentials - and about life itself." (The Huffington Post)

some good lessons to be learned.

Some good lessons but stuffed with personal stories which are and relevant. Over all I enjoyed it

Great book for entrepreneurs

one of the better audio books I've listened too. Sam was awesome. great staory, easy to follow and inspiring.

Most enjoyable book I have ever experienced

I have loved the entire book -am I being too Subtle,
Sam Zell is a perfect example of a nice guy finishing first, I learned from my father Gerald J. Friedman of blessed memory business lessons as well and my father shared similar experiences in real estate investments and being Jewish and an immigrant son similarly as with Sam Zell, Sam Zell has made a difference and lives Shem Tov, I would like to meet Sam Zell one day thank you
Chip Friedman 757-718-8600 [e-mail] Virginia Beach Va

well done Sam. thanks for sharing

I found your book inspiring and motivational. certainly thinking of risk and opportunities in a better way.

Inspiring!

Sam makes me wish I was hiss age so I would have had a chance to interface with him on some level, his drive, honor and humbleness is amazing. God blessed him because of the way he did things, truly an amazing man!

Great Book!! Love Sam

As a long time Sam Zelle follower it was really great to finally read his book especially being from IL & starting “from the bottom” like him. Great stories about his life/experience and awesome look into his thought process.
@realestate_efrenortiz

Great Book About Being An Entrepreneur

I thought this was a great book about someone who was a true entrepreneur. Sam Zell was not an academic wizard but he knew people and how to get things done. I highly recommend this book for anyone (especially young people) interested in business. His thoughts on the basics of analyzing opportunities are very worthwhile. Also Sam’s thoughts on being fair to the person on the other side of the deal and developing trust and loyalty are great recommendations to keep in mind. I was sorry to hear of Sam Zella’s death but he (together with his former partner, Bob Lurie and Lurie’s family) made wonderful contributions in education and health care that will benefit many in years to come.

a transparent real estate billionaire

The transparency in which this billionaire provided into his business and personal struggles. I loved hearing Sam's voice telling his own story.

A seriously awesome book

I bought this book because I like investing in commercial real estate, but Sam’s book was so much more. You get an insight into who he was as a person and how he thought about life and business. He was actually a very funny and quirky guy, and his book was a fantastic read :)

Excellent story, but ....

If you could sum up Am I Being Too Subtle? in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating
Inspiring
Insightful

What was one of the most memorable moments of Am I Being Too Subtle??

The early chapters on Mr. Zell's parents, including their escape from Poland, are important and fascinating.

What didn’t you like about Sam Zell’s performance?

Mr. Zell has many fine qualities. A good, or even mediocre, speaking voice is not one of them. He should have chosen someone else - anyone else - to narrate the book.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Many fine moments. Hard to pick one.

Any additional comments?

I recommend you buy the book in other than audible form.