Ken Langone and the Generosity of Time
S.3 Ep.10
Langone came from nothing to become a founder of The Home Depot, but never forgot his roots. He's given staggering sums, but says his money isn't truly charity. Discover a refreshing outlook that proves you don't need riches in order to give richly.
About Ken Langone and the Generosity of Time
There's an old saying that money is like horse manure:
If it piles up, it smells. But if you spread it around, it grows things.
"I think that's pretty much Elaine's and my philosophy," says Ken Langone.
Ken is an investor and entrepreneur. He's known for launching public companies like Ross Perot's Electronic Data Systems and The Home Depot. Walk around New York City and you'll see Ken's name on impressive buildings, like New York University's Medical Center.
Make no bones about it: Ken's seen a lot of success. But each time his wealth increased, so did what he gave back. And while he and his wife, Elaine, have given enormous gifts — some in the hundreds of millions of dollars — he says there's something even more generous that you or anyone can give: Time.
"Charity is more than giving money," Ken says. "Charity is giving of yourself."
In this episode, Ken shares why he's so compelled to give back. You'll hear how he came from a poor upbringing to become so wildly successful, overcoming multiple setbacks. And you'll see why you don't need to have riches in order to give richly.
Want to learn more about Ken's story? Then check out his book I Love Capitalism! An American Story. In it, Ken takes you from his childhood growing up poor on Long Island to becoming one of the world's most successful businessmen. You'll get a whole lot more about Ken, his upbringing, and his philosophies about business and life.
Let's Celebrate: Those who give their time. Time is the great equalizer. We all only have so much of it. So anyone who's donating their time to a cause is far more generous than they realize. You can tell them thank you by…
Posting about it on our "Celebrate" page
Emailing their story to us at hello@crazygoodturns.org
Telling us about it @crazygoodturns on Facebook or Twitter
The story you send may end up in our newsletters — or even in a future episode.
Speaking of our newsletter…Here's why you should sign up for it now:
You'll stay current on all the good news we'll be spreading this season.
You'll receive doses of inspiration that will give your week a lift. And…
You'll become eligible for some of the gifts, goodies and other surprises we plan on putting out there this season.
Last year it was a $50,000 grant. This year…who knows what we have up our sleeve? Well, you will when you sign up here.
A Launch Pad To a Better Life