On being goofy in business: Why do I do it when few others do? Because I don’t have a bean-counter mentality.

On potential business ideas: 1. It has to be a tangible product. 2. It has to be a product that almost everyone wants, like food, shelter, clothing or transportation. 3. I look for a niche or a hook to pull away from the pack.

On competition: I get fired up for something I find challenging. I wouldn’t want to compete against me.

On his worst business failure, Hardi Hat storage sheds: I’d already sold millions of dollars in pots and pans. Why couldn’t I close a deal on a $298 shed? Everyone loved them, but no one wanted to assemble them.