Ricardo Bellino, a young Brazilian entrepreneur is the personification of that self-made man who overcomes all odds and succeeds, fulfilling his American Dream.
The story of an unknown businessman from a faraway country who sells his idea to Donald Trump in just three minutes and becomes a partner of the legendary American billionaire is a business fairy tale come true.
It also shows that the Brazilian Dream, or the hope of building your own path towards success despite economic, social, cultural and historical obstacles that may seem impassable, is not just a dream. It can be a real possibility if you are willing to believe and try.
In his new book "You Have 3 Minutes", Bellino reveals the secrets behind successful negotiations and shows how intuition, persistence, creativity, communication skills and a good idea can work miracles – even for those who don’t have money, experience or a business network.
Bellino’s book describes a real life tale of entrepreneurial drive that shows us what can happen when the Brazilian Dream meets the American Dream.
On September 12, from 6 pm to 9 pm, McGraw-Hill will host a cocktail party at the Trump Tower (725 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y.) to celebrate the publication of You Have 3 Minutes! Learn the Secrets of the Pitch from Trump’s Original Apprentice by Ricardo Bellino.
Said Donald J. Trump, "I mentioned in my book Think Like a Billionaire that Ricardo Bellino had exactly three minutes to give me his business presentation. I was extremely busy that day and not particularly in the mood for a presentation, so I thought he might decline, which would free up my day a bit.
"Not only did he not decline, he gave me such a great presentation within those three minutes that we became partners. It’s surprising what people can do with a deadline."
Bellino’s Story
Brazilian entrepreneur Ricardo Bellino left College of Economics (Rio de Janeiro) in 1986 at the age of 21 to pursue an idea: install in Brazil a branch of Elite Models, at that time the largest modeling agency in the world.
Despite having no money, experience or contacts, Bellino succeeded. He not only brought Elite to Brazil but also initiated a very successful partnership with the legendary John Casablancas.
Throughout the years he has proven time and again to be a talented dealmaker. His others business ventures include the Brazilian version of the campaign organized by the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) to raise money for breast cancer research, which has been a media phenomenon in his country for the past ten years, exceeding the success of the original campaign.
He also created Webby Tookay, the first virtual top model in the world. One of his latest ideas was the construction of Villa Trump, the biggest and most exclusive golf condo in Latin America, which is about to be built in the outskirts of São Paulo.
The story of how he became Donald Trump’s first commercial partner outside the US was described in an article featured by The New York Times and has inspired the book You Have Three Minutes, which Bellino is now launching in America.
His other books are PDI – O Poder das Idéias (POI – Power of Ideas), Sopa de Pedra (Stone Soup) and Midas & Sadim (all of them published in Brazil by Campus/Elsevier).
Nowadays, Bellino is involved with his latest venture, Bellino’s Unlimited, a deal making company created to develop and finance new business ideas, and Inemp (acronym in Portuguese for Entrepreneurial Institute), an institution he founded to promote entrepreneurial activity in Brazil and abroad.
One of Inemp’s first initiatives is to organize the Latin American chapter of the world famous Entrepreneur of the Year award, in partnership with Ernst & Young. Bellino also gives lectures all over Brazil about his entrepreneurial stories, and writes a weekly column in the Gazeta Mercantil, the most prestigious financial newspaper in Brazil.
Bellino book’s key messages:
1. How to sell your idea in three minutes – or less.
2. Why first impressions are so important and how to create an excellent first impression on a potential business investor or employer.
3. How to approach a world famous tycoon like Donald Trump and capture his attention.
4. Learn from a successful businessmen how to use intuition to make snap decisions, find the best opportunities and close great deals.
5. How to sell your image and improve your communication skills.
