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With recession gripping large parts of the world, companies and individuals face bankruptcy on a daily basis. However, this doesn’t mean it’s the end: a number of famous entrepreneurs, world-renowned for their acumen, have actually overcome bankruptcy. All of the entrepreneurs on this list refused to throw in the towel and concede defeat. And most of them bounced back from the brink, going on to become even more successful than they were before trouble hit.

We list 10 millionaire entrepreneurs who bounced back from bankruptcy.

10. Stan Lee (1922–)

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Thanks to a number of cameo movie and television appearances, comic book crusader Stan Lieber, better known as Stan Lee, has become almost as much of a pop culture icon as his superhero co-creations – which include the X-Men, Spider-Man, Thor, Iron Man, and the Hulk. But while these characters have gone on to ride high at the movies in recent years, and Marvel has become the highest-grossing movie franchise ever, things weren’t always so rosy for Lee.

Lee worked at Timely Comics (which later evolved into Marvel Comics) as a proofreader and inkwell filler. There, he impressed his colleagues and was promoted to comic book writer. He later became the face of Marvel Comics and lived the good life in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Having previously worked for Marvel as an editor, Lee served as a publisher for the company from 1972 to 1996.

In 1998, with lawyer Peter Paul, Lee created new online marketing and production company Stan Lee Media. However, the company ran out of funds when the dot.com bubble burst in the early 2000s, and Lee was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. He fought back, though, co-forming POW! Entertainment and infiltrating the pop cultural subconscious with several high-profile cameo appearances, including a 2002 role in The Simpsons.

In 2006, Lee was honored by Marvel with a string of one-shot comic appearances as himself. In 2007, Marvel brought out a Stan Lee action figure. And in 2012, at a San Diego comic convention, 90-year-old Lee publicly declared his new YouTube channel Stan Lee’s World of Heroes.

9. Walt Disney (1901–1966)

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With such a well-known legacy, it’s perhaps no surprise that Walt Disney left behind a wealth of rumors in his wake – including the idea that he was cryogenically frozen and stored under the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. While tales of mouse infestations overrunning his earlier businesses – including one particular mouse named Mickey – may never be proven, other details of Disney’s back-story are true. Before the animated Mickey, or even his predecessor Oswald the Rabbit, young Walt Disney’s “Newman Laugh-O-Grams” had become well loved in Kansas City, enabling the entrepreneur to start his own studio, which he named Laugh-O-Gram.

Disney’s financial sense was soon put to the test, though. Despite early popularity, the studio’s rapid employment of animators was too much for the business to sustain. Eventually, immense debt forced the company into bankruptcy and left Disney penniless. However, these events were to change the face of movie studios forever.

Joining forces with his brother, Disney left for Hollywood, hoping that the industrial heartland of movies would provide a better backdrop for his ambitions. Together, the pair formed the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in 1923. And today, revenue-wise Disney’s company is the biggest media conglomerate in America.

8. George Foreman (1949–)

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George Foreman’s résumé is impressive: he’s been the world heavyweight boxing champ twice, he’s won an Olympic gold medal, and he’s a successful entrepreneur, a Baptist minister and an author. The oldest heavyweight champion in history, Foreman has enjoyed a formidable boxing career. But it’s his checkered financial track record that contributed to his second comeback in 1987.

In the late 1980s, having squandered a fortune, Foreman filed for bankruptcy. Yet even so, his successful return to the ring earned him millions. What’s more, he said his comeback was down to healthy eating, which is a claim that made him the perfect candidate for Russell Hobbs Inc.’s new fat-reducing grill. His endorsement of the world-famous George Foreman Grill led to phenomenal sales of over 100 million units in 15 years.

Foreman’s full fortune has never been revealed, but it’s speculated that he has earned over $200 million from the deal, which is much more than he earned during his time in the ring.

7. Clarence Saunders (1881–1953)

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The grocery cooperative that Clarence Saunders set up when he moved to Memphis in 1902 changed the world. Saunders’ experiences of watching smaller grocers fail due to overheads and credit problems led to his legacy as the developer of the modern self-service retail sales model. He established principles that created the supermarkets we know today, but his career was far from plain sailing.

In 1916, Saunders established the new self-serving Piggly Wiggly grocery chain, and he patented the idea of the “self-serving store” in 1917. Piggly Wiggly was a tremendous financial success that eventually grew to 2,660 stores. But in 1922 the chain was de-listed from the New York Stock Exchange amid monopoly concerns, and Saunders left, bankrupted by a legal battle that cost him $3 million.

Saunders bounced back with the Clarence Saunders Sole Owner of My Name Stores (Sole Owner for short), which grew to 675 stores by 1929, generating $60 million in the process. When the Great Depression reared its head, however, Sole Owner was bankrupted – in 1930. Saunders continued working on formats for the fully automated store until his death in 1953. But still the legacy of his vision lives on.

6. Henry J. Heinz (1844–1919)

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In 1875, Henry J. Heinz was a partner in successful condiment-producing company Heinz Noble & Company. However, he was bankrupted by harvest complications that caused dramatic increases in payroll and procurement expenditures. According to Heinz, before the age of 31 his prolonged efforts to save the business had made him ill with stress. And the effects stayed with him for many years.

Within a few months of the bankruptcy, Heinz joined his brother and cousin with a $3,000 investment and formed a new business: F & J Heinz. The company blossomed, and Heinz bought his partners out, reshaping the company as the H. J. Heinz Company, which went on to become a multibillion-dollar success story.

Heinz’s business enterprise flourished under his leadership, setting progressive company benchmarks in the process. These included safe food preparation and working with the Food Administration, free medical care for employees, recreational facilities and educational opportunities like libraries, free concerts, and lectures.

5. Henry Ford (1863–1947)

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Henry Ford is famous for his approach to business. And his mantra, “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black,” is one of the most legendary lines in the history of free enterprise. Still, Ford’s business mind didn’t always overrule his love of cars.

As a mechanic and engineer, Ford launched the Detroit Automobile Company in 1899. However, his perfectionist attempts to hone his craft plus constant fiddling proved too much for the fledgling business, and the company was bankrupted in 1901 – after Ford had produced just 20 cars.

The company was restructured as the Henry Ford Company and went on to great success, eventually changing its name to the Cadillac Automobile Company. All the same, Ford had left by then, and he went on to set up the Ford Motor Company in 1903. Then in 1908 Ford proceeded to launch the Model T Ford, widely regarded as the world’s first affordable car.

4. William C. Durant (1861–1947)

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William C. Durant came from a family of astute businessmen. His maternal grandfather was a lumber and railroad magnate, and his father was an accomplished banker and stock speculator. As a teenager, Durant dropped out of high school to work at his grandfather’s lumberyard, and he was soon using his family’s money to gain leverage in other companies. In 1904, he even saved the Buick Manufacturing Company from bankruptcy and helped it to become a leading automobile firm.

In 1908, Durant used $2,000 of his own money to found General Motors (GM), instantly setting up a stock offering that generated $12 million in less than a fortnight. However, he was pushed out in 1910 when his business policies left the company overstretched.

Undeterred, Durant bounced back and went on to form Chevrolet and then Durant Motors. Yet Durant Motors was his last automobile company, as the Great Depression obliterated his early success. Durant’s rollercoaster finances left him bankrupt at the age of 75, and he and his wife were supported by a pension provided on behalf of General Motors until his death in 1947. Even so, the companies Durant started live on, and his name is still synonymous with financial success.

3. Phineas Taylor Barnum (1810–1891)

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P. T. Barnum is a name long associated with entrepreneurial showmanship. As a young man, Barnum had already owned a number of varied businesses, but it was when he moved to New York in 1834 that he began his career as a showman. With the purchase of a museum and theatrical shows, as well as tours overseas, he built a successful business empire.

That said, by 1856 Barnum found himself bankrupted by poor investments. Yet although deeply indebted, his solution was typically entrepreneurial. He embarked on a lecture tour that forged the way for further successes, including the creation of America’s first aquarium.

At the age of 61, Barnum entered the circus business for which he’s best known. And, already a celebrity, he cemented his fame as a player in his own shows. Throughout his life, Barnum worked as an author, publisher, philanthropist, and a politician, but he always said, “I am a showman by profession.”

2. Milton S. Hershey (1857–1945)

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Milton Hershey was born in Derry Township in Pennsylvania and grew up working hard on the family farm. He stopped schooling in fourth grade, but a lack of education didn’t prevent him from succeeding. The young Hershey spent six years establishing a confectionery business in Philadelphia using the experience he had gained from a candy- and ice-cream maker apprenticeship. But even the help of his mother and aunt couldn’t save the business from going bankrupt in 1882.

Hershey then moved to Denver just as a three-year depression hit the city. And in 1883 he moved to New York, where another attempt at a confectionery business failed in 1886. Still, returning home penniless changed his life.

Hershey soon set up the Lancaster Caramel Company and at last saw the success for which he had been so desperate. By 1894, he was one of Lancaster’s most affluent residents, but his story was far from over. Convinced chocolate was the way forward, in 1900 Hershey sold his caramel business for $1 million and formed the Hershey Chocolate Company. Then in 1918, after his wife’s death, he bequeathed his fortune and company to the Milton Hershey School, which Hershey and his wife had established in 1909. That gift was valued at $60 million.

1. Donald Trump (1946–)

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Love him or hate him, Donald Trump is one of the most famous businessmen in the world. His empire spans hotels, resorts, finance, golf course development, and entertainment – including world-famous series The Apprentice. On the back of his outspoken nature and well-known right-wing political views, Trump even entered the realm of politics in 2010. His stature as a successful businessman is undeniable, but his route to the top is perhaps even more impressive.

Trump started working for his father’s rental housing company, Elizabeth Trump & Son, while he was at university. Then in 1971, he took the company’s reins and changed its name to The Trump Organization. Nevertheless, in 1989 a series of bad decisions left Trump without the money to pay off his loans. And by 1991 his new company was left bankrupt.

To avoid costly legal fees, Trump chose to restructure his debts. What’s more, he succeeded, facing the late ‘90s with renewed financial success and renown. Currently, his net worth is believed to be between $2.9 billion and $7 billion.

We narrow down the choices for you with our picks for the Top 30 Business Blogs of 2012. The categories are separated by specific business related occupations.

General Business Information

1. Harvard Business Review: A place to glean from some of the greatest minds in business today. Use this site as a jumping off point to multiple sources of world class information.

Highlight: The Best Advertising is Sincere

2. Bloomberg Business Week: With articles covering a broad scope of business focused careers, this online magazine will help take your professional ventures to the next level.

Highlight: No CPR, and Six Other Terrible Workplace Policies

3. The Guardian: This UK based business blog gives an all-important international perspective on business news.

Highlight: Banking reform: should we ringfence the banks or break them up?

4. Business 360: Up to the minute news and videos on the international business climate. This site combines the medium of blogging with news reels and more.

Highlight: City With the Most Billionaires Is…

5. World Business Chicago: Hear from the staff of this Chicago based company on a variety of business based subjects such as operations and marketing.

Highlight: Turning Information into Visualization

Finance/Accounting Blogs

6. Financial Times: The business blog from the Financial Times offers information on strategy and managing from two of the newspaper’s associate editors, John Gapper and Andrew Hill.

Highlight: Why a dunce’s cap for bankers doesn’t fit

7. The Wealth Report: The Wall Street Journal brings you a fascinating look into the finances of super wealthy families.

Highlight: Do the Wealthy Work Harder Than the Rest?

8. Calculated Risk: Author Bill McBride gives daily information on the current financial situation in America. This site was picked by Time.com as the economic blog that you need to be following.

Highlight: Update: Seasonal Pattern for House Prices

9. Accounting Coach: A great starting point for someone looking to enter the field of economics. The blog covers topics for the novice student as well as for the seasoned expert.

Highlight: What is periodicity in accounting?

10. Grumpy Old Accountants: Two accounting professors, Anthony H. Catanach Jr. and J. Edward Ketz, started Grumpy Old Accountants to weigh in on their field of expertise. Ketz has stepped down from contributing, but Villanova University professor Catanach maintains this insightful blog.

Highlight: Guesstimating Credit Losses

Small Business/Entrepreneur Blogs

11. Young Entrepreneur: Find stories of young adults who are making it big in business and get advice on how you can do the same.

Highlight: How Today’s Young Female Entrepreneurs Embrace Their Feminine Mystique

12. Small Business Entrepreneur Blog: The founder and CEO of Axilus Services presents entrepreneurship interviews and relevant information on starting your own business.

Highlight: 5 Ways You Can Have More Work/Life Balance With The Internet

13. The Small Business Blog: Founded by CEOs of self-built small businesses, the small business blog is the place to find answers to your small business questions.

Highlight: Desperately Seeking Support For Your Business? 3 Tips For Finding It Without Blowing Your Budget!

14. Blogtrepreneur: This popular website guides you through the process of incorporating technology and social media into your business model to help make your start-up a success.

Highlight: How to Hire the Right Developer to Get Your Business off the Ground

15. Startup Nation: This blog, written by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, is committed to giving you all you need to know about starting your own business.

Highlight: 7 Press Release Sins – Are You Guilty?

PR and Marketing Blogs

16. PR Squared: Todd Defren brings you conversations about marketing and social media.

Highlight: Breaking Stuff Without Breaking The Bank

17. Chris Brogan: The CEO of Human Business Works and co-author of New York Times best seller “The Impact Equation” shares with you his best ideas and stories.

Highlight: Bring Immense Value to the Picnic

18. Holtz Communication and Technology: Accredited Business Communicator, Shel Holtz, brings 35 years of organizational communication experience to his blog readers. The site aims to better meld together business and technology.

Highlight: Blogs rise, social media investment levels off among the fastest growing companies

19. Strategic Public Relations: Detailing how you can use social media and the internet to grow your business.

Highlight: Content Marketing Lessons from Facebook, Twitter & Google

20. The Bad Pitch Blog: This award winning blog will keep you updated on all the inside news coming from the field of PR.

Highlight: Last Minute, Non-Profit Pitch Rakes in Coverage

Human Resources Blogs

21. HR Blogger: A resource website bringing together the best HR blogs into one place for your convenience.

Highlight:  About HR Blogger

22. Evil HR Lady: Suzanne Lucas will answer all of your HR questions and help you demystify your Human Resources Department.

Highlight: Does Telecommuting Hurt Your Career?

23. Good to Know: Get the inside scoop from job recruiters on how not to act when applying for a job.

Highlight: The Funny Things Candidates Send Us

24. Employment Law Information Network: This straightforward contribution is a must-read for any Human Resources representative looking into their legal rights.

Highlight: Supreme Court Holds That 3rd Party Retaliation Exists…But When?

25. Never Mind the Manager: A blog about leadership, coaching, motivation, and fun at work. Helping you help your employees reach their full potential.

Highlight: Employee Engagement and Motivation – You can’t afford it.

Sales Blogs

26. The Sales Blog: The chief officer of a staffing firm writes about adventures in the new art of sales and sales management.

Highlight: Be Exceptional at What Is In Your Control

27. Selling in the 21st Century: Business coach and sales consultant Rick Roberge offers his advice to those interested in becoming “21st Century Sales Rock Stars.”

Highlight: Sales/Goal Lesson from “Silver Linings Playbook”

28. Jeffery Gitomer’s Sales Blog: Expert advice and online training for anyone who is looking to make it in the field of sales. This is also a great place to look for webinars.

Highlight: Selling at any level. The only difference is YOU!

29. Sharon Drew Morgan: This visionary in the field of sales provides you with case studies and reviews to help guide your decision making skills.

Highlight: Selling In Harder Times

30. Score More Sales: This blog combines skills, tools, and stories to get you the sales revenue that you desire.

Highlight: Optimism Is Required in Sales

General Resources

Each country will have its own resources, but one of the best ones for those working in the US is the Securities and Exchange Commission.

• US Securities and Exchange Commission – the SEC is the US government’s body dedicated to regulating markets and investments. It requires public companies to disclose information as required by law. They oversee brokers, investors, markets, advisors, and funds. Their website includes forms, regulations, news, and information for investors and those involved in litigation.

Blogs

There are blogs focused on nearly every aspect of accounting. Here are some of the best sites and what they do.

• Axiom CPA – Axiom is a small accounting firm based in Florida and focusing mainly on small businesses. Their blog focuses on lessons for effectively running businesses, meetings, and interacting with clients.
• Brumley’s Blog – Scott Brumley is a CPA who works with individuals on preparing tax returns and on audits. His blog provides concise and helpful information on tax laws, requirements, and deadlines along with suggestions.
• CPA Blogger – This blog covers a wide range of accounting issues. They have posts focused on students and education, including resources to help learn accounting. They also blog about audits, firms, finance, and taxes. The authors participate in many community-oriented projects, and they feature updates about these projects on the blog as well.
• Don’t Mess With Taxes – Written by Kay Bell, a professional journalist focused on taxes and finance, this blog takes a journalistic perspective on finance. She presents accessible and often humorous posts about taxes and their relationship to current issues. The blog has won awards for its presentation.
• Empower Your Business – Written by a CPA, this blog focuses on advice to small and medium sized businesses regarding taxes and finance.
• Fraud Files Blog – This blog, updated daily, focuses on those who have violated tax law. It discusses court cases, fraud, scandals, and scams. In addition to the overview of current news related to these topics, the blog discusses ways that companies get themselves into this kind of trouble. For example, they explain how pyramid schemes or fraudulent accounting practices are implemented.
• Golden Practices Blog – This blog offers advice to CPAs, financial advisors, consultants, and lawyers about the best practices they can use to building good relationships with clients and growing their businesses. The topics frequently focus on marketing, but are geared specifically to those working in financial services.
• Leadership Notebook – Mary Werner, who helped found an organization called CPA Consultants’ Alliance, writes this blog. Its main concern is with leadership and building effective relationships, and it has a focus on accountants and their relationships with clients.
• It’s Taxing – Bond Beebe, Accountants & Advisors maintain this blog. They are based in the Washington, DC area, and offer advice for individuals and small businesses about current issues in tax laws, accounting, and finance.
• Phil Hogan’s Blog – Phil Hogan is a chartered accountant with Hutcheson and Co. based in Canada and operating in the US and Canada. His blog frequently takes questions from users on Twitter, and answers them. Those generally focus on personal tax advice, often for people who live and work both in the US and Canada.
• Accounting Coach – This blog tries to teach accounting through a question and answer format. Mosts post titles are formatted as questions and the posts are concise responses designed to teach the tax law behind them.
• Small Business Blog – Cherry, Bekaert & Holland is a well established CPA firm representing businesses. They blog largely about updates to laws that might affect small businesses.
• Social CPAs – This site is geared toward CPAs. It discusses social media and how CPAs can leverage it to improve brand recognition and increase revenue.
• Tick Marks – Austin Peay State University faculty member David Meyer writes this blog. It discusses taxes and accounting, and often presents this in the context of government news.

Journals and Magazines

For those interested in peer reviewed content, particularly focused on theory and research, there are a number of journals available with a variety of foci.

• Journal of Accountancy – This journal is published by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. They publish articles on a broad range of topics, including financial reporting, auditing, taxes, accounting, financial planning, ethics, legal issues, and other topics. It has over 386,000 subscribers.
• International Journal of Accounting – A mix of academic and professional authors and audience members, this journal aims to increase the understanding of accounting theory and practice for these audiences. They cover a range of issues with a particular interest in the role of accounting issues in an increasing globalized economy.
• CPA Journal Online – The CPA Journal is published by the New York State Society of CPAs. Geared toward accounting professionals, it prints accessible articles on a wide range of accounting practices and related issues.
• International Journal of Accounting and Finance – IJAF is directed not just to practitioners, but also academics, policy makers, and regulators. It publishes new research along with news and commentary. Topics of focus include international and financial accounting, taxes, education, auditing, and ethics.
• The Accounting Review – Accounting Review is the Journal of the American Accounting Association. It has a largely academic focus, publishing new research with an emphasis on research methodology. The target audience includes academics, graduate students, and other professionals interested in research.
• Journal of Accounting Research – JAR is another academically focused journal, published by the Accounting Research Center based at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. It publishes empirical research, experiments, and field studies in accounting. Topics include accounting theory, taxes, auditing, and application areas, such as environmental accounting.
• Journal of Accounting and Economics – This journal focuses on the application of theory to accounting problems. They consider articles about the role of accounting in organizations, accounting standards, theory, and regulation.
• Accounting Today – This online magazine for the accounting industry offers late-breaking business news, tax information, commentary, and resources. The site includes text articles and podcasts. With a free membership, readers can receive updates via email.

Educational Resources

Accounting students are lucky in that the web offers a lot of sites to supplement their formal education. Here are a few of the best sites to look at for accounting education help.

• Middle City Accounting Tutorials – The free tutorials provided on this site are designed to supplement the lessons that would standardly be covered in college accounting courses. It includes lessons on financial statements, accruals and deferrals, merchandising, assets and depreciation, equity, liabilities, and cash flows to make a few. Some of the tutorials include videos, quizzes to test your knowledge, and important keywords.
• Bean Counter Accounting – The Bean Counter site is designed to teach readers the basics of bookkeeping. Topics include property rights, debits and credits, recording transactions, how to keep a general ledger and journal, and financial statements. Lessons include quizzes and games along with skill tests.
• Wanna Learn Accounting Tutorial – This site is a collection of pointers to other online resources, tutorials, and books on accounting.

Societies and Professional Organizations

Professional groups help build the culture around a profession. Because accounting is international and has so many sub-areas, there are a number of large, well established, and standard setting organizations.

• American Accounting Organization – Originally founded in 1916, this organization is for individuals interested in accounting education and research.
• American Institute of CPAs – AICPA is a world wide organization of accounting professionals, with over 386,000 members in 128 countries. They are the world’s largest accounting organization. They have several publications. They also set ethical standards for the industry and define auditing standards for all market sectors.
• International Accounting Standards Board – This board maintains the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation, which sets the standards for financial reporting around the world. They monitor the acceptance and compliance with these standards, with an eye toward the unique needs of emerging markets.
• Financial Accounting Standards Board – This group sets the standards for financial accounting among non-governmental organizations. Their standards are recognized by the Securities and Exchange commission and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
• Institute of Internal Auditors – This professional organization of internal auditors brings together accountants who work on risk management, governance, education, security, and internal auditing.

Apps

Smart phone apps are a way to bring professional or educational support with you wherever you go. These are some of the best apps for CPAs and students.

• Accounting Today – This iPhone app brings content from the popular accounting magazine to your phone or iPad. It includes news from the magazine, a searchable archive of magazine issues, audio and video features, and social sharing features.
• Accounting Principals – This app connects people with a comprehensive list of accounting jobs in North America. It is created and maintained by its namesake organization, Accounting Principals, which is a recruiting firm focused on finance and accounting professionals.
• Becker’s CPA Mobile Flashcards – For students, this app is a must have. It provides a large set of terms that students need to memorize for the CPA exam. It lets users sort and filter cards to create exercises, and allows them to track their progress as they learn.
• Accounting Terms – When working in a field as technical and jargon filled as accounting, it can often be difficult to explain information to non-professionals. This app is designed to improve communication between accounting professionals and their clients. It is useful for students to learn better communication techniques and for professionals who want to improve their interview skills and interactions with customers.
• CPA Exam Aid – This is a comprehensive guide for students preparing for the CPA exam. It includes information on the FAR, AUD, BEC and REG tests. Provided by the AICPA, it features fourteen hours of exercises, progress tracking, and information, along with features to support interaction with other users.
• 2012 Tax Reference Info – A great reference for students and professionals, this app provides fast access to information for the current tax year, including tax rates, contribution limits, deductions, gifts, and more.

Journals, Websites, and Magazines

Business Journal Inc.: The website for Business Journals Inc, a company that publishes twenty-eight custom magazines and five business to business journals.

Harvard Business Publishing: Harvard Business Publishing is a wholly owned subsidiary of Harvard University. Harvard Business Publishing serves the needs of educational institutions, corporations and independent managers. Their primary publication is the Harvard Business Review.

Ivey Business Journal: The Ivey Business Journal is a management focused journal from the Richard Ivey School of Business and features progressive articles from world leaders in management.

L.A. Business Journal: A Los Angeles focused weekly journal that keeps L.A. businesses and business people apprised of news, events and other information pertinent to the L.A. business community.

Inc: Inc. is a print magazine and website with topical articles that span every aspect of entrepreneurship from startup to running, managing and marketing your business.

Entrepreneur: Another print magazine with corresponding website, Entrepreneur Magazine is one of the best resources available for anybody starting a business or thinking about it.

Business and Finance: For 45 years Business and Finance has been providing insightful articles, commentary and analysis of the Irish and international business community.

Forbes: One of the major business magazines in the world encompassing Forbes, Forbes Life, and Forbes Asia. Forbes is one of the top resources for news, analysis and commentary on international business.

Business Week: Business Week, a Bloomberg L.P. company is one of the primary methods by which its parent company executes its mission; to provide up to the minute quality information and analytics to business professionals worldwide.

Fast Company: Fast Company offers a unique focus on innovation, technology, ethical economics (ethonomics) leadership and design. Fast Company seeks to distill the knowledge of business leaders and innovators for its readers.

The Economist: The Economist was founded in 1843 to support free trade. The top publication for those looking for fact based editorials about the effect of economic policy on business.

Money Magazine: CNN Money covers the larger picture in the business world and incorporates news and analysis for business professionals, and articles on financial strategy, money management techniques and other issues.

Sports Business Journal This global journal covers the world of sports business and publishes the two leading daily trade publications that cover the business of sports.

Conferences and Trade Shows

allconferences.com: A comprehensive website that lists thousands of business conferences around the world divided by discipline, covering all categories and sub-categories of the business world.

International Business Form Conferences: A series of conferences catering to healthcare professionals and businesses pursuing clean technology and also featuring a corporate venturing and innovation conference.

American Business Conferences: This company produces business conferences covering everything from technology innovation to resource management, sustainability, business strategy and marketing.

Opportunity Green: A conference focused on englightening attendees about sustainable green practices and innovation that will allow businesses to embrace the cutting edge, outside the box technology behind sustainability.

IQPC: A worldwide conference organizer with conferences running the gamut from the food and beverage industry to mining, telecoms, infrastructure, defense and more.

Inc Events: Inc runs several conferences throughout the year focused on company growth, leadership, and business ownership. Inc also has its own business awards ceremony.

The Conference Board: The Conference Board is a global association devoted to business research and working in the public interest. They have conferences with a variety of themes.

Sports Business Daily: A global journal that is devoted to sports business news; Sports Business Daily also holds many conferences every year with the goal of advancing the business of sports.

Growthcon: Entrepreneur Magazine’s annual Growthcon is a conference devoted to helping entrepreneurs of all stripes grow their businesses and achieve success.

Research Organizations and Think Tanks

Women’s Business Research: A research organization devoted to providing woman business owners with data driven knowledge that will advance the impact of them as individuals and their businesses as a whole across the board.

SustainAbility: This think tank and strategic advisory firm is devoted to advancing the sustainable philosophy among businesses in a way that will be beneficial to the businesses themselves and society as a whole.

AEI: The American Enterprise Institute is a private, non-partisan, non-profit, think tank devoted to the cause of liberty, individuality and free enterprise. AEI also seeks to educate on government, politics and economics.

IEA: The U.K. based Institute of Economic Affairs is a research organization that produces reports, books, and papers on all areas of economic policy. Their policy experts often contribute to newspapers and consult for other media outlets.

Brookings: Brookings has been ranked the #1 most influential, think tank in the world in a University of Pennsylvania based report. The think tank conducts research, comments on economic policy, and serves myriad other purposes.

The Cato Institute: The Cato Institute is a public policy think tank devoted to individual liberty and free markets. Cato is one of the top sources for a conservative approach to economic policy.

CEPR: The Center for Economic and Policy Research was established in 1999 with the goal of providing a forum for discussion and debate on the most important social and economic issues of today.

ERC: Britain’s oldest economics think tank, the Economic Research Council’s focus in on extending the influence of economic education throughout the country and the world.

The Peterson Institute for International Economics: This international economics research institute is one of the formost research firms in international economics. IEE analyses the economic state of economies in all stages of development.

UFE: United for a Fair Economy is a national, independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank devoted to educating people on the ideal that concentrated wealth and power undermine the economy.

Associations

APICS: The Association for Operations Management is the leading association for operations and supply chain management worldwide. APICS offers superior, internationally recognized training and a worldwide professional network.

ABM: The Association of Business Information and Media Companies was founded in 1906 and has consistently been at the center of the international business to business economy.

GBCHealth: GBCHealth is committed to harnessing the power of the international business community with the goal of building a healthier world. The organization uses the combined power of members to address international health issues.

GMIC Global: The Green Meeting Industry Council has a unique and specific focus. This focus is primarily achieving sustainability in the many thousands of business conferences and meetings.

WORLDCOB: The World Confederation of Businesses is one of the leading associations in the global business community. WORLDCOB is committed to excellence in providing education and resources the executives and businesses worldwide.

The Carbon Collective: An association devoted to government and business working together in synergy to explore opporunities in limiting human impact on climate change and to develop solutions that benefit both the environment and businesses.:

National Business Association: This non-profit association is committed to the ideal of helping the self employed and small business community achieve success and realize their professional goals.

Blogs

Harvard Business Review Blogs: This is the blog portion of the Harvard Business Review website. The site links to blog posts from the HBR community and provides readers with a centralized location from which they can access posts of interest.

CNN Business Blogs: CNN has a network of business bloggers and this is the main page of that network which links to the blog postings of the individual bloggers ensuring that users have access to up to date and relevant posts.

Consumerism Commentary: Consumerism Commentary is a blog devoted to personal financial principles and strategies to enable people to embrace lifestyle ideals that can significant increase their financial potential both personally and professionally.

Duct Tape Marketing: This is a small business marketing blog attached to a marketing and consulting firm that specializes in small business marketing strategies. The blog was chosen as Forbes magazine’s favorite marketing and small business blog.

Biz Sugar: This is a business blog website that tracks blogs and posts all updates from relevent blogs in one convenient place. Blogs range from marketing-centric to blogs on the benefits of cold calling and more.

Business Blogs Hub: This blog site has a long list of business bloggers (each with their own bio), it posts the most relevent and popular posts to the main page and you can select any author that writes an article you appreciate and find other articles by them.

Young Entrepreneur Blogs: This is a blog network for up and coming entrepreneurs to give and seek advice on the best methods for starting and maintaining a successful business.

Entrepreneur Magazine Blogs: This network of business blogs from Entrepreneur Magazine offers some very good advice in regard to starting and running your own business.

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News and Information

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Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal iPad app offers users all the best coverage from the award-winning journal without the print subscriptions. All people need to do is to download this iPad app and enjoy their favorite parts of the journal such as the Opinion, What’s New, Money and Investing, Journal Reports, Personal Journal, Greater New York and WSJ Weekend features. What is great about the WSJ iPad app is that users will be able to see more than just what is written in the printed version. They also get slide shows and videos.

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Zite

Zite is the best iPad app for magazine lovers. It pays attention to preferences and gets smarter with every use. Zite is designed to work as a personalized magazine app that pulls contents from categories based on the user’s tweets and Google Reader accounts. Using this iPad app allows users to enjoy the content they love and at the same time discover other things they may have an interest in.

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Taptu

Taptu is a one-stop iPad app for social network enthusiasts. With this, users need not log into individual Twitter, Facebook, G Reader or LinkedIn accounts. All they need is Taptu, and they will be able to log into all sites at once. Users may also add their favorite sites and blogs with Taptu. Doing so allows them to transform all the content from various sites into an easy to read interface with customizable feeds.

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Sales and Networking

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Salesforce Mobile Works

Salesforce Mobile comes in mobile lite, full and iPhone versions. All these apps allow users to have instant access to their Salesforce information. The lite version allows creation, editing and removal of capabilities from the standard CRM data while the full version helps users build their own Salesforce app. With this, they are able to personalize and customize configurations and objects based on their business needs.

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HighRise

Highrise iPad app from 37signals offers business professionals easy access to their Highrise notes, contacts, voice notes, emails and tasks no matter where they are. Highrise also offers a simple CRM tool that is great for small businesses, salespeople, freelancers, entrepreneurs and contractors. Highrise is the simplest app one can have to keep track of the people they work and do business with.

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Productivity

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iTalk

iTalk was developed by Griffin Technology, and it allows users to record all voice transactions for easy retrieval and review. They may also send the recordings to their email. iTalk recorder features an easy to use interface and controls. Now everyone can store all the recordings with their right sound quality.

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RightSignature

RightSignature from RightSprite allows users to sign mobile documents on their device. It gets rid of all he hassles involved with printing and signing contracts and having them scanned or faxed. Now, business professionals can sign any document while on the go. The app also features pan and zoom for easy document review prior to signing. It also has a photo authentication feature that uses the photo as a part of the signature.

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Bamboo Paper – Notebook

The Bamboo Paper – Notebook from Wacom turns the iPad into an amazing paperless tool that allows users to virtually share their sketches, doodles and other handwritten notes. With this, business professionals can easily express and share their thoughts during brainstorming sessions and meetings. They may connect their iPad to the projector for easy viewing and sharing.

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Dragon Dictation

Dictation has never been as easy as using the Dragon Dictation iPad app. This amazing tool allows users to write spoken words automatically as either text or email messages. With this, they no longer have to type on their keyboard as the app does it by itself. Using this voice recognition app is actually five times faster than typing on the keyboard. It also supports multiple languages.

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iThoughtsHD

iThoughts provides users with the ability to come up with task lists and organize their ideas and information. This app makes brainstorming, goal setting, course notes and revision, meeting notes, WBS and GTD a lot easier. It also comes with extensive task management and advanced mindmap features.

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Virtual Meeting

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GoToMeeting

Attending meetings is always convenient with GoToMeeting iPad app. It allows users to take part in important meetings while they are on the go. The app can accommodate up to 6 participants with HDFaces video. They can view presentations, reports and mock-ups. With a few taps on the link, they can join an ongoing meeting instantly.

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WebEx

WebEx provides business professionals with a higher level online meeting app. WebEx allows two-way video that is perfect for brainstorming sessions and conferences. The app also features voice-activated video switching, high-quality and multi-point video and simultaneous viewing for content and videos. Host account capabilities include starting, canceling and scheduling meetings and inviting other participants to join.

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Content Management

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Cloud

Cloud App from OpenText provides seamless opportunities for business professionals to take advantage of Enterprise Content Management. The app features video innovator stories that allow users to share them on Facebook. The Cloud App offers a whole new environment that is different from the traditional eBook. It also comes with interactive gadgets, informative videos, audio and widgets.

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Dropbox

DropBox makes it easy for users to store and get access to their files, photos and videos from anywhere. They can get access to all of this using their iPads, iPhones, computers and even through the Dropbox website. All these files can also be viewed offline. Now, there is no need for attachments.

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Remote Access

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LogMeIn

LogMeIn makes it very convenient for business professionals to get access to their files from home or work computers on the go. They may also use this app to control their PC no matter where they are. With this, users do not have to worry about taking their files with them all the time. In addition, this app allows IT professionals to fix computer problems remotely.

Seth Godin: How to Get Your Ideas to Spread
Marketing expert Seth Godin explains why the world of marketing tends to produce stale, mundane or boring advertisements. As he explains, this is exactly why advertisements will often travel down the road of the bizarre, odd, funny or otherwise atypical.

Johanna Blakley: Lessons from Fashion’s Free Culture
Johanna Blakely makes the interesting comparison of the fashion industry to the copyright wars of music, television and movies. While these industries are busy exhausting resources on protecting unique products, the fashion industry thrives on copycats.

Alex Tabarrok on How Ideas Trump Crises
In this talk, economist Alex Tabarrok expresses his views on why free and globalized trade is capable of transforming the world that we live in. As he goes on to explain, the open exchange of ideas and information has the potential to act as a catalyst of positive growth for the human race.

Dean Kamen on Inventing and Giving
Inventor Dean Kamen, famous for the invention of the Segway, gives a special preview of his ideas for the world in the form of portable energy and clean drinking water. He lays out his bold plans that have the power to bring life and health to parts of the world that may not survive without critical help.

Derek Sivers: How to Start a Movement
In this short talk, Derek Sivers demonstrates the power of leadership and followers in human culture. By using a wildly popular online video, he explains the dynamics of a movement as it reaches a tipping point.

Gary Vaynerchuk: Do What You Love
Gary Vaynerchuk has gained rapid fame for his unique approach to the internet as an extension of a lifestyle. In his talk, he explains why the era we live in gives so much room for innovation, success and happiness in doing what we love.

Richard Branson’s Life at 30,000 Feet
Richard Branson lays out the foundation for billions of dollars that his life’s work have produced for himself and others. With multiple near-death experiences, his own private island and a life story like no other, this talk is sure to inspire anyone interested in the mind of a billionaire.

Malcolm Gladwell: Choice, Happiness, and Spaghetti Sauce
In this eye-opening talk, best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell explains why spaghetti sauce is one of the secrets to understanding choice, freedom and the free market. He explains how a simple idea from a man that the world never knew has left a powerful impact on our culture.

Barry Schwartz: The Paradox of Choice
Psychologist Barry Schwartz reveals that though freedom of choice should logically increase freedom, his opinion is the opposite: choice serves as a source of confusion and constriction in the structure of modern economies.

Jason Fried: Why Work Doesn’t Happen at Work
Jason Fried puts an interesting spin on modern office life, suggesting that an office is actually detrimental to performance. He backs up his claims with evidence and even offers some suggestions for how to improve performance that complements this new understanding.

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Economics is one of the most important and influential fields of study one can enter: the ramifications of its theory have changed our world, and will of course continue to do so. When we think of powerful men of the past, our minds turn to politicians and leaders — the Churchills, Ghandis and even the Stalins and Hitlers who led men to glory, freedom, or doom. However, the economists on whose systems and counsel these giants of the modern age based their policies have had no less of an influence, indeed arguably even more of an impact, on our world. Had any of these men or their ideas not existed, the history of humanity would no doubt be very different.

10. Friedrich Hayek (1899–1992)

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Born in the final year of the 19th century, Friedrich Hayek might be considered the poster boy for the Austrian School of Economics. Influenced and mentored by Ludwig von Mises, a prominent figure in the Libertarian movement, Hayek was awarded the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1974. An Austrian native, his experiences serving in WWI inspired him to work for a better world that would steer clear of the same errors that led to the war. While working at the London School of Economics he publicly opposed Keynes and his theories of government spending as the solution to the Great Depression, arguing instead that private investment was the path to prosperity and development. Written in the early 1940s, his book The Road to Serfdom was a rallying cry against central planning, combating the idea that fascism was a capitalist ideology. Hayek was a big influence on Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher as well as the former communist states in Europe. He was an inspiration for the neoliberalism of the 80s and 90s and has had a profound effect on the economic policies of many Western nations.

9. Thomas Malthus (1766–1834)

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Before Thomas Malthus, the common view was that society was on a steady route to ever-increasing improvement and, in theory, perfection. Born in 1766 in England, Malthus diverged from this idea, writing that increases in population would make unlimited progress impossible due to the effects of famine and disease. Educated at Cambridge, he became an Anglican curate in 1798, and his faith and belief in the inability to change human nature profoundly affected his work. He saw poverty for some sections of society as natural and inevitable, arguing that it served as a curb on population growth. His views were so influential that Prime Minister Pitt the Younger withdrew a bill that was intended to offer extended relief to the poor and introduced the first modern British census in order to assess the issue. Malthus’s views continued to make important contributions to how the UK government treated the plight of the poor throughout the 19th century as well as inspiring writers and theorists of the 20th century.

8. Friedrich List (1789–1846)

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Born in 1789, Friedrich List was imprisoned in Germany in 1822 after activism and work in favor of administrative reforms. Upon his release in 1824 (he first escaped before returning to finish his sentence) he emigrated to the United States where he was inspired by the work of Alexander Hamilton. List’s economic theories centered on the idea that individual nations had specific economic requirements and as such was opposed to absolute free trade, and suspicious of developed nations that advocated in its favor. He believed that for Germany to prosper it needed to expand its territory to the coast in both the south and the north while protecting — in order to rapidly grow — its industry. If his economic ideas seem familiar, that’s because they influenced the Nazi regime and were also used to underpin the formation of the European Economic Community. Japan has also followed List’s model, and some argue that the Chinese policies that emerged after the death of Mao were likewise inspired by the German economist.

7. Irving Fisher (1867–1947)

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One of the first American neoclassical economists, Irving Fisher might also be considered the first true “celebrity” economist. Fisher made the founding contributions to “monetarism” with his quantity theory of money research, and had significant input into general equilibrium and utility theory. Prominent economists of the modern era, not least Milton Friedman, consider him the greatest American economist ever to have lived. Unfortunately, his star waned in 1929 when, three days before the terrible calamity that was the Wall Street Crash, he stated authoritatively, “Stock prices have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau.” For months he assured shareholders that a recovery was on its way — potentially encouraging people to continue to invest and so damn themselves to poverty. Fisher’s debt-deflation ideas — although largely ignored through the Great Depression due to his serious errors of judgment during the stock market crash — have become more popular in the last 30 years as echoes of the 1929 crash and ensuing depression are felt in our current economic situation.

6. John Stewart Mill (1806–1873)

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Philosopher and economist John Stewart Mill is rightly considered one of the most important thinkers in history. Born in Britain in 1806, he contributed to the development of the scientific method and is well known for his theory of liberty. Mill’s thoughts on economics were no less influential, supporting free markets as a principle of his utilitarianism, with flat taxation as the fairest of systems — although in his later years he adopted a more socialist point of view. In 1848 he published the first edition of his book Principles of Political Economy, which served as the successor to Smith’s Wealth of Nations as the world’s leading economics text, shaping economic and political thought for the best part of a century.

5. Alan Greenspan (1926 –)

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With America still the world’s economic powerhouse and leading influence on the global economy, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve is a powerful man. Alan Greenspan was appointed to this position by Ronald Reagan in 1987, and was reappointed every four years until he retired in 2006. With almost 20 years in the post, he is the second-longest serving-Chairman in US history. Influenced by “Objectivist” author Ayn Rand, Greenspan supported Social Security privatization and tax cuts in the face of budget deficits, leading to criticisms from the Democratic Party that he was bringing politics into his position. During his tenure he dealt with the 1987 stock market crash and the Asian financial crisis of 1997–1998. Then, within months of his retirement, the subprime mortgage crisis grabbed world headlines. Greenspan was an often-controversial figure: George Bush Sr. held the Chairman’s policies responsible for his defeat in his second presidential bid; some say his interest rate rises in 2000 caused the bursting of the dot com bubble; and Time magazine considered him to be number three on a blame-list for the financial crisis.

4. Milton Friedman (1912–2006)

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A winner of the Nobel Prize for economics and a leading figure in the Chicago School of Economics, Milton Friedman taught at the University of Chicago for over 30 years. His research focused on a number of areas, including monetary theory, monetary history, consumption analysis, and stabilization policy. Many figures both within and outside of his field consider him to be one of, if not the, most influential economists of the last century. Friedman’s work focused on challenging “naive Keynesianism” and opposing government policy based on these theories. As an adviser to Ronald Reagan and his administration, he profoundly contributed to policies based on free market and minimal interventionist principles, and the 1980s saw his views reflected in government policy. His advice, communicated via letter, was taken on board by Augusto Pinochet in Chile, and graduates from the Chicago School were given high profile positions in the dictator’s regime. Less controversially, his theories recently played an important part in the Federal Reserve’s response to the global financial crisis — although Keynesian economists actually regard Friedman’s free market philosophy as being responsible for the economic unrest.

3. Adam Smith (1723–1790)

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Born in Scotland in 1723, Adam Smith is widely considered the founder of modern economics, with his magnum opus The Wealth of Nations viewed as the first true work in the field. All modern economics owes a huge legacy to Smith’s work, and it is hard to imagine what the economic landscape would look like without him. The phrase most often associated with Smith is of course “the invisible hand” (the oft-quoted metaphor for the self-regulating nature of the marketplace); and this, together with his idea that individuals acting in their own self-interest promotes the interests of society, are the very basics of capitalism. Smith’s works have been dissected, referenced, critiqued and defended by various economists and economical schools, but none can dispute his tremendous influence on both the field he helped found and the world at large.

2. Karl Marx (1818–1883)

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Karl Marx’s The Communist Manifesto, published in 1848, and Das Kapital, which reached its final form in 1894, are among the texts that have had the profoundest effect on the world we know today. Building on the thought of Hegel and others, Marx’s critique of capitalism influenced numerous political and economic movements, including Bolshevism, Stalinism, Mao and his supporters, and social democracies. Without Marx and his work on socialism, we would likely not have seen the Cold War, the current Chinese state, or the trade union movements that drove forward workers’ rights. Love him or loathe him, his ideas undoubtedly changed the world; indeed, some consider the entire history of the 20th century to be his legacy.

1. John Maynard Keynes (1883–1946)

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John Meynard Keynes was born in 1883 and died in 1946, but his ideas and economic thoughts have lived on, influencing a variety of policies and ideologies throughout the past 100 years. Refining ideas of business cycles, he was an advocate of government intervention, regulation and spending in order to control and mitigate depressions and recessions. His work in the 1930s revolutionized contemporary economic thought, bowling over the prevailing belief in free markets as the way to full employment and instead focusing on the effects of aggregate demand. And the 1950s and 1960s saw his theories adopted by basically all capitalist governments. While the 1970s saw criticism from Friedman and others cutting in on such policies, Keynes’s work has been used since the global financial crisis as the basis for the response by many global leaders, including George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

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The phenomenally successful TV series The Apprentice has had us biting at our fingernails waiting to see who will triumph in the boardroom and hear the promised words: “You’re hired.” The show’s format has spread to countries across the globe, but the US and UK versions are those with the longest pedigree. But who have been the most successful candidates in their life after the boardroom, and have Alan Sugar and Donald Trump always picked the best?

10. Rebecca Jarvis

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Runner-up in season four, Rebecca Jarvis was passed over by Donald Trump in the final boardroom. However, her appearance on the show clearly showed that she was comfortable with the camera and she moved into business journalism when The Apprentice finished. Since the show she has worked as a reporter for CNBC and CBS, where she anchors The Early Show Saturday Edition and is a correspondent for CBS News. She has also dabbled in print journalism.
 

9. Saira Khan

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Saira Khan made it to the final boardroom of the UK show’s first season, but lost out to Tim Campbell, who was given the coveted role. Since her appearance on The Apprentice she has gone on to host numerous shows on UK television as well as presenting various documentaries for the BBC. She has also written a self-help book and founded a skincare company that makes mother-and-baby products — which are stocked by leading UK retailers.

8. Raj Dhonota

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Raj Dhonota had a 2-0 win record as project manager in the first season of the UK’s Apprentice but was fired in the 9th week as he was deemed “too quiet.” After the show he founded an outsourcing business, which he then sold for a nice profit, netting a seven-figure sum for the company. He is currently working on a number of projects, including an e-commerce platform and a translation business. Dhonota has pledged that all of his businesses will donate at least 10% of any profits to good causes.

7. Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth

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Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth was fired in the 9th week of the first season of The Apprentice. Her controversial behavior brought her the title of “reality TV’s No. 1 bad girl” from E!, but Omarosa maintains that clever editing portrayed her as a villain. She transformed her notoriety into a successful TV career and has now appeared on over twenty reality TV shows. She was also a guest on numerous major talk shows and in 2010 created a dating show with Donald Trump.

6. Michelle Dewberry

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Already earning a salary of over £150,000 ($233,175) before the show, Michelle Dewberry, known in the press as the “Steel Pixie,” beat all the other candidates to become the winner of season two of the UK’s Apprentice. After almost a year of working with Lord Sugar she left his business to found her own consultancy. She also runs self-help workshops for businesses and individuals, has written a column for Business Matters magazine, and runs several web-based businesses focused on household budgeting and economy.

5. Karen Bremner

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Karen Bremner was one of Dewberry’s main rivals in season two of the UK’s Apprentice, with Dewberry reportedly referring to her as a “cold-hearted bitch” (ouch!). Fired in episode three for the rather bizarre reason that Lord Sugar had enough lawyers on staff, Bremner went on to set up in business for herself. Her Scottish boutique, KarenB, won her a Young Entrepreneurial Company of the Year award. She spent just £14,000 ($21,765) on setting up the store and hit £250,000 ($388,625) in turnover in her first year.

4. Ruth Badger

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Runner-up to Michelle Dewberry, Ruth Badger was noted for her take-no-prisoners approach to the competition. After her appearance on The Apprentice she presented a Sky1 show, Badger or Bust, in which she used her business skills to try and save failing businesses. She now runs a business consultancy and makes public appearances as a motivational speaker. A speech from Badger will cost you between £5,000 ($7,771) and £10,000 ($15,545). Not a bad little earner.

3. Bradford Cohen

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Bradford Cohen only lasted until the second week of the second series of America’s The Apprentice. Donald Trump fired him for showing poor judgment in the impulsive decision to waive the immunity he had gained as project manager of the previous week’s winning team. After appearing on the show the lawyer narrowly lost the election for Fort Lauderdale’s City Commissioner. He often acts as a legal commentator for Fox News, Court TV, CNN, NBC and Nancy Grace, and was recognized as one of the top attorneys in his field with the accolade of Florida Super Lawyer in 2009–2010.

2. William “Bill” Rancic

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Bill Rancic was the first ever candidate on The Apprentice to hear the magical words, “You’re hired,” from Donald Trump. He stayed with Trump after his one-year contract was up and began to host television shows in 2007. In 2008, he and his wife set up their own TV production company, You and I Productions, which produces scripted and reality shows. He was the host of two seasons of the show America Now, and he and his wife now star in their own reality show, which follows their married life.

1. Kelly Crawford Perdew

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Winner of the second season of The Apprentice, former military man Kelly Crawford Perdew was also the oldest candidate at 37 years of age. Since leaving his position with Trump he has worked as the CEO of a fantasy sports game company and written a book on military principles that can be applied to business leadership. He also set up a company that provides families with training on how to act if they are involved in a terrorist attack. In 2006, President George W. Bush appointed him to the Council on Service and Civic Participation.