Les Wexner Quotes

In the ’70s and ’80s, the mentality of America was that everything was disposable. The notion of quality wasn’t important.

What makes you tick? Why do you care about the things you care about?

I think it’s good to have your own selfish interests, whether it’s liking chocolate ice cream or wanting a new car. It’s just human nature is that. We have our own selfish interests. I think we have interests that go beyond our self to friends, to family first, maybe to friends, maybe to community. I think that’s important to think about those spheres of influence that radiate from you.

You have to keep being curious. The notion that the present is different than the past, and the future will be different than the present, and the present is past, as we say it. I think I, by nature, am an optimist. Maybe I was driven to escape from my childhood and to be something, create my own world or career the way I wanted it to be. And I keep doing that in very interesting ways.

My faith is very important me. I think the notion that there’s this greater force outside of ourselves that’s created the universe, created challenges, creates opportunity, the notion of man’s responsibility to man.

I’m unhappy with the President Trump. I don’t like his behavior, and I’m a Republican, and I don’t like his policies because they’re almost the antithesis of the American character of generosity, of charity, of welcoming, of helping, of taking risks. You think of the lives that were expended in World War I and World War II to help others, and they say now we’ll draw up the bridge and we’ll protect ourselves. We won’t have a broader role in humanity.

I was single for most of my life. The best thing that happened to me is my wife. I’ve got four kids. All of them go to Harvard. Much better than their dad. They’re really bright kids.

One of the things I’ve probably absorbed when I was in business school – and didn’t know I was learning it – was about life cycles, that things begin, and they peak, and then they decline. So whether you look at life cycles of fashion, or you look at life cycles of things that people buy, designs, everything is in a life cycle. Getting out of the apparel businesses and into beauty and lingerie, those were very big bets, but they were very deliberately thought about and tested over time.

Everything has a lifecycle. You have to believe it’s going to change.

I think what I’ve tried to do is make the world a better place. I think that’s what’s really important. Nobody remembers who sold the most togas in Rome. In terms of legacy, people remember the great villains more than they remember the great heroes. So I think how you feel about yourself is the most significant question. What do you say about yourself when you put your head on the pillow? Are you really proud of what you’re doing and the way you’re doing it? I think it’s really a fundamental question.

Sometimes I wish I lived more in the day, but I’m happier thinking about tomorrow or the day after. The way I see it, there’s always a new or next thing.

Society can’t wait. It’s sad there are so many entrepreneurs, business successes and venture capitalists who give no thought to society.