P. T. Barnum
P. T. Barnum
Phineas Taylor "P. T." Barnumwas an American politician, showman, and businessman remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and for founding the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Although Barnum was also an author, publisher, philanthropist, and for some time a politician, he said of himself, "I am a showman by profession...and all the gilding shall make nothing else of me", and his personal aim was "to put money in his own coffers". Barnum is widely, but erroneously, credited with coining the phrase "There's...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionEntrepreneur
Date of Birth5 July 1810
CityBethel, CT
CountryUnited States of America
No profession, trade, or calling, is overcrowded in the upper story.
Instead of spending money, I earned it.
I am a showman by profession... and all the gilding shall make nothing else of me.
A salary was not sufficient for me.
I don't care what the newspapers say about me as long as they spell my name right.
Men, women, and children who cannot live on gravity alone need something to satisfy their gayer, lighter moods and hours, and he who ministers to this want is, in my opinion, in a business established by the Creator of our nature. If he worthily fulfills his mission and amuses without corrupting, he need never feel that he has lived in vain.
The bigger the humbug, the better people will like it.
The possession of a perfect knowledge of your business is an absolute necessity in order to insure success.
If I was not a remarkably modest man, I should probably brag a little, and say that I had done what no American ever before accomplished by visiting the queen at her palace twice within eight days.
Every man's occupation should be beneficial to his fellow-man as well as profitable to himself. All else is vanity and folly.
I think it is conceded that I generally do pretty big things as a manager, am audacious in my outlays and risks, give much for little money, and make my shows worthy the support of the moral and refined classes.
To me there is no picture so beautiful as smiling, bright-eyed, happy children; no music so sweet as their clear and ringing laughter.
Engage in one kind of business only, and stick to it faithfully until you succeed, or until you conclude to abandon it. A constant hammering on one nail will generally drive it home at last, so that it can be clinched.
I am indebted to the press of the United States for almost every dollar which I possess...