David Geffen

[To Robertson] I think you should move to California. Malibu is paradise. You can always change your mind. Why don’t you just let me put this together? I’ll get you a house in the Malibu Colony.

Oh please. A Gay Mafia? This is so crazy. This is insane. I think he needs a psychiatrist. It’s so paranoid, and so crazy, and so irresponsible, and makes him look like such a nut. It’s beyond crazy. On a scale of 1 to 10 crazy, it’s 11… He’s made a fool of himself, and he’s made a huge failure of his life. To say you’ve been brought down by the Gay Mafia and its allies is as crazy as anything I’ve ever heard in my life… Did I mention his extraordinary homophobia?

[‘Why don’t you manage me’ – Laura Nyro] Eventually I thought do I really believe that she could be one of the biggest stars in the world? Should I give up my career at this point in my life, where I’m doing so well, and put all my marbles in Laura’s [Nyro] basket? And I woke up one morning and I thought if you really believe it – go for it.

I was sleeping on a couch in my brothers apartment, and one day this guy walked over and said ‘How would you like to be in a movie?’ And I said ‘Yeah!’ I was an extra in ‘Explosive Generation’.

I never felt I was too protective. I felt I was functioning as a dam against the river of sh*t that comes pouring down on artists, and it was a job that I took very seriously.

You can’t interview my brother!… We can call this thing off – right now!

Businesses that grow by development and improvement do not die.

I believe in trusting men, not only once but twice – in giving a failure another chance.

There should be rivalry between men and between business.

[On being partners with Laura Nyro in Tuna Fish Music (Laura’s favorite food was Tuna Fish)] We became partners in this new publishing company.

Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.

See what a 25-cent raise will do to us, said Mr. Ford. So they figured the daily and monthly cost of a 25-cent increase. Put on another quarter and see what that will cost, he said. And so they went on, 25 cents a step. Finally the wage of $2.34 stood at $4.75–more than 100 percent increase. One of the associates–a good financial head–remarked rather sarcastically that if they were going to be fools, why not be first-class fools and make it $5. All right, said Mr. Ford, let’s make it $5.

I was never involved in arms trading. In the Russian Federation, arms trading is the prerogative of the state.

I never get the accountants in before I start up a business. It’s done on gut feeling, especially if I can see that they are taking the mickey out of the consumer.

The best teamwork comes from men who are working independently toward one goal in unison.

While I love technology and social media, a text or a tweet can never replace the real value of conversation.

On Beverly Hills we paid too much. One hundred per cent, we did over-pay. We didn’t do our research properly.

No matter what his position or experience in life, there is in everyone more latent than developed ability; far more unused than used power.

Too many would-be executives are slaves of routine.

Leverage: don’t make deals without it!

I don’t know the exact details of his background but from what I have read Mr. Abramovich had a very humble start in life and has made his own luck.