122. A Pawnbroker's Passion for Deals Nets Him a TV Show and a Bestseller
Les Gold
Les Gold is an old school, hard-nosed pawnbroker at heart, with a passion for collecting and a nose for deals and people. Known worldwide through his top show on TruTV, Hardcore Pawn, he authored the bestselling For What It’s Worth: Business Wisdom from a Pawnbroker. Les built American Jewelry and Loan from the ground up.
How Did You Start Using Your Talents?
“When I was 7, I used to go to my grandfather’s pawn shop. That pawn shop mentality always resonated with me. I was always a hustler. There was no way I was going to let time go by without making an income. I always had that drive, that desire to make money.”
The Most Impactful Turning Point?
From early childhood, Les had a sharp eye for spotting opportunities and finding ways of doing things better. Whether he was leveraging his pizza, selling it by the slice, brokering a better deal or adding new services, his lifelong drive has been a passion for improvement and productivity.
The Most Powerful Lessons Learned?
Pawn brokers are short-term lenders. They’ve filled a need in society for 3,000 years. There are 25 million Americans that don’t have a bank account or a credit card. We are their way of being financially secure. Most people don’t know that our industry is one of the oldest in existence.
On His Bookshelf
Connecting With Les Gold
Website: http://pawndetroit.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lesHCP
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hcpawn?fref=ts
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-jewelry-and-loan
Seth Gold’s Podcast: GoldTone Visit www.sethgold.com.
