Lessons from Common-Sense Billionaire John Catsimatidis

In his Wall Street Journal bestselling memoir, How Far Do You Want to Go? Lessons from a Common-Sense Billionaire, self-made billionaire John Catsimatidis details his journey from an immigrant child in Harlem to the CEO of Red Apple Group. Dropping out of NYU just eight credits shy of graduation to pursue the grocery business full-time, Catsimatidis built a multibillion-dollar empire spanning supermarkets, real estate, aviation, and media. His business and life philosophy is anchored on practical, street-smart principles rather than rigid theoretical formulas.

Catsimatidis strongly emphasizes that success requires extreme dedication, sacrifices, and a refusal to wait for a “free lunch”. He credits his rise to working around the clock—balancing school by day and grocery store shifts by night during his youth. In his view, “luck” is a byproduct of relentless execution and continuous effort. The main idea behind this innovative concept that John wants to teach is that the harder you work the luckier you get.

Another integral concept that Catsimatidis wants readers to know is that you can’t win if you’re afraid of losing. Fear of failure paralyzes decision-making and limits growth. Throughout his career, Catsimatidis took massive calculated risks, including entering highly volatile fields like aviation and oil refining. He teaches that navigating forks in the road requires bold action, and setbacks should be treated as tuition for future success.

Very early in his career, John learned that one must prioritize relationships and loyalty. In the grocery industry, Catsimatidis managed to earn his first million dollars a year by age 23 or 24 primarily through the power of trust. By treating people well, building deep personal relationships, and remaining intensely loyal, he convinced vendors to actively finance his early business expansions when traditional banks would not.

Mr Catsimatidis believes that you should always seek out mentors with Grey hair and that no one achieves massive success entirely on their own. Catsimatidis explicitly credits about 10 different mentors who helped guide his instinct and vision as he grew up. He advises the younger generation to seek out experienced mentors who can help them differentiate right from wrong and navigate complex professional choices.

Catsimatidis extends his business “common-sense” into the political and social arenas. He advocates for pragmatic bipartisanship, frequently citing how historical political rivals like Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill, or Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich, would passionately argue but ultimately sit down together to hammer out practical solutions for the country.

As a Jewish professional New Yorker who works in finance and lives in this great city, I am personally touched by John Catsimatidis and his family’s deep friendship with Israel and the Jewish community. Catsimatidis served as a board member for Rabbi Arthur Schneier’s Appeal of Conscience Foundation and has been recognized as a friend of the Jewish community. He received the 2023 Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation Allyship Award for his advocacy and educational support. He has also marched in New York’s Celebrate Israel Parade. As the owner of 77 WABC radio, Catsimatidis has described the station as deeply supportive of the Jewish community, regularly hosting prominent Jewish leaders and figures on his programs. We live in a time and day where NYC is going through a huge spike in antisemitism, crime and failed leadership. I take great pride in knowing that we have great friends and proud New Yorkers such as John Catsimatidis and family who love this great city and those who live in it.