Business

It’s Not Personal…It’s Strictly Business: Success Tips From an Ex-Mobster

Louis Ferrante, a 44-year-old native of Queens, NY, has quite an interesting story. You may remember him as an associate of the Gambino crime family. As a result of his nefarious activities with the mob, he spent 8 years in prison. Since his release, he has taken a different career path: he has become a successful writer and acts as a consultant to legitimate (and legal) start-up businesses.

Ferrante has just published a book called “Mob Rules – what the Mafia can teach the legitimate businessman.” Apparently, building “trust,” remembering names and avoiding office politics are not practices exclusive to life in the cubicle.

In an interview with Wall Street & Technology, Ferrante handed out some useful advice:

“1. Build trust with a business partner.

“You have to spend time with people outside of work. You can pull a heist with someone or work on Wall Street with them every day, but to really get more insight into a guy, grab dinner with him; go on vacation together. You have to get to know someone on a more intimate level. I think about the guys who became rats, who became cooperating informants, and there was always something I saw in them but didn’t believe or explore at the time — something where I should have said, ‘Whoa, that’s a little weird.’ ”

2. Trust your instincts.

“You can also ask his neighbors, if you really want to know somebody. (Laughs.)”

3. Avoid office politics.

“I learned that through a father figure, Artie the Hairdo, an old-timer who was really from the old school. When Sammy (Gravano) was first appointed the underboss of the (Gambino) family, I asked Artie what he thought. He was eating dinner, and he just paused, gave me a stare and kept eating. He obviously had distaste for Sammy, and he was basically communicating to me not to get too deeply involved with him. But Artie himself pretty much stayed away from Sammy, and unlike a lot of others who took sides and got killed, he died of natural causes.”

4. Use mnemonics to impress your business colleagues by remembering hundreds of names.

“We all did it. It was this untaught, unwritten thing you did. It’s how you remembered 500 people: Fat Franky and Skinny Franky and Franky Flippers, who goes diving once in a while with his wife. You never forget a name that way.

When I was in the Mob, I could tell you how much 50 people owed me and on what day they owed it. I had to remember it all because I couldn’t write it down in case I got pinched. I will tell you that the more you rely on your mind, the more your mind rises to the occasion.”

5. Know when someone is wasting your time.

“It’s so easy. You know if someone has a real interest in what you’re talking about. You just sense it. If I call a guy and I ask, ‘Did I catch you at a bad time?’ and he says, ‘No, no, no, Louie, what’s going on?’ I know he’s interested. If I call him and he says, ‘Sorry, you caught me at a bad time,’ I don’t’ want to talk with that guy again. He’s done. He’s off my Rolodex. On the street, too, you get a sense of a guy in a heartbeat.”

6. Have an inside guy– i.e consider having a mole at a competing startup – although obviously this one is to be avoided if you’re a trader and are going to risk insider trading charges.

“It looks underhanded, but it’s not. Look, it’s a competitive world, and the best tips I had came from inside guys. It was, ‘I’m working at this place, and every Friday the payroll is so much money and nobody is watching it.’ Sometimes, people just wanted to do me a favor. Other guys, I’d go to and say, ‘I have an end (a bonus) for you.’

If you’re just willing to listen to people, you can glean a lot of information without having to pointedly ask: ‘Give me the dirt.’ Just go hang out with somebody and listen. Everyone is willing to talk if you’re friendly, especially if you’re in a similar business. They want to be your friend, and they’ll tell you stuff, and that inside information can be crucial, like: ‘This is the rock-bottom number our company will take.’

7. Don’t talk too much.

“In a company, whoever has to know should know, but only as much as they need to know. You can’t control who knows your information entirely. People just can’t keep their mouths shut. It’s just human nature. But you can limit your vulnerability.”

When John Gotti did the hit on Paul Castellano [head of the Gambino family before Gotti took over], he didn’t ask the families. He didn’t tell the hit men what they were doing until they were doing it, because all you need is one guy talking, and John’s dead by the end of the week. Instead, the night of the hit, he said to them, ‘Put on these Russian hats and these trench coats. We’re taking somebody out.’”

Comments (21)

  • WeDontNeedNoStinkingBadges
    Posted on July 25, 2011 at 8:20pm

    Hey, yoos guys … Straight Louie is just like NoMama Obama.

    Remember when Obama stopped his campaign to go to Hawaii to visit his grandmother just from the hospital? Made it sound like cancer or somethin’ big (ha, ha, just a check-up). Well, he didn’t tell his Secret Service detail where he was going (had to lose them, know what I‘m sayin’?). And when he’s back the next day, badda-bing!, grandma is a stiff. And even though her religion opposes it, big-man-in-town Obama arranges for an immediate cremation. Ashes. I mean like nothin’ left you want left, know what I‘m sayin’?

    And while we’re still talking birth certificate today, she ain’t. Yeah, Obama knows how to keep a secret. Guess he read the book …

    Report Post » WeDontNeedNoStinkingBadges  
  • treacherous_fool_jesus_b_ochoa
    Posted on July 25, 2011 at 5:01pm

    Add your comments

    Report Post »  
  • treacherous_fool_jesus_b_ochoa
    Posted on July 25, 2011 at 5:00pm

    He and his business… Genius.

    Report Post »  
  • LOJ
    Posted on July 24, 2011 at 9:00am

    Really, Obama is wasting our time, putting on a show. He doesn’t care about this country, and never did! If we are destroyed he and Soros will be successful.

    Report Post »  
  • niterider
    Posted on July 24, 2011 at 8:47am

    Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead.

    Except in politics….where Obama has proven the words of Abraham Lincoln true again: “You can fool some of the people most of the time or most of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.” Let’s hope that the people (voters) have opened their eyes during the last 3 years and have seen the “fundamental transformation” taking place. Obama never tried to keep his plans a secret, rather the voters refused to see his intent back then. Are their eyes open yet ?

    Report Post »  
  • Atokaite
    Posted on July 24, 2011 at 8:23am

    Sun Tzu would agree 100 %
    The world is really run by common sense. If you live in the Article Authors world, common sense rules as listed do work.
    end
    Semper FI

    Report Post » Atokaite  
  • Lone Ranger
    Posted on July 24, 2011 at 6:54am

    Is Louis Ferrante Obama’s pen name?

    Report Post » Lone Ranger  
  • Cheetosareus
    Posted on July 24, 2011 at 6:40am

    I see a lot of similarity between the mob and the unions.

    Report Post »  
  • Unruled
    Posted on July 24, 2011 at 6:34am

    This guy and the mob, are and were capitalists. No wonder they are the only criminals this administration has shown any interest in taking down!

    Report Post »  
    • loriann12
      Posted on July 24, 2011 at 8:24am

      Wow, never realized that before, but you’re right. Except for the killing part. Most capitalists don’t kill the competition.

      Report Post »  
    • Steverino
      Posted on July 24, 2011 at 8:43am

      That, and the fact that there is a lot of overlap between the government‘s job and the Mob’s. The government doesn’t like the competition in criminal activity. They’re not as efficient.

      Report Post »  
  • NOBALONEY
    Posted on July 24, 2011 at 6:24am

    And if all this fails. make him an offer he can’t refuse.

    Report Post » NOBALONEY  
  • Diane TX
    Posted on July 24, 2011 at 4:57am

    He’s right. Smart people don’t tell another about theirselves, but garner info about the other person, instead. He’s also right about trusting your gut instinct. If it doesn’t feel right, then it isn’t.

    This might sound “touchy feely” , but this kind of stuff makes you a survivor.

    I’m the kind of person that is non-threatening and people feel safe around.

    Report Post »  
  • Slowman101
    Posted on July 24, 2011 at 3:09am

    All words of wisdom.

    Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on July 24, 2011 at 3:42am

      Indeed, the mob runs like a well tuned machinery and business (a illegal one) as anything; the main difference between them and the administration is they admit to being in it for the money, control, power and such; not like DC at all.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • GBMBulletsSKNRD
      Posted on July 24, 2011 at 4:53am

      A world that I know and am glad I was lucky enough to get out of before it was to late. No sunshine and lolipops in that world just take it from one who knows.

      Report Post »  
  • Fina Biscotti
    Posted on July 24, 2011 at 2:00am

    It is always good to know people……..just don’t let them know you.

    Report Post »  
    • Captain Crunch
      Posted on July 24, 2011 at 2:15am

      Lots of blabber mouths are in the joint or in their grave. Keep your mouth shut and say no to the compulsion for notariety and recognition. If you tell someone something they can tell someone else and on down the line until on of them gets busted, pressured, and tells everything he knows, has heard, or can imagine, in order to get off the hook.

      Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on July 24, 2011 at 3:45am

      Indeed, the best kept secret is the one known to only one person, yourself.
      http://artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm (new art added)

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  

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