“Do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat.”

If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.

To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy.

Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will.

Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him.

He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.

Foreknowledge cannot be gotten from ghosts and spirits, cannot be had by analogy, cannot be found out by calculation. It must be obtained from people, people who know the conditions of the enemy.

Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm.

In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.

When one treats people with benevolence, justice, and righteoousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders.

Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing.

Rewards for good service should not be deferred a single day.

Be where your enemy is not.

Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley.

If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.

It is only the enlightened ruler and the wise general who will use the highest intelligence of the army for the purposes of spying, and thereby they achieve great results.

Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical.

In both business and personal life, I’ve always found that travel inspires me more than anything else I do. Evidence of the languages, cultures, scenery, food, and design sensibilities that I discover all over the world can be found in every piece of my jewelry.

I’m actually very snobbish about directors. I have to say no all the time. ‘No’ is the most powerful word in our business. You’ve got to protect yourself… To leave home, it’s got to be worth leaving. It’s got to be worth it.

When I decided to get married at 40, I couldn’t find a dress with the modernity or sophistication I wanted. That’s when I saw the opportunity for a wedding gown business.

Success isn’t about the end result; it’s about what you learn along the way.

I do believe people ought to be left alone. I don’t care who you are or what you do at home or who your friends are or where you hang out, what kind of music you listen to, what you do in your home is your own business. That’s always been who I am. I am a leave me alone kind of guy.

I respect the fact that Donald Trump always listens. It’s how he was in business. It’s how he is as president.

I’ve also built my own business, and obviously it’s a brand that I’ve built and it’s wholly owned by me and something that certainly my experience observing him and working with him and for him has informed how I make business decisions around my brand. But it’s my company.

The country’s top chefs, designers, media personalities and businesses are part of this dynamic city. We know that Chicagoans are used to the highest standards.