How to Win Friends and Influence People
As a teenager, Dennis’ father often took him to St. Louis for trade shows, where he experienced first-hand the polished side of business and the art of salesmanship. It was his early exposure to business that whetted his entrepreneurial instincts. He also read books about business and success, including Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. Dennis wasn’t a particularly good student, and after graduating from high school in 1956, college was not an option because his parents could not afford it. He worked for a year at Ford Motor Company in Chicago Heights, Illinois, and then enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He considered his stint in the service as his substitute for college – where he grew up and matured.