[banjobob]

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

Do some more digging and find the names and principles of the other 501c(3) entities that are and have been involved throughout the community. Some are broad reaching in their goals and efforts and some exist with a much narrower focus, as appears to be the case here with "Significant Productions". Many of these also have a tie to individuals of substantial wealth.

My experience over the many years has been that the people of significant means are less infatuated with money and more generous than the average person and especially those who bemoan the success of your efforts and energy. The uninformed and the ignorant see the wealthy as Scrooge McDuck doing swan dives into piles of gold coins and dollar bills in his massive vault, nothing could be farther from the truth. A typical multimillionaire (or billionaire) is much less liquid than most would think, they have their wealth invested and tied up in ventures and enterprises that grow their investments by creating jobs and products needed or wanted by others. They are not the ruthless money grubbers that the media portray them to be, but they are very protective of their work and efforts, just like everyone else.

Over the last 10 years I have sent a significant amount of time studying and trying to understand The Villages, their business model, and how they do what they do so successfully. The amount of resources, focus, and energy that is invested into the planning and growth of this community, to say nothing of the huge personal risk that continues to be taken, is far beyond the possible comprehension of those that only want look at it on the surface. One could write several doctoral thesis on everything from construction management techniques, land development, and business management to local government relations by studying how the generations of the developer's family have done business. They have had great success and a few failures over the years.

I've only ever met one member of "the family", Jennifer, one time during the opening of the Ezell RC, the rest remain as much an enigma to me as they do to the rest of the resident of The Villages. I have felt their wrath on more than one occasion with my work (as G.W.P.) and my positions on matters of public interest. The only benefit I've received is from understanding their business enough to build a moderately successful business of my own that capitalize on what and how they build here, contrary to what some individuals and organizations would have you believe.

Some of the best advice I was ever given was that if I wanted to be rich and successful to do with rich people do and not what poor people do. That mentor and I had many discussions on the topic over the years, some of the things I realized and learned is that being successfully is hard work, that you can't do it alone, that giving back never diminish what you accomplish, and the seven deadly sins and seven heavenly virtues apply to business as well as ones personal life.

Great comment Don thanks for posting, you are probably the most informed as anyone about the inner workings of The Villages. Plain and simple its a business. All businesses have a few weak areas, The Villages is no different.