Think Big and Kick Ass

{{Infobox book

| italic title =

| name = Think Big and Kick Ass

| image = Think Big and Kick Ass.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| alt = Book cover

| caption = Book cover

| author = Donald Trump
Bill Zanker

| audio_read_by =

| title_orig = Think Big and Kick Ass: In Business and in Life

| orig_lang_code =

| illustrator =

| cover_artist =

| country = United States

| language = English

| series =

| release_number =

| subject = Self-help

| set_in =

| publisher = HarperCollins

| publisher2 =

| pub_date = 2007

| english_pub_date =

| published =

| media_type = Print (Hardcover)

| pages = 384

| awards =

| isbn = 978-0061547836

| isbn_note =

| oclc = 946581955

| dewey =

| congress =

| preceded_by = Why We Want You to Be Rich (2006)

| followed_by = Trump 101: The Way to Success (2007)

| native_wikisource =

| wikisource =

| notes =

| exclude_cover =

| website ={{official website|https://www.harpercollins.com/9780061753893/think-big}}

}}

Think Big and Kick Ass: In Business and in Life is a non-fiction book by Donald Trump, then head of The Trump Organization and later President of the United States, and Bill Zanker, The Learning Annex entrepreneur, first published in hardcover in 2007 by HarperCollins. Another edition was subsequently published in paperback in 2008 under the title Think Big: Make It Happen in Business and Life. Trump and Zanker had prior business ventures together before writing the book; Zanker's company helped gain Trump speaking engagements around the world with large audiences.

In Think Big and Kick Ass, Trump advises the reader to create large goals for themselves, citing his future political opponent Hillary Clinton as an example of success. Trump focuses a chapter "Revenge" on the importance of retribution, recounting his feud with Rosie O'Donnell and criticism of Mark Cuban. The book describes Trump's romantic exploits, and he muses that an unknown quality gave him success with women. Coauthor Zanker describes Trump's history with The Learning Annex, saying his business partner gave a significant amount of earnings to charity. Trump discusses his debt difficulties with banks in the 1990s, and criticizes the banks for unwisely investing with him. Trump promoted the book on Larry King Live, at a cash giveaway in New York City, and in a speech at the Wharton School. The book's 2007 printing was for 400,000 copies. Becoming a bestseller in 2007, the book was the highest selling personal finance work on Amazon.com in 2015.

Vanguard wrote positively of the book, and fashion designer Emilia Wickstead said it inspired her to become an entrepreneur. Real Estate Weekly called the book "the icon of everything Trump". London Review of Books wrote that it capitalized on consumers' dreams. The work was negatively received by two reviews in The Economist, and by Real-World Economics Review, and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Background

Donald Trump cowrote Think Big and Kick Ass with The Learning Annex entrepreneur Bill Zanker. Prior to their collaboration on the book, Trump and Zanker had entered into a business relationship through The Learning Annex. Zanker's company performed marketing services for The Trump Organization and Trump's brand. The Learning Annex helped arrange speeches around the world for Trump.{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|date=August 11, 2016|title=That Time Trump Said He Had World's Highest Speaking Fee And Everybody Went With It|first1= Andrew |last1=Kaczynski|first2=Christopher |last2=Massie|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/the-art-of-the-spiel|work=BuzzFeed News}} The speeches by Trump were billed as part of a series called the Learning Annex Wealth Expos.{{citation|work=BuzzFeed News|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/trump-promised-millions-to-charity-but-gave-little-to-his-ow|title=Trump Promised Millions To Charity, But Gave Little To His Own Foundation|date= June 19, 2016|first1= Andrew|last1= Kaczynski |first2=Christopher |last2=Massie |first3= Nathan |last3=McDermott}} Zanker's efforts helped garner crowds of 80,000 in attendance at some of Trump's speeches. After their collaborations including The Learning Annex and Think Big and Kick Ass, Trump and Zanker cofounded a crowdfunding website called FundAnything in 2013.{{citation|url=http://fortune.com/2013/05/07/donald-trump-gets-into-crowdfunding/|date=May 7, 2013|work=Fortune|title=Donald Trump gets into crowdfunding|first=Dan|last=Primack}} Trump's role included placing monies into the company, investing in donation drives, and marketing his donations via Twitter.{{citation|url=http://fortune.com/2013/08/13/what-donald-trump-keeps-mostly-quiet-about-on-twitter/|access-date=June 13, 2017|work=Fortune|title=What Donald Trump keeps (mostly) quiet about on Twitter|date=August 13, 2013|first=Dan|last=Primack}} Trump parted with FundAnything in December 2014.{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=http://fortune.com/2014/12/04/donald-trump-bails-on-crowdfunding-site/|work=Fortune|date=December 4, 2014|title=Donald Trump bails on crowdfunding site|first=Dan|last=Primack}} Trump said of his business ventures with coauthor Zanker, "We really have had great success together."{{citation|url=http://allthingsd.com/20130508/donald-trump-launches-fundanything-a-kickstarter-clone-meant-to-bring-crowdfunding-to-the-masses/|access-date=June 13, 2017|work=All Things Digital|title=Donald Trump Launches FundAnything, a Kickstarter Clone Meant to Bring Crowdfunding to the Masses|date=May 8, 2013|first=Liz|last=Gannes}}

Summary

File:Donald Trump announcing latest David Blaine feat 3.jpg in 2008]]

Think Big and Kick Ass emphasizes the importance of maintaining large goals for oneself.{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/work/what-you-can-learn-from-donald-trumps-words-of-financial-wisdom/news-story/bc5409b146dd00370f71f513ec210721|work=The Advertiser|title=What you can learn from Donald Trump's words of financial wisdom|first=Anthony|last=Keane|date=November 12, 2016|quote=If you’re going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big.}} Trump elaborates on his think big thesis, saying bravado and playing to people's fantasies can excite people who do not think big themselves.{{citation|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterjreilly/2017/05/04/presidents-religious-liberty-order-might-not-change-irs-at-all|access-date=June 13, 2017|work=Forbes|date=May 4, 2017|title=President's Religious Liberty Order Might Not Change IRS At All|first=Peter J.|last=Reilly}} He advises budding business careerists to have an optimistic outlook,{{citation|pages=95–96|title=Grasp: The Solution|first1=Chris|last1=Griffiths|first2=Melina|last2=Costi|year=2011|publisher=Proactive Press|isbn=978-1905493760}} crediting his positive attitude for his success.{{citation|title=Change Your Future, Now!|first=Germain|last= Decelles|year=2013|publisher=WebTech Management and Publishing incorporated|isbn=978-0978366773|pages=64–65}} Because those who seek out their passions in life will find financial success,{{citation|title=Fueled By Purpose|first=Garett|last=Guenot|chapter=Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow|year=2016|publisher=FriesenPress|isbn=978-1460286784}} he tells readers to devote two hours a day focusing on how to generate money.{{citation|pages=85–86|title=In The Garden Of My Heart|first=Danette |last=Roux|publisher=Balboa Press|year=2012|isbn= 978-1452560410}} The book talks about the importance of concentration on the task at hand, but cautions against narrow-mindedness and inflexibility.{{citation|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/e5e4572a-0676-4120-9eb3-d34bbea34836|work=BBC Music|title=Donald Trump's unexpected thoughts on music - revealed|first=Alex|last=Marshall|date=November 9, 2016}} Trump describes his expectations of loyalty from his employees, writing, "I try to hire people who are honest and loyal. ... I put the people who are loyal to me on a high pedestal and take care of them very well. I go out of my way for the people who were loyal to me in bad times."{{citation|url=http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/what-kind-of-loyalty-does-a-president-need|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=What kind of loyalty does a president need?|magazine=The New Yorker|date=May 19, 2017|first=Jeff|last=Shesol|author-link=Jeff Shesol}}{{citation|title=Comey firing puts Trump's most cherished trait on center stage: Loyalty|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/11/politics/trump-comey-loyalty/index.html|work=CNN|first=Dan|last=Merica|date=May 11, 2017|access-date=June 13, 2017}} Trump cites Hillary Clinton as an example of an individual with "the ability to think big".{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/7-new-zingers-for-donald-trump-2015-07-29|work=MarketWatch|date=July 29, 2015|title=7 new zingers for Donald Trump}} He warns about repercussions for disloyalty, saying a lack of respect will lead to struggles.{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|work=CNN|title=Trump's books offer clues on how he'll lead from White House|first=Scott|last=Glover|date=15 December 2016 |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/12/15/politics/donald-trump-books-leadership-white-house/index.html}}

The chapter "Revenge" focuses on achieving retribution against perceived enemies.{{citation|url=http://www.salemnews.com/opinion/columns/watson-a-foul-public-mood-may-elect-a-brand/article_9aab3860-c034-5309-af74-23be1d0cd497.html|access-date=June 13, 2017|work=The Salem News|title=A foul public mood may elect a brand|date=July 26, 2016|first=Brian T.|last=Watson}}{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|agency=The Canadian Press|work=The London Free Press|url=https://lfpress.com/2015/08/11/the-sultan-of-slurs-donald-trump-explains-his-passion-for-putdowns|title=The sultan of slurs: Donald Trump explains his passion for putdowns|first= Alexander |last=Panetta|date=August 11, 2015}} It begins by recounting a long-running argument between Trump and actress Rosie O'Donnell. Trump then criticizes businessman Mark Cuban's television persona and appearance.{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2015/09/14/your-guide-to-eccentric-billionaires-who-may-or-may-not-want-to-be-president|work=Boston.com|title=Your guide to eccentric billionaires who may or may not want to be president|first=Hilary |last=Sargent|date=September 14, 2015}}{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=https://money.cnn.com/2015/08/03/media/donald-trump-mark-cuban/|work=CNN|title=Trump once said Mark Cuban has look of a 'Neanderthal'|first=Tom |last=Kludt|date=August 3, 2015}} He goes on to praise Bill Clinton's courage and criticizes Mario Cuomo's lack of it. Trump advises readers who have been wronged to "screw them back in spades"{{citation|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/02/trumps-enemies-list/513449/|access-date=June 13, 2017|work=The Atlantic|title=Bracing for Trump's Revenge|first=McKay|last=Coppins|date=February 6, 2017}} and reap any possible benefits. He elaborated on the measure of revenge by saying he responds to wrongs by retaliating in the same manner, but with more severity.{{citation|first=Andrew|last=Purcell|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=The chilling of dissent in Trump's America|date=December 7, 2016|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14951734.The_chilling_of_dissent_in_Trump__39_s_America/|work=The Herald}} Trump cautions readers against being complacent and trusting in civilization because the world is cruel and ruthless.{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=American Agita: Resistance As Antidote To Donald Trump-Induced Anxiety|date=February 17, 2017|first= Steve|last= Almond|work=WBUR-FM|url=http://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2017/02/17/donald-trump-is-giving-america-an-anxiety-attack-steve-almond}} Trump writes that those who do not seek revenge are remiss and calls them "schmucks".{{citation|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/06/14/donald-trump-70-birthday-quotes/85619552/|work=USA Today|access-date=June 13, 2017|date=June 14, 2016|title=70 for 70: Memorable Donald Trump quotes on his big birthday|first=Eliza|last=Collins}}

Trump recalls some of his romantic exploits, claiming to have secretly been with "Beautiful, famous, successful, married" women.{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/430381/donald-trump-ben-sasse-twitter-question-marital-infidelity|work=National Review|title=Yes, It Was Fair for Ben Sasse to Question Donald Trump About His Many Affairs|first=David|last=French|date=January 27, 2016}}{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/26/politics/ben-sasse-donald-trump-infidelities/index.html|work=CNN|title=GOP senator who raised Trump's marital infidelities to campaign with Cruz, Rubio|first=Jeremy|last=Diamond|date=January 26, 2016}}{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/la-oe-daum3nov03-column.html|first=Meghan|last=Daum|work=Los Angeles Times|date=November 3, 2007|title=Things have never been better for kick-ass bloviators.}} Trump reflects on how he would be filled with disbelief during these exploits, surprised at his own success.{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|work=Politico|title=The 199 Most Donald Trump Things Donald Trump Has Ever Said|first=Michael|last=Kruse|date=August 14, 2015|url=http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/08/the-absolute-trumpest-121328}}{{citation|url=http://www.freep.com/story/opinion/columnists/nancy-kaffer/2016/10/06/trump-women-election/91348602/|work=Detroit Free Press|first=Nancy|last=Kaffer|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=The misogyny inherent in Trump's campaign|date=October 6, 2016}}{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2016/09/29/bringing-up-bill-clintons-affairs-may-backfire-for-trump.html|work=The Columbus Dispatch|title=Bringing up Bill Clinton's affairs may backfire for Trump|date=September 29, 2016|first=Darrel|last=Rowland|archive-date=November 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104114006/http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2016/09/29/bringing-up-bill-clintons-affairs-may-backfire-for-trump.html|url-status=dead}} He explained that he was successful in his endeavors with women due to some unknown quality he possessed.{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trumps-heidi-cruz-attack-excites-mens-rights-activists|work=The Daily Beast|title=Donald Trump's Heidi Cruz Attack Excites Men's Rights Activists|date=March 25, 2016|first=Gideon|last=Resnick}}

Coauthor Bill Zanker writes in the work about the importance of brand name power for Trump, saying Trump's worth comes from his passion and ability to connect with people. Zanker gave his company, The Learning Annex and its business relationship with Trump as an example, saying Trump earns more from speaking engagements than just the nominal amount on his paycheck when one factors in advertising and promotion. Trump concurs with Zanker's assessment and notes that he donates his monetary income from speeches to charity.

Trump discusses his 1990s conflicts with finance companies regarding debt management in the work, saying the banks accepted some of the blame.{{citation|url=http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20160710/real_estate/160709911/ladder-capital-financial-an-eight-year-old-manhattan-reit-and-a|first=Aaron|last=Elstein|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=When major firms could no longer stomach the risk, Trump turned to this shadow bank|date=July 10, 2016|work=Crain's New York Business}}{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/donald-trump-lets-his-hair-down-20110511|magazine=Rolling Stone|title=Donald Trump Lets His Hair Down|first= Erik|last= Hedegaard|date=May 11, 2011}}{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/08/10/why-donald-trump-shrugs-so-much|newspaper=The Washington Post|title=Why Donald Trump shrugs so much|first=Justin Wm. |last=Moyer |date=August 10, 2015}} He tells the reader that economic depressions are beyond a borrower's control{{citation|title=Dumb Money: How Our Greatest Financial Minds Bankrupted the Nation|first=Daniel|last=Gross|pages=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781439159873/page/1 1–2]|publisher=Free Press|year=2009|isbn=978-1439159873|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781439159873/page/1}} and reminds them that banks fear lawsuits.{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=Donald Trump Says He 'Called' the '08 Crash. Here's What Really Happened|first=Michael|last=Kruse|work=Politico Magazine|date=October 7, 2016|url=http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/10/donald-trump-says-he-called-the-08-crash-heres-what-really-happened-214327}}{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=http://fortune.com/2016/03/21/donald-trump-bank-loans/|work=Fortune|date=March 21, 2016|title=This Is Donald Trump's Go-To Lender|first=Geoffrey|last=Smith}}

Genre

The New Yorker and Politico placed Think Big and Kick Ass in the genre of self-help books. The Economist and Bookseller + Publisher Magazine said it was part of a trend of business books.{{citation|last=Evans|first=Eamon|title=The Business of Business Books|journal= Bookseller + Publisher Magazine|volume=88|issue=1|date=July 2008|pages=22–23|issn=1833-5403|url=https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/INFORMIT.418825648964850}} The Economist noted that during successful periods of the stock market more finance books were published. Author and academic John Lubans wrote about the business genre, "And there’s a subset of the business fad industry: books. Not about a system of work, but titles written by celebrity leaders like Donald Trump, Jack Welch, and others bent on explaining how they got to be as good as they decidedly are and how you too, if you follow their advice, can make it to the top. Mr. Trump’s latest, Think Big and Kick Ass, probably defines the genre."{{citation|title=Leading from the middle: 'Deterministic, Highly Reductive, and Transient'|access-date=June 13, 2017|journal=Library Administration & Management|first=John|last=Lubans Jr.|volume=22|issue=3|year=2008|pages=148–149|url=https://journals.tdl.org/llm/index.php/llm/article/viewFile/1732/1012}}{{citation|pages=210–211|title='Leading from the Middle,' and Other Contrarian Essays on Library Leadership|first=John|last=Lubans|year=2010|series=Beta Phi Mu Monograph Series|publisher=Libraries Unlimited |isbn=978-1598845778}} Jeffrey L. Buller wrote in Change Leadership in Higher Education that the book was part of "a school of thought that says when it comes to success in life or at work, leadership requires people to become aggressive, assertive, and at times even abusive in order to achieve their goals.{{citation|first=Jeffrey L.|last=Buller|title=Change Leadership in Higher Education|pages=192–193|publisher=Jossey-Bass|year=2014|isbn=978-1118762035}} The Daily Beast marveled that subsequent to Trump's 2017 inauguration, the work joined the pantheon of presidential memoirs.{{citation|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/the-best-and-worst-presidential-memoirs|title=The Best and Worst Presidential Memoirs|date=January 22, 2017}}

Release and sales

Think Big and Kick Ass was first published in 2007 in hardcover format by HarperCollins.{{oclc|946581955}} An audiobook was released the same year.{{oclc|416796597}} An audiobook was released under the same title again in 2008.{{oclc|931092896}} The work was first published under the title Think Big: Make It Happen in Business and Life in paperback format in 2008.{{oclc|191930196}} HarperCollins gave it additional print releases under this title, in 2010 and 2012.{{oclc|772982215}}{{oclc|801586527}} In November 2007 there were 400,000 print copies of the work.{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/20080101/bill-zanker-never-wants-to-come-down.html|work=Inc.|title= Bill Zanker Never Wants to Come Down|first=Josh|last=Dean|date=December 21, 2007}} Must Read Summaries published a summary of the book in 2014 and 2016.{{citation|year=2014|publisher=Must Read Summaries|title=Summary: Think Big and Kick Ass: Review and Analysis of Trump and Zanker's Book|isbn=978-2511020388|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vMIaBQAAQBAJ&q=Must+read+summaries+Think+Big+and+Kick+Ass%3A+Review+and+Analysis+of+Trump+and+Zanker%27s+Book}}{{citation|isbn=978-2511048351|year=2016|title=Summary: Think Big and Kick Ass: Review and Analysis of Trump and Zanker's Book|publisher= Business Book Summaries}}

Trump marketed the work with an interview on the CNN program Larry King Live,{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/opinion/trump-traitor-simplistic-ideas/|title=Trump the traitor: Simplistic ideas|date=April 14, 2017|work=The Himalayan Times|author-link=Bernard-Henri Lévy|first=Bernard-Henri |last=Lévy }} and at appearances in New York City.{{citation|url=http://www.nybooks.com/daily/2016/05/06/trumps-long-game-becoming-general-election-candidate/|work=The New York Review of Books|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=Trump's Long Game|first=Elizabeth |last=Drew|date=May 6, 2016}} He promoted sales of the book by doling our currency.{{citation|first=Sewell|last=Chan|url=https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/16/cash-giveaway-promotes-trump-book/comment-page-1/|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 13, 2017|date=October 18, 2007|title=Cash Giveaway Promotes Trump Book}} At an event in New York City, Trump personally handed out one-hundred-dollar bills to the first 100 purchasers of the book.{{citation|url=http://www.economist.com/node/10063865|newspaper=The Economist|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=Business books: Kicking ass in an unflat world|date=November 1, 2007}} Trump gave a presentation about the book at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in an event hosted by MSNBC on January 2, 2008.{{citation|journal=Real-World Economics Review|issue=79|title=Trumponomics, firm governance and US prosperity|first=Robert R. |last=Locke|url=http://www.paecon.net/PAEReview/issue79/Locke79.pdf|access-date=June 13, 2017|date=March 30, 2017|pages=120–135}} During a 2008 lawsuit involving Deutsche Bank, attorneys for the finance company quoted from the book as evidence about Trump's views on loan relationships with banks.{{citation|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/feb/16/how-donald-trump-became-deutsche-bank-biggest-headache|work=The Guardian|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=How Donald Trump became Deutsche Bank's biggest headache|first1=Luke|last1=Harding|first2=Nick|last2=Hopkins|date=February 16, 2017}}{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160305/ISSUE01/303059990/trumps-nasty-side-at-his-namesake-tower|date=March 5, 2016|title=Trump's nasty side at his namesake tower|first=Alby|last=Gallun|work=Crain's Chicago Business}}{{citation|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/business/05norris.html|work=The New York Times|first=Floyd|last=Norris|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=Trump Sees Act of God in Recession|date=December 4, 2008}} According to The Economist, the book became a bestseller in 2007.{{citation|url=http://www.economist.com/node/10126841|newspaper=The Economist|title=Business view: What witch doctors?|access-date=June 13, 2017|date=November 13, 2007}} In July 2015, the book was the highest selling work in the category of personal finance on Amazon.com.{{citation|quote='Think Big,' co-written by Bill Zanker, was Amazon's top seller for personal finance.|url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/latino-leaders-warn-republican-party-to-condemn-trump-for-comments-about-mexicans|work=Fox News|date=July 3, 2015|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=Latino leaders warn Republican Party to condemn Trump for comments about Mexicans}} Trump declared revenues of less than $201.00 from the book in 2016.{{citation|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/18/donald-trump-fec-financial-disclosure|work=The Guardian|first=Ben|last=Jacobs|title=Trump financial declaration reveals he holds bonds in companies he attacked|date=May 18, 2016}}{{citation|work=Politico|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2015/09/donald-trump-candidate-wealth-2016-213362|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=The art of Trump's first deal|date=September 18, 2015|first1=Michael|last1=Kruse|first2=Josh|last2=Gerstein|first3=Ben|last3=Shreckinger}}{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|first1=Steve|last1=Eder|first2=Michael|last2=Barbaro|first3=Kitty|last3=Bennett|title=Donald Trump's Income and Wealth Are Shown in Filing but Are Hard to Pinpoint|url=https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/07/22/|date=July 22, 2015|work=The New York Times}}

Critical reception

Vanguard journalist Ochereome Nnanna wrote positively of the book in 2016, saying her impression of Trump was as "a very imaginative, straightforward, practical person".{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|work=Vanguard|first=Ochereome|last= Nnanna|location=Nigeria|url=http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/americas-sore-losers-2/|title=America's sore losers (2) |date=November 17, 2016}} Fashion designer Emilia Wickstead told the Financial Times in 2014 that the book inspired her to become an entrepreneur in her twenties.{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|work=Financial Times|date=September 12, 2014|url=https://www.ft.com/content/e5bc9714-382a-11e4-b69d-00144feabdc0|first=Carola|last=Long|title=Interview: Emilia Wickstead's show will be a highlight of London Fashion Week|quote=As important, though, was a copy of Donald Trump’s Think Big and Kick Ass in Business and Life that she picked up in her early twenties: its make-things-happen mantra provided an unlikely source of motivation.}} Real Estate Weekly wrote in 2015, "Think Big And Kick Ass is the title of one of Trump's books and the icon of everything Trump."{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|work=Real Estate Weekly|url=http://rew-online.com/2015/08/12/how-to-brand-yourself-like-donald-trump/|date=August 12, 2015|title=How to brand yourself like Donald Trump|archive-date=October 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022045724/http://rew-online.com/2015/08/12/how-to-brand-yourself-like-donald-trump/|url-status=dead}} London Review of Books said the work was a way to capitalize on the aspirations of consumers in 2016.{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|journal=London Review of Books|url=https://www.lrb.co.uk/v38/n16/eliot-weinberger/it-was-everything|title=It was everything|date=August 3, 2016|last=Weinberger|first=Eliot|volume=38 |issue=16 }}

The Economist had two reviews of the book in 2007. One was critical of the advice imparted in the work, and the other wrote, "Donald Trump is a Wharton alumni, but you would not guess it from his new bestseller [...] with its street-fighter's advice to always get even and never marry without a prenuptial agreement." University of Hawaii business history professor Robert R. Locke compared Trump's principals for self-enrichment to robber barons in the Gilded Age in a 2017 article on Trumponomics for Real-World Economics Review. In 2015, Carlos Lozada wrote in The Washington Post that he found most of Trump's advice to be obvious or useless.{{citation|first=Carlos|last=Lozada|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/book-party/wp/2015/07/30/i-just-binge-read-eight-books-by-donald-trump-heres-what-i-learned|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=July 30, 2015|title=I just binge-read eight books by Donald Trump. Here's what I learned.}}

San Francisco Chronicle was critical of the book in 2016, calling it "self-aggrandizing" and, "extolling little other than a brash, Gordon Gekko-like pursuit of money and real estate holdings."{{citation|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=Farewell to the reader in chief|first=John |last=McMurtrie|date=December 21, 2016 |work=San Francisco Chronicle|url=http://www.sfchronicle.com/books/article/farewell-to-the-reader-in-chief-10808928.php}} The Economic Times commented upon the work in 2017, saying it gave a window into Trump's views on deal-making.{{citation|url=http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/andwordsisallihave/donald-trumps-policies-seem-to-be-inspired-by-ayn-rands-atlas-shrugged/|work=The Economic Times|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=Donald Trump's policies seem to be inspired by Ayn Rand's 'Atlas Shrugged'|date=January 27, 2017|first=Raghu|last=Krishnan|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513120133/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/andwordsisallihave/donald-trumps-policies-seem-to-be-inspired-by-ayn-rands-atlas-shrugged/|archive-date=13 May 2019}} Bloomberg News and The Huffington Post observed in 2016 that the work formed part of a collection of works which were profitable for Trump in collaboration with ghostwriters.{{citation|first=Timothy L.|last=O'Brien|work=Bloomberg News|date=July 19, 2016|title=Trump Doesn't Write His Own Stuff. Why Should Melania?}}{{citation|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-dreier/zsa-zsa-and-donald_b_13716396.html|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=June 13, 2017|title=Zsa Zsa, Donald, And America's Celebrity Culture|first=Peter|last=Dreier|date=December 19, 2016}}