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Vocabulary

beauty salon [ˈbjuːti səˈlɑːn] – салон красоты

customer [ˈkʌstəmər] – клиент

arrogantly [ˈærəɡəntlɪ] – высокомерно, надменно

humiliate [hjuːˈmɪlɪeɪt] – унижать

bite the bullet [baɪt ðə ˈbʊlɪt] – стиснуть зубы, собрать волю в кулак

prove one’s worth [pruːv wʌnz wɜːrθ] – доказать свою значимость

skincare [ˈskɪnker] – уход за кожей

fragrance [ˈfreɪɡrəns] – парфюмерия, духи

entrepreneur [ˌɑːntrəprəˈnɜːr] – предприниматель

entrepreneurship [ˌɑːntrəprəˈnɜːrʃɪp] – предпринимательство

gorgeous [ˈɡɔːrdʒəs] – великолепный, прекрасный, шикарный

appreciate [əˈpriːʃieɪt] – ценить, высоко ставить

grace [ɡreɪs] – изящество, грация

fascinated [ˈfæsɪneɪtɪd] – зачарованный, завороженный

game changer [ˈɡeɪm ˈtʃeɪndʒər] – прорыв, событие, в корне меняющее ситуацию

captivate [ˈkæptɪveɪt] – очаровывать, пленять, увлекать

promote [prəˈməʊt] – рекламировать, продвигать

persistent [pərˈsɪstənt] – настойчивый, упорный

dedicate oneself [ˈdedɪkeɪt wʌnˈself] – посвятить себя

obstacle [ˈɑːbstəkl] – препятствие

conquer [ˈkɑːŋkər] – покорять

namesake company [ˈneɪmseɪk ˈkʌmpəni] – одноименная компания

serum [ˈsɪrəm] – сыворотка

penetrate [ˈpenətreɪt] – проникать внутрь

pioneer [ˌpaɪəˈnɪr] – первооткрыватель, быть первооткрывателем

free samples [fri: ˈsæmpl] – бесплатные образцы продукции

cooperate [kəʊˈɑːpəreɪt] – сотрудничать

make it a rule [ˈmeɪk ɪt ə ˌruːl] – взять за правило

purchase [ˈpɜːrtʃəs] – покупка

accidentally [ˌæksɪˈdentəli] – случайно

thrive [θraɪv] – процветать, преуспевать

collaborate [kəˈlæbəreɪt] – сотрудничать

Exercises

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions:

1) Who was Estée Lauder?

2) What was the most awkward situation Lauder had been in as a young girl?

3) What impact did this situation have on Lauder?

4) Who had the greatest influence on her career choice?

5) When was her entrepreneurial spirit ignited?

6) Was Estée married or single? Did she have any children?

7) What was the reason for her divorce in 1939?

8) Did Estée and her husband find a way to be together?

9) What year did Lauder found her company?

10) What were the key factors that contributed to Lauder’s success?

11) What is happening with the company today?

Exercise 2. Find the equivalents of the following phrases in the text:

дядя по материнской линии; кто сегодня упал, завтра может подняться; едва сводить концы с концами; собрать волю в кулак / стиснуть зубы; сменить род деятельности; ценить красоту и изящество; дух предпринимательства; посвятить себя любимому делу; это событие кардинально изменило ее жизнь; изменить свое мышление; новаторский подход; результат превзошел все ожидания

Exercise 3. Give the Russian equivalents of the following phrases:

to prove one’s worth; one of the most successful and wealthiest self-made women; shortly after the outbreak of World War I; let’s not beat around the bush; a skincare routine; that event was a real game changer; to succeed in life; to conquer new heights; personalized consultations; to give away gifts with every purchase

Creative task No. 2

“From success to failure is one step; from failure to success is a long road.” Discuss what this proverb means. State your opinion on the topic.

Walt Disney

Here is my favorite quotation by Alexander Graham Bell: “When one door closes, another one opens.” It teaches us to never give up and always keep pursuing our goals. I am absolutely sure there is no problem that cannot be solved. I always say that if one door closes and another one does not open, look for a window. What I am trying to say is that no matter how difficult things appear to be, it is always possible to find a solution. If great people had given up when faced with a challenge, they would have never achieved success in life. Those who are persistent always overcome obstacles and keep going despite setbacks. This is how the world works.

One of the best examples of persistence is the real story of Walt Disney, an American business tycoon, animator, and film producer. What associations do you have when you hear Walt Disney’s name? I guess the first thing you think of is Disneyland or Disney cartoons. Unfortunately, few people know the true story behind Walt Disney. If you think he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, you are grossly mistaken. His path to success was full of challenges and failures. Here is what this amazing person once said:

All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all the troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me. You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.

Are you ready to step into the world of Walt Disney?

Walt Disney was born on December 5, 1901, to a poor family in Chicago, Illinois. Besides him, his parents had four other children. His father, Elias, worked as a farmer, contractor, and entrepreneur, and his mother, Flora, was a housewife and took care of the kids. When Walt was about 6 years old, his family moved to Marceline, Missouri, where his father bought a farm. As a child, Disney enjoyed being around animals and became interested in drawing. Little Walt had a vivid imagination, and his drawings were wholly admirable. He practiced drawing by copying works of a famous cartoonist Ryan Walker. One day, Walt drew a cow on the wall of his parents’ house. The picture was so impressive and unusual that their neighbor Dr. Sherwood approached him with a request to draw a sketch of his horse. That is how Walt earned his first money. I think that circumstance played a significant role in shaping Walt Disney’s future as an artist and animator. Curiously, despite his relatively short time in Marceline, Walt thought of that place as his hometown and talked about his time on the farm with passion and great warmth.

In 1911, the Disneys moved to Kansas City, Missouri, for better opportunities, and Walt completely fell in love with trains. Everything turned out the way that it was supposed to. If Walt’s family hadn’t moved to Kansas City, the world might not have seen Disneyland. The point is that Walt lived not far from Electric Park, one of the amusement and leisure parks in Kansas City. Believe it or not, it was a marvel of its time. It boasted a great deal of entertainment: band concerts, a roller-coaster, a carousel, fountains, and, of course, a steam train that moved around the park. At night, it was beautifully illuminated with electric lights. There is no doubt that the imaginative boy was delighted with this innovation and went there whenever possible.

Unfortunately, Walt’s childhood was not like a fairy tale, but that did not stop him from achieving great success. According to many sources, his father, Elias, was a harsh man with his own parenting style that did not involve any playtime, games, or toys for his children. Instead, he encouraged his kids to work at an early age. So, Walt and his brother Roy, who was his best ally and friend, worked at a railroad selling snacks, candy, and soda to passengers. Apart from that, the boys delivered newspapers before and after school. Since Walt’s father kept all of the money the boy earned, he had to do some odd jobs but kept it a secret. It was so exhausting that Walt would often fall asleep in class and receive poor grades. Despite the challenges he had to face as a young boy, he did not give up and always made time for art. In high school, Walt attended Saturday courses at the Kansas City Art Institute and took a correspondence course in drawing cartoons. When Walt was 16, his family moved to Chicago. While in Chicago, Walt took night classes at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts (today it is called the Art Institute of Chicago). His talent was soon discovered at school, and Walt became the cartoonist for the school newspaper. Tired of living under one roof with his stern father, he followed the example of his three older brother, who moved out of their parents’ house at their first opportunity. He dropped out of school to join the army, but he was rejected for being underage (Walt was 16 then). The would-be entrepreneur did not give up and tried again. He cheated a bit and forged his birth date. It all turned out well for him. He was sent to France as an ambulance driver for the Red Cross. At the age of 18, Walt returned to Kansas City with the goal of becoming a newspaper artist. His brother Roy helped him get a job at an art studio where he created ads for newspapers and magazines. There, he met his lifelong friend named Ub Iwerks. Unfortunately, the company’s business was not booming, and both artists were dismissed. However, everything was for the best. The two friends decided to start their own studio. They were both excited and determined to succeed, but their business was short-lived and doomed to fail. So, they soon had to seek work elsewhere.

I think it is essential to emphasize that each entrepreneur has their highs and lows at some point. Many business owners say that experiencing failure and rejection can be really useful. Strangely enough, the more rejections you have, the more experienced you become. Walt thought of his numerous failures as stepping stones to success and personal growth. This may come as a surprise to you, but Walt Disney was fired because his newspaper editor thought that he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” It sounds like a joke, right?

All the while, Walt struggled to make ends meet, had to live with his friends, and often went without food. Friedrich Nietzsche, the German philosopher, famously said: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” And that is absolutely true. Walt turned all his failures into opportunities. He learned from his own mistakes, drew conclusions, and moved on.

In 1921, Walt Disney set up his first animation studio called Laugh-O-Gram, which produced short cartoons based on popular fairy tales and children’s stories. Though the shorts were popular with audiences, they did not provide enough income as the costs exceeded the returns. So, the company eventually went bankrupt in 1923, and Walt had to start from scratch again. He left Kansas City for Hollywood with 40 dollars in his pocket. His brother Roy had already moved to California. On October 16, 1923, Walt and his brother founded the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio (later known as the Walt Disney Company). Finally, fortune smiled upon him. Soon enough, Walt invited his friend Ub Iwerks to join them and offered him a job. The next life-changing event was meeting the ink artist Lillian Bounds. They married in 1925.

In 1927, Disney and Iwerks created an animated cartoon character named Oswald the Lucky Rabbit for Universal Studios. The project was a success, and Oswald captured the hearts of audiences around the world. But guess what? Walt Disney lost the rights to the character in a dispute with his business partner over a contract. However, there has been much speculation around that story. Some say that Oswald could not be stolen from Walt because he didn’t own the character. All rights belonged to Universal Pictures. All in all, Walt made a decision to create another character to replace Oswald. So, the world learned about Mickey Mouse. Surely, perseverance can pay off.

Walt Disney’s life was not easy. He was fired, went bankrupt, was rejected more than 300 times, but he always believed in his dream and kept on going. Walt Disney is an example of persistence and perseverance. He died on December 15, 1966, but he will always be remembered as a winner. And that is Walt Disney’s real-life story of success and overcoming great obstacles, to put it in a nutshell.

Vocabulary

pursue one’s goal [pərˈsuː wʌnz ɡəʊl] – стремиться к цели, преследовать цель

persistent [pərˈsɪstənt] – упорный, настойчивый

setback [ˈsetbæk] – неудача

tycoon [taɪˈkuːn] – магнат

be born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth [bi: bɔːrn wɪð ə ˈsɪlvər spuːn ɪn wʌnz maʊθ] – родиться с серебряной ложкой во рту, родиться в богатой семье

admirable [ˈædmərəbl] – замечательный, восхитительный, очаровательный

amusement park [əˈmjuːzmənt ˌpɑːrk] – парк развлечений

harsh [hɑːrʃ] – суровый, жесткий, строгий

underage [ˈʌndəreɪdʒ] – несовершеннолетний

dismiss [dɪˈsmɪs] – увольнять

short-lived [ˌʃɔːrt ˈlɪvd] – недолговечный, мимолетный

rejection [rɪˈdʒekʃn] – отказ, неприятие

stepping stone [ˈstepɪŋ stəʊn] – трамплин, ступенька на пути

draw a conclusion [drɔː ə kənˈkluːʒn] – сделать вывод

perseverance [ˌpɜːrsəˈvɪrəns] – настойчивость, упорство

in a nutshell [ɪn ə ˈnʌtʃel] – кратко, в двух словах

Exercises

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions:

1) Who was Walt Disney?

2) What associations do you have when you hear Walt Disney’s name?

3) What kind of relationship did Walt have with his father?

4) How would you characterize Walt Disney?

5) Who was Walt’s best friend and ally?

6) Why was Walt Disney fired from his first job as a newspaper artist?

7) How did Walt treat his failures?

8) Why did his first animation studio called Laugh-O-Gram go bankrupt?

9) When was the Walt Disney Company founded?

Exercise 2. Find the equivalents of the following phrases in the text:

не бывает неразрешимых проблем; всегда можно найти решение; это обстоятельство сыграло важную роль в формировании будущего; все сложилось так, как и должно было сложиться; мальчик с богатым воображением; его не приняли, поскольку он был несовершеннолетним; он считал свои многочисленные неудачи ступенями на пути к успеху и личностному росту

Exercise 3. Give the Russian equivalents of the following phrases:

his business wasn’t booming; his business was doomed to fail; highs and lows; the costs exceeded the returns; the company went bankrupt; to start from scratch; a life-changing event; to make ends meet; fortune smiled upon him; an example of persistence and perseverance; you are grossly mistaken

Creative task No. 3

In your opinion, what are the most important qualities of a successful entrepreneur?

Elon Musk

I think every schoolkid can tell who Elon Musk is, but not everyone knows what his path to success looked like. This chapter tells a fascinating story of a man whose great inventions are changing the world. Elon Musk is a world-renowned entrepreneur, investor, and innovator who has achieved tremendous success throughout his career. The iconic businessman is the mastermind behind Tesla Motors, PayPal, and SpaceX. He is also famous for monumental advancements in futuristic technology such as renewable energy and space travel. When I read his biography, I developed even greater respect for this remarkably charismatic man.

Elon Musk was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa. His father, Errol Musk, is an engineer, and his mother, Maye Musk, is a Canadian-born model and nutritionist. Elon is the oldest child in the family. He has two siblings named Kimball and Tosca. There has always been much speculation around his family income. According to some sources, Elon’s father owned half of an emerald mine based in Zambia, and the family lived in luxury. Curiously, the head of SpaceX denies the rumors about the fabulous income of his family. According to him, he did not come from a highly affluent family, and his father’s emerald business collapsed. Here is what Elon Musk once tweeted:

He [father] didn’t own an emerald mine, and I worked my way through college, ending up with [around] 100 thousand dollars in student debt.

I suppose, in this manner, Elon Musk aims to prove his success without his father’s support. And that is absolutely true. First, he had a strained relationship with his father (which we are going to talk about next). Second, not all children of wealthy people who inherit their businesses succeed in their careers. On the contrary, things sometimes go south, and they lose everything their parents worked hard for. Third, it is obvious that Musk is a talented inventor and a tireless innovator who is committed to improving the future of humanity. After all, it is no wonder that many call this exceptional entrepreneur a modern-day genius and “Iron man” (Musk became the inspiration for Tony Stark in Marvel movies). I have no doubt that the future belongs to this brilliant person!

Elon had a tough childhood. His parents divorced when he was still a kid. After the divorce of his parents, Musk first lived with his mother and siblings. They were very poor, wore second-hand clothes, and had modest meals. Although Maye’s salary was barely enough to make ends meet, she showed by example how important it was to be independent and responsible. For the record, she was a single mother raising her children and working five jobs. Maye was a good mother who surrounded her kids with boundless love and care. After a while, Elon moved in with his father, which he later regretted. They had a complicated relationship. According to Elon’s mother, Errol was a manipulator and abuser. In his interview with Rolling Stone, Elon Musk said with tears in his eyes:

My dad was such a terrible human being, you have no idea. My dad will have a carefully thought-out plan of evil. He will plan evil. Almost every crime you can possibly think of, he has done. Almost every evil thing you could possibly think of, he has done. It’s so terrible, you can’t believe it.

Elon insists that his father is good at making life miserable. The boy was forced to live under one roof with his harsh father for quite a long time. According to Musk, his father was abusive and never believed in him. I think that the things he learned as a child really helped him become the person he is today: incredibly intelligent, resourceful, fearless in the face of risk, and purposeful. When the boy was 12, his father sent him to a survival wilderness camp where children were given small portions of water and food and encouraged to fight over them. As a result, the older kids hit the younger ones and took their food from them. For Elon, it was a real test of survival and psychological torture.

While staying at home, Elon spent most of his time reading to distract himself and minimize communication with his father. They say that Musk was a real bookworm: he could read two books a day. He once said: “I was raised by books. Books, and then my parents.” Since he had a photographic memory, he quickly memorized vast amounts of information and could easily recite everything he had read. Over time, the nickname “know-it-all” stuck to him. Admittedly, Elon did not get along with his peers. He felt like an outsider and was often bullied.

One day, little Elon saw a computer for the first time at one of the shopping malls in Johannesburg. It was love at first sight. At that moment, he knew he would do whatever it took to get it. Luckily, he managed to persuade his father to buy this “miracle machine.” Elon did not waste any time. The brilliant child independently mastered popular programming languages from books and created a space-themed game called Blastar. Surprisingly, Musk found a buyer and sold it for 500 dollars. Just think: the boy was 12 years old then! And it was just the beginning.

In 1989, Elon Musk finally went to Canada to apply for Queen’s University, Ontario. As his mother was born in Canada, he was able to get his Canadian citizenship in a few months. Initially, he had to share a room with five roommates in a youth hostel. Two years later, he transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in two fields: physics and economics. Then, Musk moved to California to pursue a Ph.D. in energy physics at Stanford University, but he left the program after just two days to focus on business.

Elon Musk’s first business venture was Zip2, a software company he co-founded in 1995. It provided and licensed online city guide software to newspapers and was eventually sold to Compaq for 307 million dollars in 1999. From that moment on, Musk was destined to succeed. Some of Elon Musk’s most notable business ventures include:

• SpaceX – Musk founded the company to help reduce space transportation costs and promote the colonization of Mars. Today, SpaceX is one of the top five most valuable private companies in the world.

• Tesla, Inc. – Musk invested 70 million dollars in Tesla’s electric car startup in 2004 and headed the company’s board of directors. Later, he became CEO and product architect. Under his leadership, Tesla has become the leading manufacturer of electric vehicles.

• Neuralink – the company was founded by Elon Musk and a team of seven scientists and engineers. It aims to develop a neurochip – the implantable device that can record and transmit brain signals to external devices, such as computers, smartphones, or tablets. Musk hopes that the product will help those with severe brain injuries caused by stroke or cancer.

• The Boring Company (also known as TBC) – the company aims to reduce traffic congestion through the construction of underground tunnels.

In addition to these major companies, Musk has also been involved in other businesses and philanthropic initiatives. His innovative approach to business and technology as well as his outstanding efficiency have made him one of the most influential entrepreneurs and the richest people in the world. For the record, Musk is notoriously known for being a hard worker who gets very little sleep. He once said: “There are way easier places to work, but nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week.” Do you get the point? Musk is trying to say that long work hours are necessary to change the world.