W. Clement Stone Biography

W. Clement Stone is a perfect protagonist of a rags-to-riches story. Founder of the Combined Insurance Company, he had less than a modest start in his life but did not let his financial shortcomings come in the way between him and success. A highly successful businessman and a prosperous philanthropist, he was the perfect example of how hard work couple with a positive attitude can change the fate and destiny of a man. Famous for his pencil-thin black moustache, his polka-dot bow ties and a solid fixation on motivation as the engine of success, Stone started off as a newspaper hawker when he was three. Interestingly, unlike other hawkers, he did not choose the street corners as his sell-out zones and instead concentrated on restaurants. His charming mannerism and benevolent ways impressed the buyers and his business soon thrived. He proceeded to become a salesperson in an insurance agency started off by his mother and soon turned the business profitable. Starting off with merely $100, he launched his own company that went on to become a multi-million dollar business. Throughout his life, Stone was deeply influenced by Napoleon Hill book, ‘Think and Grow Rich’ and the Bible. He even penned his own book which stated his belief that positive mental attitude was all that a person needed to rule the world. He strongly believed that no matter how poor one starts in life, a person can become wealthy by having a positive mental attitude.