Mel Ziegler, co-founder of Banana Republic, is asked by host Guy Raz whether his business success was due to work and intelligence or luck.
0:00 / 0:13exact quote · 13.4s
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“Oh, I would say mostly luck. We say go with the flow, but don't forget to row. I mean, in a sense being in the right place, being born at the right time.”
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AssertionNot publicly verifiable
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AssertionSupported
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AssertionPartly supported
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