The Ledger
Every statement that passed quotation and attribution checks. Mix any filter with any other: certainty 1/5, debate potential 5/5, or both at once.
why aren't all 14 resolved? a statement only gets an assessment when the public record can support or contradict it. opinions and what-ifs never can, and 1 checkable ones are still open, waiting for their date. predictions held up or didn't; assertions are supported or contradicted. on every card: ▮▮▮▮▮ certainty · ▮▮▮▮▮ debate potential. speakers are clickable
Former Home Depot CEO Robert Nardelli Resigned With $210M Severance Package
“He resigned under pressure With a two hundred and ten million dollar severance package that sparked public outrage.”
Security Pacific Banker Threatened Resignation to Force Home Depot Loan Approval
“He stormed into his CEO's office, slammed the door, and threw his resignation letter on the desk. You don't need a banker, he told the CEO. You need a computer. Hire some young kid to come in here and do my job. I buy people. Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank are…”
Marcus: Facing Product Labels is an Expensive Practice That Inflates Retail Prices
“Sears and True Value face their product, meaning they pay employees to go through the store and turn the labels out facing customers. It looks good, but it's tremendously expensive. We find it gets in the way of offering product at the lowest possible price.”
Bernie Marcus Rejected $3M VC Offer Demanding Cuts to Employee Healthcare
“A Boston venture capitalist agreed to invest three million dollars. Finally, they thought. But as Bernie was driving the investor to the airport after supposedly sealing the deal but not signing, the man revealed his conditions. Eliminate all company cars, cut…”
Authentic Employees Make Much Better Company Spokespeople Than Hired Actors
“You can't give authenticity to an actor. The best spokesperson for your company are the people who actually believe in what you're building.”
Marcus: Retail Customers Prefer Helpful Staff and Low Prices Over Fancy Aesthetics
“Customers didn't want to pay for wider aisles or brighter lights. They didn't want fancy displays or carpeted floors. They wanted help, knowledge, fair prices, and availability.”
Home Depot Originally Spent 3% of Sales on Ads Versus Walmart's 1.5%
“Home Depot was spending over three percent of gross sales on advertising, while Walmart was only spending 1.5%.”
Home Depot Allocated Half Its 1996 Olympic Corporate Hospitality to Frontline Workers
“And Home Depot had 2000 packages, and half of them went to vendor partners, and the other half went to everyday associates. They were the only sponsor who gave such a high percentage of hospitality packages to their own employees.”
Ross Perot Demanded 70% of Home Depot for a $2 Million Investment
“For two million dollars, Perot would own 70% of Home Depot. Bernie and Arthur would split 25%, and Ken would get five percent.”
Early Home Depot Lumber Workers and Cashiers Became Stock Option Millionaires
“Thousands of regular Home Depot associates became millionaires through stock options, the lumber workers, the cashiers who joined early.”
Home Depot Reached 2,300 Stores and $150B in Annual Revenue by 2024
“By his death, the Home Depot had 2300 stores across three countries, a hundred and fifty billion in annual revenue, and 460,000 employees.”
Ken Langone Raised Early Home Depot Capital From 40 Investors at $25,000
“Ken Langone went to work, convincing 40 investors, many of whom who'd made money on Handy Dan's stock to put up 25,000 dollars each.”