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In fact, how a person deals with setbacks may be one of the
most telling predictors of business acumen, according to
Marcus. "All of the really successful entrepreneurs have had a
career-breaking moment or some very large disappointment
that they overcame. They learned from those experiences,
which gave them a lot of strength."
A Challenging Moment
His own challenging moment came in 1978 when he was fired
(along with Blank) from Handy Dan Home Centers at age 49.
But he had a choice to dwell on why it happened, or to learn
from the experience and move on. Marcus did the latter and
chose a path to prevent ever being fired again. With the backing
of an investment banker, he and Blank opened their own
business, and in that bold move, they made retailing history.
Marcus believes others can learn from his experience. "Don’t
ever get into anything just to make money," he counsels. "Go
into something you enjoy. For me, that was retailing. When
customers would tell me, ‘What a great company you have,’
well, that was like putting new blood in my veins. If all you ever
think about is money, money, money, you’re going to be very
disappointed. It’s the balanced life that makes us happy."
Balance through Giving
For Marcus, that balance comes in giving back. Raised in a
Jewish household steeped in the concept of tzedakah, he has
spent his life finding ways to share his good fortune. Even
before Marcus had any extra money to speak of, he was serving
on foundation boards and raising funds for good causes.
Now, through the Marcus Foundation, he supports programs
and initiatives for children, Jewish causes, medical research,
and the free enterprise system. The Marcus Institute, founded
and funded by Marcus, is a nationally known center of excellence,
providing comprehensive services for children with
developmental disabilities, including autism.
"While I have no child with autism myself, I have lived that
life through the employees who have these children," Marcus
says. "One in 166 children born is diagnosed with autism, but
the condition has been overlooked in Georgia. That’s where
an entrepreneur can step in and start doing things."
 The Biggest Fish
Marcus’s most recent philanthropy came from a $200 million
donation that made possible the Georgia Aquarium. His voice
swells with pride as he reports that the aquarium, which
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