business strategy

After more than a decade in the Gambino crime family, Louis Ferrante went to prison and changed his life. Now, he's a motivational speaker and author. His most recent book: Mob Rules: What the Mafia Can Teach the Legitimate Businessman. Here are a few of his tips for getting ahead in business.

Anyone who's lived through the last several decades or studied recent economic history knows that capitalism is inherently unstable. More specifically, the system goes through periods of economic expansion and contraction, which generally last eight to 10 years from peak to trough. Business leaders...