Richard M. DeVos

Richard M. DeVos – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the life and legacy of Richard M. DeVos — cofounder of Amway, philanthropist, NBA team owner, and motivational leader. Discover his biography, achievements, famous quotes, and lessons for success.

Introduction

Richard M. DeVos (March 4, 1926 – September 6, 2018) was a towering figure in American business, philanthropy, and motivational leadership. Best known as a cofounder of Amway and longtime advocate of faith-based entrepreneurship, DeVos built not just wealth but influence—and left behind a lasting legacy of giving, leadership, and optimism. In a world where business success is often divorced from values, DeVos’s life offers a powerful illustration that one can pursue ambitious commercial goals while anchoring one’s vision in faith, encouragement, and legacy.

In this article, we’ll trace his journey from modest beginnings to billionaire status, explore his ventures and philanthropy, highlight his most memorable sayings, and draw lessons that resonate for entrepreneurs, leaders, and dreamers alike.

Early Life and Family

Richard Marvin DeVos was born on March 4, 1926, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Ethel Ruth (Dekker) and Simon Cornelius DeVos, both of whom were of Dutch heritage and were involved in the electrical business. His upbringing was in a modest, hardworking household, shaped by strong religious influences, values of self-reliance, and a drive to build something meaningful.

From his youth, DeVos was instilled with a sense of responsibility, work ethic, and faith—principles that would guide much of his adult life.

He received his early education at Grand Rapids Christian School and later attended Calvin College (a Christian liberal arts institution) where he was active in student life. U.S. Army Air Corps, contributing to the war effort.

DeVos also joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity while in college. His formative years blended academic, spiritual, and communal elements that shaped his worldview.

Youth and Early Aspirations

Growing up during the Great Depression, DeVos witnessed hardship and uncertainty, which molded his resilience and perspective on money, value, and service.

Even as a young man, DeVos showed an entrepreneurial spirit. He and others experimented with small ventures and tested direct-sales models. Later, he would partner with his friend Jay Van Andel to create what became Amway.

These early experiments in sales, networks, and social persuasion served as laboratories for the larger business he would build. He learned early on that success would require not only ideas but persistence, relationships, and a positive mindset.

Career and Achievements

Founding Amway and Business Expansion

In 1959, Richard DeVos and Jay Van Andel launched Amway (short for “American Way”) as a direct-selling company focused initially on cleaning and home products.

Under DeVos’s leadership, Amway diversified its product lines (health, beauty, home care) and refined its business model. Alticor (established in 2000) to streamline operations.

At one point, Forbes ranked DeVos as the 60th wealthiest person in the U.S. and 205th in the world, with a net worth estimated around US$5.1 billion.

Sports and Ownership

Beyond direct sales, DeVos ventured into professional sports. In 1991, he purchased the Orlando Magic, a National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise, for about US$85 million.

He also had stakes in minor league hockey teams (e.g. Orlando Solar Bears, Grand Rapids Griffins) and played roles in regional sports management.

Authorship and Thought Leadership

DeVos translated his business and life philosophies into writing. Among his notable books:

• Believe! (1975), co-written with Charles Paul Conn, which sets forth core principles of faith, attitude, and purpose.

• Hope From My Heart: Ten Lessons for Life, reflecting on his personal journey and challenges (including a heart transplant).

• Compassionate Capitalism (year not always specified) and later his memoir Simply Rich (2014).

In Simply Rich, he recounts how he underwent a heart transplant in the UK after being turned down in the U.S. due to age and diabetes.

Philanthropy and Civic Participation

Alongside his business ventures, DeVos was a committed philanthropist. In 1970, he and his wife Helen DeVos established the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation, which became a leading grant-making organization supporting education, health, arts, Christian ministries, and conservative policy causes.

The foundation has supported institutions in Michigan and beyond, including Christian schools, universities, medical centers, and think tanks (e.g. The Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise Institute).

Richard DeVos also served on boards such as Northwood University, the National Constitution Center, and was active in policy circles.

Political Engagement

DeVos was a significant donor and supporter of Republican and conservative causes. He served as finance chair for the Republican National Committee and backed various candidates and policy initiatives, including education reform and free-market economic policies.

Historical Milestones & Context

• Postwar America & Rise of Consumer Culture: DeVos’s career unfolded during an era of expanding consumerism, emerging middle class, and openness to entrepreneurial models. His business tapped into a desire for supplemental income streams and personal enterprise.

• Direct Selling Industry Growth: He rode the wave of direct selling and multi-level marketing, helping shape it as a major global sector.

• Health Challenges & Medical Breakthroughs: His personal health struggles—particularly his heart surgery and transplant—emerged at a time when such procedures were becoming more known and accessible.

• Political & Cultural Shifts: DeVos was active in conservative politics during the Reagan era and beyond, when debates about the role of government, social values, and market economy were intense.

• Global Expansion: As Amway expanded internationally, DeVos’s perspective had to bridge cultures, regulatory regimes, and varying consumer behaviors.

Legacy and Influence

Richard DeVos’s legacy extends across business, philanthropy, and leadership:

• Model of values-based entrepreneurship: He demonstrated that faith, optimism, and encouragement can accompany commercial ambition.

• Impact through giving: The DeVos Foundation and related philanthropic arms have had lasting effects in education, medicine, arts, and public policy.

• Inspiration and mentorship: Through his books, speeches, and personal example, he inspired generations of business leaders and network marketers.

• Institutional footprints: Universities, medical centers, Christian institutions, and arts organizations bear his name and reflect his priorities.

• Family legacy: His children (Dick, Dan, Cheri, Doug) carry forward philanthropic, business, and civic roles in various domains.

Although he passed away on September 6, 2018 in Ada Township, Michigan, at the age of 92, his influence continues through institutions, leadership networks, and the many people touched by his vision.

Personality and Talents

Richard DeVos was widely known for his infectious optimism, encouraging style, and relentless positivity. He frequently described himself as a “cheerleader” for others, committed to building people as much as building business.

He was also remarkably persistent — a trait he considered fundamental to success. He believed that setbacks, rejections, and challenges are part of the process, and that “getting up again” defines character.

A few character traits worth highlighting:

• Faith-oriented worldview: DeVos’s Christianity informed many decisions, and he saw business as a sphere in which one could serve God and humanity.

• Relational leadership: He believed in investing in people, affirming potential, and creating a culture of uplift, not just command.

• Boldness balanced with humility: Though he achieved enormous success, he often acknowledged his roots, health struggles, and dependence on others.

• Philanthropic imagination: He saw giving not as charity but as strategic investment in institutions, ideas, and future generations.

Famous Quotes of Richard M. DeVos

Here are some of his most resonant, frequently cited quotes — words he used to inspire, challenge, and clarify his philosophy:

1. “One of the most powerful forces in the world is the will of men and women who believe in themselves, who dare to hope and aim high, who go confidently after the things they want from life.”

2. “If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick the trait of persistence. Determination. The will to endure to the end, to get knocked down seventy times and get up off the floor saying, ‘Here comes number seventy-one!’”

3. “Money cannot buy peace of mind. It cannot heal ruptured relationships, or build meaning into a life that has none.”

4. “The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible.”

5. “Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A world of optimism and hope. A ‘you can do it’ when things are tough.”

6. “Life… It tends to respond to our outlook, to shape itself to meet our expectations.”

7. “A positive atmosphere nurtures a positive attitude, which is required to take positive action.”

8. “It is impossible to win the race unless you venture to run, impossible to win the victory unless you dare to battle.”

9. “The easiest thing to find on God’s green earth is someone to tell you all the things you cannot do.”

10. “I still refer to myself as a ‘cheerleader’ because I keep encouraging others to have confidence and to use their talents to follow their dreams.”

These quotes reflect recurring themes in DeVos’s thinking: belief in potential, persistence, encouragement, optimism, and faith.

Lessons from Richard M. DeVos

From his life and teachings, here are some distilled lessons that may guide your own path:

1. Believe in possibility before evidence. Success often begins with a mindset: you must give your dream a chance.

2. Persistence is nonnegotiable. The number of times you rise often matters more than the times you fall.

3. Serve others as you build. DeVos emphasized that business isn’t just profit, but potential in people.

4. Anchor ambition in values and faith. Money alone doesn’t heal discontent—relationships, legacy, purpose matter more.

5. Use setbacks as pivot points. DeVos’s health struggles didn’t define him—they refined him.

6. Invest in institutions, not just individuals. His philanthropic vision aimed for systemic impact.

7. Encourage more than command. Leadership through affirmation often yields greater results than fear-based control.

8. Stay rooted even while growing. DeVos never forgot his origins or foundational beliefs.

Conclusion

Richard M. DeVos’s life is a vivid testament to what can happen when entrepreneurial drive is blended with faith, optimism, and a heart for others. From a modest upbringing to the global stages of business, sports, and philanthropy, he built a legacy not just of wealth, but of ideas, institutions, and influence.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, leader, or someone seeking direction, DeVos’s story offers timeless wisdom: believe, persist, grow others, and never lose sight of what truly matters.

To explore more about his philosophies, writings, and continued influence, I encourage you to dive into Simply Rich and Believe!, or review his speeches and foundation work.

(This article may serve as a foundation for web content, podcasts, or further study. Feel free to let me know if you’d like a shorter version, a slide deck based on this, or an indexed summary of his quotes.)