Little did John Calamos realize how his early years of working at his parents’ grocery store would not only teach him lifelong lessons but also lead to tremendous success down the road.
“They worked seven days a week all the time. I had to work in the grocery store, had to deliver groceries, do all of that stuff,” Calamos said.
Until one day, Calamos would discover stock certificates in the store’s basement, igniting a lifelong passion.
“So I looked them up to see what these companies were, and they all kind of went upside down during the Depression, but it really got me interested in the markets,” Calamos said.
The sky’s the limit for John Calamos
Today, that stockboy is now the founder and Global Chief Investment Officer of Calamos Investments, a global asset management company overseeing nearly $40 billion. Calamos details his journey to self-made success in his new biography: “The Sky’s The Limit: Lessons in Service, Entrepreneurship, and Achieving the American Dream.”
“What created the Western civilization and what made America great was innovation, creation. And that’s what the American Dream is about,” said Calamos.
Co-written with Joe Garner, each chapter in his biography shares a business story along with life lessons, from those humble beginnings at the grocery store to studying philosophy in college.
“Philosophy was very instrumental in motivating me and inspiring me. What I learn from philosophy is really critical thinking,” said Calamos.
He took that value of critical thinking with him to the Air Force, where he flew hundreds of combat missions during the Vietnam War. It was then that Calamos truly learned the importance of teamwork.
“You have to really pay attention to what you’re doing and really make sure you are doing the right things. When in Vietnam, when we went to drop a bomb, I wanted to make sure I wasn’t hurting the wrong people,” Calamos said.
“The other thing was the camaraderie, just having, building up teams, watching each other’s backs, and doing that was very, very important,” he added.
When Calamos wasn’t flying, he was studying the stock market. In 1970, he would go on to become a stockbroker, taking with him what he had learned from the war about looking out for others.
“From the very beginning until today, how do we do a good job in managing the risk for our clients and taking care of them?” said Calamos.
In 1977, he began his own private firm, Calamos Investments, and pioneered the launch of one of the first convertible bonds.
Fast forward to 2004, after years of success, Calamos decided to make the company public. The following year, he commissioned an architect to build new headquarters in Naperville on Route 59 near I-88. Just a few years after opening, the Recession of 2008 would challenge Calamos and the entire country.
“One of the things about the business that we’ve always done and continue to do is look at different opportunities where we can. We just don’t want to do the same thing over and over and over again. We need to adjust to the kind of climate we’re in,” said Calamos.
Message for future entrepreneurs
In today’s climate, Calamos hopes he and his book can inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs chasing the American Dream.
“You’re not just doing it for the money. You’re doing it for what you want to do. Everything else, the money is just a byproduct of all of that. It’s really the passion you have for what you want to do,” said Calamos.
To hear more about John’s story of success, watch his full interview.
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