The Dunlap Rules: Motivational Life Lessons from an Award-Winning College Football Coach and the Inexhaustible Woman Who Inspired Him

How did the son of a small college football coach become a highly successful CEO of multi-billion dollar corporations? How did he become a sought-after business turnaround specialist and a highly regarded adviser/mentor to entrepreneurs and business leaders? The answers may be found in The Dunlap Rules, a unique set of approaches that can create winning cultures and lead to personal, business and financial success for those who apply them.

The author’s approaches were influenced heavily by his parents, Fred and Marilyn Dunlap, and led directly to his rise to prominence in the business world permitting him to retire with financial security by age 45. For more than 50 years, Fred Dunlap, an award-winning coach, and his wife Marilyn, inspired thousands of players, coaches, parents and business people through their way of leading and living. As their son, Fred “Tiger” Dunlap had a front-row seat to observe their approaches and now he shares that wisdom in The Dunlap Rules, providing an “inside” look at what drove his parents to pursue their version of greatness.

The Dunlap Rules are lessons in leadership, management, competition, parenting, financial matters and dealing with life’s challenges and confrontations. While these rules were demonstrated to him through the lens of his parents’ sports career, the author had a hunch that the values and unique approaches would transfer effectively to the business world, where he made his career. It was where he competed, similar to how his father competed on the football field.

On a daily basis, the author applied these approaches as management techniques while climbing the corporate ladder. This led to sales achievements and then to management and leadership roles, and to becoming CEO of a large healthcare business—a company which was later sold for more than $2 billion.

In each business situation, Mr. Dunlap employed The Dunlap Rules to turnaround lagging companies, making them stronger and more successful, and in several cases, making them attractive acquisition targets.

Whether it is in sports, in business, or in the family unit, The Dunlap Rules provide practical steps to address challenges that people face.

Tips and themes discussed in The Dunlap Rules include:

1. Great Managers have Limitless Borders.
2. A Leader Must be Willing to Give to His/Her People Unselfishly.
3. When Facing Unpopular Decisions, Be True to Your Instincts.
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4. Trust Is Established Inch-By-Inch Over Time as a Result of Honesty Between Parties.
5. Success Breeds Success. It's The Power of Momentum.
6. The Evidence of a Life Well-Lived is the Quality of the People Who Want to Spend Time with You.
7. Little Things Take Care of Big Things.
8. The Hard Times Become the Best Times.
9. Success Without Having First Experienced Failure is Less Fulfilling.

Inspiring and informative, The Dunlap Rules are a collection of approaches to life having universal value, no matter the chosen pursuit. This book is a playbook for success, both professionally and personally.

The son of Marilyn and Fred Dunlap, Fred “Tiger” Dunlap played football for his father and graduated from Colgate University before entering the business world. Believing others may learn valuable lessons from his two special parents, ones applicable at home, in sports and in the business world, he was inspired to write The Dunlap Rules.

Fred "Tiger" Dunlap spent his business career in the healthcare industry, working initially for Fortune 500 companies and later moving into senior management and CEO roles in several healthcare private equity ventures. In 2008, he became CEO of XLHealth Corporation where he led a turnaround and expansion of the company. Four years later, it was sold to UnitedHealth Group, permitting Mr. Dunlap to transition out of his CEO role in 2012.

Fred "Tiger" Dunlap is married and is the father of three children. While his CEO days are over, he continues to pursue private equity ventures as an investor and founder of Guidon Partners, a healthcare-focused private equity firm. Mr. Dunlap also pens the Dunlap Investment Newsletter featuring insights and analysis about the financial world (see DunlapInvestmentNewsletter.com).

He also invests significant time mentoring young people, assisting and advising them on a variety of life decisions, many of which draw from the themes of The Dunlap Rules. More about Mr. Dunlap may be learned at FredDunlap.com.