Erik Prince

I would rather deal with the vagaries of investing in Africa than in figuring out what the hell else Washington is going to do to the entrepreneur next.

The greatest threat to our freedom and prosperity is not al-Qaida, the Taliban, Iran or even China. It's an idea, the idea that we can spend our way out of our problems without tightening our belt and paring down the very bloated government.

Let's stop trading freedom for the illusion of security.

I started a private equity fund and we invest in energy, mining, agriculture kind of things in Africa.

If someone is doing that, saving the customer money, is making a profit so bad?

When someone needs copper, or wood or an ag product, and they invest capital somewhere to make that happen, and people get jobs from that, and that good gets introduced to the world stage and it gets traded and moved, the whole world benefits.

I loved being a SEAL. I loved working with those kind of guys and a sense of mission, and Blackwater was started to continue that sense of mission.

I'm a pretty stubborn guy. I don't quit too easily.

Readiness is an oft-mentioned - but frequently ignored - necessity.

I identify with Wyoming, I love the state of Wyoming, I love the people. It's a fantastic state - people that live in rugged conditions and who make their living doing things in the outdoors.

Unfortunately, I kind of split between Virginia and living in an airplane. I travel a lot.

In Joe Yorio you find a guy who's smarter at business than I am. I'm an entrepreneur and idea guy; he's a professional businessman.