Paul Van Doren was born in not the best years for the United States. He saw the Great Depression and the Second World War, but the boy learned about the true meaning of these events only at school during history lessons. His father was a handyman who could make anything with his own hands: toys, fireworks, kitchen utensils. The man worked for himself almost all the time, and it was he who passed on his son's talent for ingenuity and innovation.

When Paul was young, his father took him and his brother James to the races. Their father liked to bet considerable sums on horses, calculating in detail all the risks and advantages of each player. He often won and immediately went home, so that there was no temptation to continue the game and lose all the money. Since then, Paul had developed a love for horses and races, which he frequently attended in the future.

The family greatly influenced Paul's worldview and the rest of his life. His dad was half-Dutch and taught him order and discipline. His mother had Italian roots, had a hot temper, and, on the contrary, tried to give him a sense of freedom. Growing up in such a diverse family, the sons took the best from their parents. But first of all, parents taught their children to work hard to achieve their dreams.

Another important principle that Paul's parents taught him was to express his opinion and stand up for it. If necessary, the boy's father could even start a literal fight to defend his ideas or rights. This trait was very useful to Paul in the future when he opened his own business. However, Paul had not only good character traits but also a penchant for learning, especially mathematics. Sometimes, this knowledge even helped him to bet on horses and win his first money.

Also, the parents never put strict limits onto their sons. They did not ask where their children were going for a walk or how they planned to spend their day. James and Paul were allowed to independently choose books and movies to watch. So, they were able to find out what they liked and detested even in childhood