It's Easier to Succeed Than to Fail by S. Truett Cathy is the amazing story of the life of the founder of Chick-fil-A. We always enjoy stopping at Chick-fil-A for lunch when we are out running errands and our son, at one time, was the general manager for a free standing Chick-fil-A unit in NC. When I did a post on genuine kindness in the world of business, my friend Barbara commented that she had read his book and that at one time had been given a tour of Chick-fil-A. Her comment made me curious about the book.
I'm so glad that I ordered the book because it truly is amazing the obstacles in life that Mr. Cathy overcame in order to bring about such success. He had two primary mantras in life...put God first and don't be afraid of hard work.
He and his brother Ben started out with a little establishment called Dwarf Grill, which was named so because of how small it was. That business flourished and he eventually opened a second establishment called Dwarf House. Both places of business did very well...until the second establishment burned down to the ground.
There was a point when Mr. Cathy struggled with his health...serious health issues, but he didn't give up.
He also lost two brothers, Ben (who had been his business partner from the get go) and Horace, in a plane crash. While devastated by this, S. Truett didn't give up.
He and his wife had three children...two sons and a daughter. At one point, all three of his children were involved with Chick-fil-A at the Atlanta headquarters. Eventually, his daughter gave up her position because she and her husband felt called of God to go to South America as missionaries. The two sons continued on.
Before Chick-fil-A came into existence, S. Truett "practiced" his chicken sandwich on his customers at the Dwarf Grill. He tried different spices in his breading until his customers quit saying anything about it. He felt that was a good indicator of their satisfaction with the taste.
You will need to read the book in order to find out just how Chick-fil-A came into existence, but I have to say that I highly recommend this book. It's not only the story of a successful business man's life, but it's also a very inspirational book in many ways.
I learned so much from your review! We do not eat out much so we haven't eaten at that place.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that you enjoyed the review and found it to be a learning experience, Karen.
DeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed the book! Chick-Fil-A is one of our favorite places, not only because of the great food, but because of how well they are run (generally). I was inspired by Mr. Cathy's life, too.
ReplyDeleteI truly did, Barbara! Thanks so much for sharing about the book with me earlier.
DeleteI am always encouraged by those who have perseverance...and refuse to give up. Especially when it is something God as called them to do. How many of us means God's rich blessings simply because we threw in the towel too quickly?? Hope you enjoy the rest of your week....and thanks for stopping by my blog earlier this week! Always enjoy the visits -
ReplyDeleteI know, Jennifer. I am too. Perseverance isn't always easy, so when someone shows that quality it truly encourages others to do the same. xx
DeleteThanks for the recommendation. It sounds like a great book the reading of which will benefit everyone of us.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words, Duta.
DeleteI like Chik-fil-A and have appreciated Mr Truett and how he stuck to his beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI know, Mari. I feel the same way. I think having seen our son involved in Chick-fil-A helped me understand the book and Mr. Cathy's goals even better.
DeleteI picked up lunch for my daughter form Chick-fil-A today. She's always loved their grilled chicken nuggets and fries! I'm so glad you enjoyed the meatballs! We love that recipe and make it often. It's my daughter's favorite and most requested dinner. We love them with pasta, sometimes with just garlic bread, they also make great meatball subs. Happy fourth of July! Hope you have a great holiday.
ReplyDeleteYour daughter and I would get along just fine, Julia. My favorite thing to order is grilled chicken nuggets and fries! :) And lemonade of course. :) I fixed some pasta last night to go with our leftover meatballs and they were just as delicious the second night as the first. xx
DeleteHi Dianna, Thanks for the recommendation and review. I'll have to suggest this one to our son who owns his own business.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome! I really enjoyed the book and learning about Mr. Cathy.
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