Forbes Great Success Stories: Twelve Tales of Victory Wrested from Defeat

Behind every success story worth telling there's a determined hero who overcame setbacks, disappointments, and even failures before emerging victorious-and rich. The remarkable stories in this book prove that success can be sweeter the second time around. The twelve extraordinary men and women you will meet had already achieved overwhelming success, only to be brought low by utter calamity-bankruptcy, disaster, illness, racial prejudice, even jail. To survive this kind of catastrophe is an achievement in itself, and each of these indomitable spirits not only survived, but also came back to triumph again. 
You'll meet Ruth Handler, cofounder of Mattel and creator of Barbie, who, after designing the most popular doll in history, lost her company to corporate infighting and her self-confidence to breast cancer. She battled back by starting a new company to manufacture breast prostheses. You'll come to admire the New England mill owner who led his company to immense prosperity while all of the businesses around him were dying and then had to rise from the ashes of calamity when his business was destroyed by fire. This cast of incredible characters includes poor kids who made good and rich kids who got richer; famous names and people you've never heard of; the CEO of Oracle, the founder of Domino's Pizza, and more; and some who were victims of fate or malice and others who sowed the seeds of their own destruction. All share a passion for achievement, a dedication to their goals, and a fierce determination to succeed against all odds. These entertaining and enlightening Great Success Stories go beyond mere "secrets of success" to reveal the remarkable strength of character and will that enabled these heroes to struggle back to the top and, in many cases, to become deeper, stronger, more caring people in the process. They offer inspiration to anyone who is struggling to realize a dream, overcome adversity, or achieve a seemingly unreachable goal.

Business & Money

Farnham, Alan

Business Culture

John Wiley&Sons, Inc.

S. Prestley ("Pres") Blake and his brother Curtis Blake started the Friendly Ice Cream Company in 1935, in the midst of the Great Depression. Their parents gave them their initial capital, their mother kept the books, and Pres and Curtis worked day and night in their tiny shop. This small family business kept expanding, and over time grew to a 500 plus restaurant chain. The brothers eventually sold their business to the Hershey Corporation. This autobiography of Pres Blake's life starts with this humble beginning. It shows how the brothers invoked straightforward business principles to guide their growth, and by dent of hard work and good advice from other business people, they were able to rapidly grown their restaurant chain. The book also shows Pres' adventures after retirement, including his fascination with cars, with exploring, and with giving back to people and educational institutions. But just as Pres was enjoying his retirement, he was roused to come back and save his "baby" from the management team that had bought the company from Hershey. The last third of the book is devoted to the amazing saga of Pres' fight to liberate his old company from mismanagement. Pres began the fight at age 86, and it took him seven years and tremendous legal fees to make the current ownership say "uncle." This is a fascinating portrait of a man who fought for principles. Age was not going to be a barrier to Pres Blake, who was motivated to make sure his creation continued to be managed properly.

A Friendly Life: The Autobiography of S. Prestley Blake Co-Founder of Friendly Ice Cream Corp.

Biographies & Memoirs

Blake, S. Prestley

Professionals & Academics

Brigantine Media

wiley

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Farnham, Alan. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Farnham, Alan