Synopsis:

The founder of Dunkin' Donuts shares an American journey as well as his franchising secrets behind his success in life, business, horse racing and philanthropy.

Book Excerpt:

If you really want to know what makes an entrepreneur, it probably starts from birth and builds on all the experiences you have growing up. Without question, all the little odd jobs, all the little things I did as a kid set the stage for what I would accomplish in my life.

One of my fondest childhood memories dates back to when I was about five and my sister Betty, six. Once a week, my father went to the marketplace at Fanueil Hall in Boston to buy fresh meats, fish and produce for his store. Sometimes he let us accompany him. This excursion was one of the greatest things that could happen to my sister and me. Farmers, fishermen, and meat purveyors from around the area came to the market and sold their wares to grocery story owners and wholesalers but not the general public. The market was divided into sections for meat, fish, fruit, cheeses, Every major city had a food market similar to this. It was picturesque. There were horses and wagons and a few old Model-T trucks like the one my father had.

In order to go, Better and I had to awaken at four in the morning, dress, and be ready to leave by five. We took off to the market in my father's Model-T truck through deserted streets. The ride took about half an hour. When we arrived at the marketplace, the contrast between the quiet streets and the noisy, bustling crowd amazed us. We tromped around from place to place. My father introduced us to everyone. But the one thing that we looked forward to the most was a visit to the diner. That's where they sold the biggest nickel jelly donuts you ever saw.

The diner, situated smack in the middle of the marketplace, was a hopping place. People crowded into the booths and stools at the long counter and ordered big mugs of hot coffee, all kinds of breakfast platters--ham and eggs, bacon, and pastries. But my sister and I only had eyes for the donuts in the glass display counter in the front. Boy, those big jelly donuts, yeast raised with granulated sugar on the outside, were so loaded with jelly that when we took a bite out of one, it would squirt. It was fantastic! If we had to get up at four in the morning just to experience the fresh taste of that jelly donut, it was worth everything in the world. I'll never forget licking the grains of sugar off my lips and fingers. This great experience left an indelible memory of how donuts meant so much to me and every other kid. It certainly planted the seed for what I would later accomplish with Dunkin' Donuts.

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Topics/Categories:

American retail mogul, Dunkin Donuts, Entrepreneurs, franchising

Type of Work:

Book

Publishers:

Lebar-Friedman

ISBNs:

0-86730-861-3

Formats:

Hardcover