Start Small, Finish Big: 15 Key Lessons to Start - and Run - Your own Successful Business - Softcover

Deluca, Fred; Hayes, John P.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0446677566 ISBN 13: 9780446677561

Publisher: Warner Books Inc, 2001

Synopsis

In this trailblazing, icono-clastic book, Fred DeLuca, the co-founder and CEO of SUBWAY, draws on his own experience and that of twenty-two other entrepreneurs who start on a shoestring, including the founders of Kinko's, Little Caesar's, Jani-King and AHL Services. How did they transform fledgling start-ups into industry giants? How do penniless visionaries end up millionaires? Sharing their street-smart advice and real-life insights, DeLuca reveals: Where winners get their ideas and where to look for yours; The only two ways to increase profitability; the importance of constantly improving a business; the one thing you must never let happen to you; the essential lessons of being persistent; why you should jump in now and fine-tune later; and more proven, in-the-trenches guidelines - lessons that you can put to work today!

About this title

Review

DeLuca was only 17 when he started what is now the Subway restaurant chain in 1965; he needed money to attend college and a friend offered to back him with $1,000 to start a sandwich shop in Bridgeport, Conn. That beginning led DeLuca to an enormously successful career: in addition to being president of the chain, he runs MILE, a nonprofit organization that offers loans to entrepreneurs. According to DeLuca, there are 15 essential principles for anyone starting a small business, some of which, DeLuca confesses, he learned the hard way (he had never made a submarine sandwich before opening day of his first shop). Among these pillars: Believe in Your People; Never Run Out of Money; Keep the Faith; and Profit or Perish. DeLuca uses his own business experience as well as that of other successful entrepreneursAe.g., the founders of Kinko's and Little Caesar's in addition to those of less well-known business people. Written in a conversational style, the advice isn't especially original or creative. However, would-be millionaires who are sitting at their kitchen table wondering if they should take that big step and start a business will find the book both instructive and inspirational. Agent, Bob Diforio.
"Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. -- Publishers Weekly"
DeLuca, cofounder in 1965 of SUBWAY Restaurants and founder in 1996 of the Micro Investment Lending Enterprise (MILE), a nonprofit organization making microloans to entrepreneurs/microentrepreneurs, has written this humorous, down-to-earth guide to success as a small business owner. Coauthor Hayes is a writer (Computer Architecture and Organization, 1998), public speaker, and business trainer. Each chapter describes one of DeLuca's 15 key lessons and is illustrated with a real-life case study. None of the people in these cases is a household name, but businesses such as Kinkos, Little Caesars, and SUBWAY are. DeLuca doesn't claim that his guides form a master plan for success, but he optimistically believes that anyone can become Bill Gates, Lillian Vernon, or Henry Lay and that his lessons will increase the chances. His book also promotes and supports MILE, and the last chapter and appendix are devoted to information about it and its programs. Recommended for most small business collections. Susan C. Awe, Univ. of New Mexico Lib., Albuquerque
"Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. -- Library Journal""

About the Author

To start his first sandwich shop in 1965 when he was seventeen years old, DeLuca borrowed $1,000 from friend Peter Buck, after Buck suggested the idea to help Fred make money for college to study medicine. Deluca's plan was to begin a fast-food venture that provided a healthier, less fattening bill of fare."" On the radio advertisement they had promoted the name as Pete's Submarines, which sounded like Pizza Marine, so they changed the name to Pete's Subway. Eventually in 1968, it was shortened to Subway as it is known today.
The first shop opened on August 28, 1965 at a mediocre location in the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut. The first year of business was a learning experience and a challenge. A year later they opened their second location, having realized that visibility and marketing were key factors to success. DeLuca believed that the biggest mistake he made was where he set up his very first shop as it was a ""crummy location. The third outlet was in a highly visible location and that location is still there today.
In 1978, Subway s 100th store opened, and reached the 1,000 store mark in 1987. Explosive growth continued with Subway opening over 1,100 units in 1993 alone. By comparison, McDonald's opened just under 800 that same year.
The company now counts over38,000 franchised locations in100 countries and produces over $16.6 billion in US sales every year. Today, Subway is one of the most popular chain restaurants.
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Edition details

• Publisher: Warner Books Inc
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0446677566
• ISBN 13: 9780446677561
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English