What ever happened to parenting? When I was growing up, parents, grandparents and teachers all taught children that life would contain failures. There was an expression that was often told to a crying child. A child who had tried at something and failed miserably. A child who wanted to talk to a boy or girl and was ignored. A child who wanted to make their first hit or kick their first goal but struck out. The failure would hurt and then you would here these words.
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
To be honest, the words were never very comforting, they even seemed a little cold. I would say, but I really wanted to get a hit, or I wanted to win. Whenever I heard it, I felt like I was getting the cold shoulder. But the advice was so sound and contained such wisdom because it contains no limits.
No matter how many times you try and fail, try again. No matter how many times you get knocked down, get back up. Try is repeated because it says you will fail, more than once but keep trying. Never give up.
Apparently Howard Shutlz’ parents taught him this same phrase. Everyone likes to talk of his success but never seem to understand the struggle. Shultz grew up in the projects of Brooklyn. Got a bachelor’s degree in communications. He went into sales with Xerox and went on to work for the US Operations of a housewares company based Sweden. It was during his time there that he noticed a 10 year old, 4 location coffee chain in Seattle named, Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice. Starbucks was purchasing large quantities of his coffee makers.
Sound familiar, see Ray Crock’s story.
He was so impressed by the quality of what they were serving and their dedication to customer service that he decided to go to work for them and he became their director of retail operations and marketing.
While attending a convention in Milan Italy, Shultz noticed that there were upscale coffee and expresso bars everywhere. He knew this would become a big trend in the US so he eventually convinced Starbucks to follow suit and they opened their first coffee and expresso bar in 1984. Shultz wanted to leave Starbucks to start his own coffee company. He wanted to purchase a company named Il Giornale, (the answer is no, I have no idea how to pronounce it). He needed $400,000 to get started. His wife was pregnant with their first child so they didn’t have the money.
It was during this time that over 200 banks told him no to financing. If at first you don’t succeed, right? The amazing part is the speed at which he got all of those “no’s”. This all occurred in such a short period of time it is clearly evident that Shultz had no idea where the money would come. But he was 100% confident that he would find the money if he didn’t give up.
Then in 1985, Jerry Baldwin and Starbucks cofounder Gordon Bowker invested $300,000 and a doctor, who was impressed by Shultz and his energy, invested $100,000. He purchased Il Giornale and two years later Shultz purchased the retail operations of Starbucks for $3.8 million. And as they say the rest is history.
The lesson remains true today, if you want something bad, there will be obstacles. The obstacles are the path to greatness. Keep pushing. You are only one “no” away from greatness.
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
To your lifelong prosperity.
David Mulvaney