Irrational Persistence

Irrational Persistence

by Dave Zilko
Released April 2016
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9781119240082

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

A modern-day Detroit success story that fuels the entrepreneurial fire

Irrational Persistence tells the story of Garden Fresh Gourmet, and how two entrepreneurs turned a million-dollar debt to a 100-million-dollar annual revenue. Woody Allen famously said that 80 percent of success is just showing up; but any entrepreneur can tell you that it's the other 20 percent that's key. The founders of Garden Fresh took that old saying to heart, building so many strategic advantages into their products and business that their 'sales' team didn't have to do any selling—they simply had to show up. In this book, you'll find out what kind of legwork goes into building a mega-success product, and the strategies, methods, and just plain stubbornness that helped two guys from Detroit build a market leader.

Garden Fresh Gourmet is now the number-one fresh salsa in the US, shipping over a million units every week to Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods, and other national chains—and it all began with two middle-aged guys with negative funds and plenty of ideas. This book shares their journey, insight, and passion to help you build a better business and take it to the top.

  • Learn how two entrepreneurs went from major debt to major revenue
  • Discover the key characteristics of a product that sells itself
  • Consider why selling out might not be the ultimate goal
  • Track a journey of 'irrational persistence' from rags to riches

Garden Fresh Gourmet is an inspiration beyond the journey—the way you run things at the top matters, too. Irrational Persistence shows you how to make the tough decisions, live with the sacrifices, and prioritize your values as you build your brand and just keep on going.

Table of contents

  1. Prologue
  2. Introduction
  3. 1 Summon the Courage to Enter the Dark Room
    1. LIFE IN THE DARK ROOM: DAVE
    2. LIFE IN THE DARK ROOM: JACK AND ANNETTE
    3. IRRATIONAL PERSISTENCE
    4. ILLUMINATING THE DARK ROOM
  4. 2 Find Your Place in This World
    1. EMBRACE WHAT MAKES YOU SPECIAL
    2. BE AUTHENTIC NO MATTER WHAT
    3. FINDING YOUR PLACE IN YOUR CUSTOMERS’ WORLD
    4. CREATE MORE VALUE BY MAKING LESS MONEY
  5. 3 Search for the Holy Grail
    1. HOLY GRAIL 1
    2. HOLY GRAIL 2
    3. HOLY GRAIL 3
    4. INFINITE HOLY GRAILS
  6. 4 Never Sell Anything
    1. THIS NEEDS TO BE FROM THE HEART
    2. BUILD RESPECT, GENUINELY
    3. DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE UNPREPARED
    4. WHAT YOU DON’T BRING TO A MEETING IS AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT YOU DO BRING
    5. YOUR CUSTOMERS NEED TO SEE YOUR C-SUITE
    6. OFFER YOUR COMPANY, NOT YOUR PRODUCTS
    7. DON’T SUGGESTIVE SELL; SUGGESTIVE PARTNER
    8. MELT AWAY THE SKEPTICISM
  7. 5 Build a Company Woody Allen Would Be Proud Of
    1. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 1: WE’RE THE NUMBER 1 BRAND OF FRESH SALSA IN THE UNITED STATES
    2. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 2: GARDEN FRESH DIPS
    3. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 3: MARGARITAVILLE
    4. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 4: TORTILLA CHIPS
    5. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 5: HUMMUS
    6. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 6: HIGH PRESSURE PASTEURIZATION (HPP)
    7. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 7: PRIVATE LABEL
    8. JUST SHOW UP
  8. 6 Value Values
    1. RESOLVE
    2. FORGIVENESS
    3. RESPECT AND DIGNITY
    4. COMPASSION
    5. VALUES ARE VALUABLE
  9. 7 If a Fortune 500 Company Calls, Take the Call
    1. BEEN THERE, DONE THAT. SO WHAT? DO IT AGAIN
    2. THE FIVE-MINUTE MEET-AND-GREET THAT TURNED INTO A 125-MINUTE MEET-AND-GREET
    3. EVERY IDEA NEEDS A CHAMPION
    4. KNOW THE REAL MEANING OF VALUE
    5. THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD TO A “NUMBER”
    6. TAKE TIME TO REFLECT
    7. HEART MATTERS
  10. Epilogue
  11. Index
  12. EULA

Product information

  • Title: Irrational Persistence
  • Author(s): Dave Zilko
  • Release date: April 2016
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9781119240082