So few really understand the drives and motivations of entrepreneurs. Many write about them, some lecture and teach about what they are, how they operate and what they have achieved; yet so few really understand them. So many fail to realize the dedication and sacrifice it takes to win at that level and the super stars are so rare that one just has to look in awe. One of the greatest stories of Entrepreneurial success is that of Jack Taylor who founded Enterprise Rent-A-Car. I therefore recommend this book about the History of Enterprise Rent-A-Car Book is;
"EXCEEDING CUSTOMERS EXPECTIONS- The Story of Enterprise Rent-A-Car" Stan Burns Published by Greenwich Publishing.
Jack Taylor was the of Executive leasing, which turned into Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Before starting Enterprise Rent-A-Car with the help and additional money of his friends dad, Jack was a Navy fighter Pilot flying in WWII a Hellcat. Enterprise is known for its great young and aggressive workforce, mostly recruited from College. It is an MBA grinder job where you must prove yourself to be promoted and the History of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, proves they promote from within, as a matter of fact its current CEO and CFO both started out washing cars. Many great people as history will reveal started out washing cars. I can name quite a few on our own team. Jack started out in St Louis and then moved on to other major cities to develop a great Nationwide company now worth over 5 billion in assets and guess what? It is a private company not public. Here is a previous post of a few days ago as part of this post; Enterprise Rent-A-Car
I believe this to be a great company, not only because it is one of our customers, but because they do try hardest. I am a little offended by the article in Nov. 2001 of Forbes, which had a little fault with Enterprise Rent-A-Car. One needs to learn reality of highly motivated companies and not condemn or even hint at possible condemnation of what they do not understand before putting finger to keyboard. Enterprise Rent-A-Car is great and they deserve their success. GE would have done the same thing, so would Microsoft, the US Marines and anyone of our franchisees or anyone on our team including me. (I own the company; www.CarWashGuys.com ). You do not get to be one to the top 10 Private companies in the World by being a pansy ass. Their current CEO and CFO both started at the bottom of the company and worked up to those positions. And guess what they started out by; washing cars. I tell you there is no better company in the auto business to be associated with. Trying harder may sound good, but winning because you try hardest is the best. Vince Lombarde says;
"Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing. There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that's first place. It is and always has been an American zeal to be first in everything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win. It is a reality of life that men are competitive and the most competitive games draw the most competitive men. That's why they are there - - to compete. To know the rules and objectives when they get in the game. The objective is to win fairly, squarely, by the rules - - but to win. I believe in God, and I believe in human decency. But I firmly believe that any man's finest hour - - his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear - - is that moment when he has to work his heart out in a good cause and he's exhausted on the field of battle - - victorious."
The people who make up Enterprise are great from the car washers to the President of the company who at one time or another were the same. I truly believe in the power of the team at Enterprise Rent A Car. One of Jack Taylor's great quotes to his team was;
"YOUR BEST CUSTOMERS, ARE YOUR COMPETITION'S BEST PROSPECTS."
Today Enterprise Rent A Car has 300,000 cars, it was taken from $100,000 in start-up dollars to that 5 Billion in assets. 3,000 locations, Now in UK, Canada and many other countries, but did you also know that Enterprise rent-a-car also ownes many other operations non-auto? They had Mexican Restaurant Chain, Coffee Shops, Peanut Butter product line, Fruit Drink Mix line, Macadamia Nuts, Micro-brewery in Hawaii. This is a great company with great people and it has proven that great customer service and fair pricing and pure hustle is a winning combo. Talk about basics, The History of Enterprise Rent-A-Car proves it works, no one can deny it now, there were competitors who tried harder, but who is winning today? Next time you think about Entrepreneurial greats be sure to add Enterprise Rent-A-Cars, Jack Taylor to your list. Think on it.
"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs
Every business has to start somewhere. What truly makes this... Read More
What I've discovered from most of my small business clients... Read More
The psychology of entrepreneurship can be very rewarding to one... Read More
This year, over 800,000 of the approximately 2,000,000 start up... Read More
"Real champions believe in themselves even when no one else... Read More
At times all of us need a bit of inspiration... Read More
As a service provider you may not want to think... Read More
For those of us who grew up with parents who... Read More
With the growing number of franchise offerings recently it is... Read More
More and more students, both in undergraduate and graduate institutions,... Read More
Companies seeking capital often ask how long the Executive Summary... Read More
One of the most important benefits employed people enjoy is... Read More
Hello Creative Entrepreneurs!In the second course on Creativity & Entrepreneurship... Read More
1. Isolating Yourself When setting up a business, you can... Read More
It seems odd to think of a person opening a... Read More
So you want to start a business. You have an... Read More
Business plans continue to be an essential element of the... Read More
Widget sales are booming ? the competition is scrambling, demand... Read More
Franchises offer the first time business owner a proven and... Read More
You have this burning desire you want to be on... Read More
Identifying prospects has come a long way since the days... Read More
EntrepreneurAn entrepreneur is a man who organizes and manages the... Read More
I think it's fair to say that not everyone is... Read More
Almost every day, I talk with people who want to... Read More
SUCCESSFUL Solo-Entrepreneurs approach life and business from a perspective that... Read More
Q: When it comes to succeeding in business, which do... Read More
If you want to grow your micro-business (defined as a... Read More
I just arrived back from the best seminar I have... Read More
Most companies vastly underestimate the time commitment necessary to successfully... Read More
If your company is like the one I work for,... Read More
Once upon a time, there was a village on the... Read More
The term "Infopreneur" is a relatively new industry buzz word... Read More
You've seen plenty of articles claiming to offer you the... Read More
Running a business is not an easy endeavor, it takes... Read More
Will I be successful as a franchisee?One of the soundest... Read More
So few really understand the drives and motivations of entrepreneurs.... Read More
When I ask why you don't start your own business,... Read More
Business plans continue to be an essential element of the... Read More
Have you ever heard of an ultramarathon? A standard marathon... Read More
Every evening as the sun sets beyond the mangroves that... Read More
Today, I got an email from a lady who hates... Read More
I hear it all the time. "What should I do... Read More
I recently took an entrepreneurial quiz which evaluated my answers... Read More
What seems like a century ago, I left school and... Read More
Ah, coffee, the drink of choice when I want to... Read More
With billions of dollars of venture capital residing down the... Read More
If you are just starting a company and looking for... Read More
When's the last time someone asked you: "What's new?" If... Read More
I told my family that I finally accepted that my... Read More
I recently conducted a lil' survey asking my colleagues what... Read More
Q: I started my business about a year ago and... Read More
As you have shown an interest in starting a business... Read More
Entrepreneurs and companies who are seeking venture capital often negotiate... Read More
I've got to admit, I'm a big fan of comfort.... Read More
Once again the squeeze is on as renewed inflation worries... Read More
Have you ever heard of "Dream Boards" or "Treasure Maps"?... Read More
As I awaken with the gift of yet another day... Read More
While it is tempting to just leap into a new... Read More
Does it seem like everyone and everything is vying for... Read More
You're a smart, hardworking entrepreneur, and you're moving fast. You... Read More
I've seen terrible images today on the television and internet-bodies... Read More
Habits get a bum rap. When you think about your... Read More
If you have a business idea, or an idea for... Read More
Starting and running your own business can be exciting and... Read More
James had an original concept and he needed an investor.... Read More
It's very important to get your business name right. You... Read More
Entrepreneur |