1: “Imagine we’re floating in a clear blue ocean—somewhere warm like Hawaii or Mexico,” Ron Shaich writes in his terrific book Know What Matters: Lessons from a Lifetime of Transformations.  

“Waves are breaking and rolling toward the white, sandy beach,” Ron notes.  “We know that’s where we are headed, so our ultimate destination is clear.  And we know that any wave will take you to shore.

“But not just … continue reading

1: Fledgling entrepreneur and future Panera Bread CEO Ron Shaich realized he had a problem: People don’t eat cookies for breakfast.

Ron was 26 and had just started the Cookie Jar in downtown Boston. The year was 1980.

“Every morning, I watched tens of thousands of potential customers pass me by without a glance,” he writes in his terrific book Know What Matters: Lessons from a Lifetime of Transformations.… continue reading