1: Panera Bread founder Ron Shaich prides himself on being a contrarian.

“If everyone is in favor of something, I’m probably headed in the opposite direction,” Ron writes in his terrific book Know What Matters: Lessons from a Lifetime of Transformations.

“When others are celebrating, I’m worrying, and when others are worrying, I’m looking for the silver lining.”

Does he just enjoy being disagreeable?

Nope. That’s not it.

“It’s … continue reading

Ron Shaich, the influential founder and longtime CEO of Panera Bread, earned a reputation for his impactful talks that shaped the company’s direction.

“While every speech I gave was different, the underlying storyline was always the same,” Ron reflects in his book Know What Matters.

“Here’s where we’ve come from. . .  Here’s where we are today.  And here’s where we could be tomorrow—if we get a few … continue reading

1: As CEO of Panera Bread, Ron Shaich would sometimes walk around the conference room table and stand behind one of his executives.

“Placing my elbows on their shoulders, I’d lean forward, letting them feel my weight,” Ron writes in his book Know What Matters.

“You’re going to get this done, right?” I’d ask, all the while pressing down on their shoulders. “Do you feel the weight of that … continue reading

1: Panera founder and CEO Ron Shaich looked out over Boston’s beautiful public gardens.

He was having breakfast with his friend Bill Allen, who had recently been named CEO of Bloomin’ Brands, the company that had created the Outback Steakhouse restaurants.

Bill wanted Ron’s advice: “How the hell do you run a public company like this?”

“I didn’t pull any punches,” Ron writes in his book Know What Matters: … continue reading

1: “Our bread wasn’t good enough,” Ron Shaich writes in Know What Matters: Lessons from a Lifetime of Transformations.

This was a real issue for Ron because he was CEO of Panera Bread.

“Bread” was in the company name.

And, one of the company’s guiding principles was: “Bread is our passion, soul, and expertise.”

Ron knew he had to fix this problem. The stakes were high.

And it … continue reading

1: There are two traps CEOs and leadership teams fall into regarding innovation.

Trap #1: “The minute we think we truly understand the customer and can take our attention off discovering what matters, we’re dead,” Panera founder Ron Shaich writes in Know What Matters: Lessons from a Lifetime of Transformations.

“Sooner or later,” Ron notes, “even the most brilliant and innovative concept will fall behind the times and become … continue reading

1: “Top-down innovation gets a bad rap,” Panera founder Ron Shaich writes in his terrific book Know What Matters: Lessons from a Lifetime of Transformations.

“The popular business press abounds with criticism of initiatives that come tumbling down from the peak of the org chart,” Ron observes.

“And yet, take a closer look at most companies, and you’ll find that organizations are still doing it that way.”

Why is … continue reading

1: “So tell me this,” the young executive asked, “Is Panera almost as good as Donatos?”

“Is he joking?” Panera Bread CEO Ron Shaich thought to himself.

It was the early 2000s. Ron was sitting in an executive boardroom at McDonald’s headquarters outside Chicago. Ten years earlier, he had purchased the St. Louis Bread Company and renamed it Panera.

On the other side of the table were members of McDonald’s … continue reading

1: Getting better at getting better is what RiseWithDrew is all about.

Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations. On Fridays or over the weekend, I try to share some wisdom or something I’m thinking about or working on.

May 4th will mark seven years of writing RiseWithDrew every weekday.  Haven’t missed a day except for holidays.

For the last several years, I’ve done … continue reading

1: Hollywood tells us that being an entrepreneur is all about being a “high-flying, confident risk-taker who beats the odds and retires young,” Ron Shaich writes in his outstanding book Know What Matters: Lessons from a Lifetime of Transformations.

This week, we’ve been analyzing Ron’s rise as the founder of Panera Bread. In 2017, he and his team would sell the company for $7.5 billion, one of the largest … continue reading