By Bigg Success Staff
01-10-08
Did You Know?
Did you know, that as a child …
… Ray Kroc, the founder of the McDonald’s we know today, was so prone to daydreaming, that his parents nicknamed him “Danny Dreamer”?
… he started his first business, a lemonade stand, while he was still in grammar school?
… he opened a music store, which closed several months later, while he was a freshman in high school?
… he learned to up sell while still in his teens working at his uncle’s soda fountain?
… he dropped out of high school after his sophomore year?
Did you know, as a young man …
… Ray Kroc lied about his age so he could join the Red Cross during World War I?
… he drove an ambulance for the Red Cross, as did another young man in his unit, Walt Disney?
… that after the war, he became a paper cup salesman, by day …
… and a piano player by night?
Did you know, as his journey continued …
… Ray Kroc was completely wiped out financially after an attempt to sell land in Florida?
… he went back to selling paper cups at the age of 25?
… that thirteen years later he started a company that sold milkshake machines?
… he struggled to make ends meet for seven years, until World War II ended?
Did you know, he was rejected …
… that the concept that became McDonald’s wasn’t Ray Kroc’s idea?
… he approached the originators, the McDonald’s brothers, with one purpose …
… to sell more milkshake mixers?
… he suggested that they open more restaurants, using his milkshake machines?
… the McDonald’s brothers rejected his pitch?
Did you know, success still came slowly …
… Ray Kroc suggested that the McDonald’s license him their idea, so he could open the restaurants himself?
… he was still focused on selling more milkshake machines, not on the potential of the fast food business?
… he nearly went bankrupt trying to get the restaurant business going?
… he realized he needed more money, which prompted him to franchise his business?
… he approached Walt Disney about putting a McDonald’s in his new amusement park, Disneyland?
… Walt Disney never responded to his pitch?
Did you know, he overcame all this …
… Ray Kroc was 52 years old when he started McDonald’s?
… by the time he started McDonald’s, he suffered from diabetes and arthritis?
… that it was sixteen years after he started his milkshake machine business?
… he had never achieved the success he thought he could until McDonald’s?
… he bought out the McDonald’s brother for $2.5 million in 1961, when he was 59?
… at the time of his death in 1984, he was worth over $500 million?
Ray Kroc sold his soul for those hamburgers. All the money in the world won’t buy him a drop of cold water where he is now.
Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.
@Hooray – We must confess we don’t know much about Ray Kroc’s soul or where he’s spending eternity. His heart, though, seems pretty good to us. While he accumulated significant wealth in his time on earth (late bloomer that he was), he also gave millions of dollars to charity. His wife Joan, now also departed, continued this practice. To give you a partial idea of their philanthropic endeavors, check out http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Ray_Kroc.aspx
Ray Kroc never gave up on his dreams, it seems he had many as a child…I too do not know where he will spend eternity for we have our own cross to bear and will not judge another man’s soul. What an amazing spirit and vision, to believe in himself as he did so much so that our 18 year old daughter who only recently resigned from working as a Manager at McDonald’s having worked her way up to this position beginning part time while at high school and now moving onto studying at University while now working part time as a Banker one of her dreams to be a CEO of her own company so it seems she too has identified with Ray Kroc’s vision, to never give up on your dreams.
Rita, what a wonderful testament to how Ray Kroc’s vision continues to help others achieve their BIGG dreams. How inspiring to hear the story of your daughter. Here’s to HER BIGG Success! Thanks so much for sharing.