13A

1) I have chosen to read "Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald’s" by Ray Kroc.

• What has easily surprised me the most about Ray Kroc's story was the timing. He has been selling plastic cups for years once he came across the multi-mixer which after also a couple of years led him to his opportunity. And by that time he was at the ripe age of 52.
• I most admired his perseverance and as he puts it, "ability to grind it out". After years of selling the same plastic cups he saw a new opportunity to sell milkshake makers, but his old company forced him to pay them 60% of his new salary selling the mixers if he wanted to get out of the paper cup business. So he was forced to survive working almost 19 hours a day for 6 days a week on the road, while keeping only 40% of his salary.
• I could argue that what I least admired about him would be his lack of business savvy. Given that he could have probably maneuvered his transfer to the milkshake mixer business without it costing him 60% of his profits.
• Yes he did. Ray had multiple problems when opening up a second franchise, mainly with the food quality. He had major troubles gettin the fries to taste the same as the original franchise so he brought in spud experts and walked them through the process to pinpoint where the problems where. Because he believed the key to McDonald's was the food quality and consistency.

2) Ray Kroc exemplified the hard work mentality. Whenever he saw a problem he did not stop until it was fixed. He also proved to have a good vision for the company by setting up franchises and not just second owned locations. He also proved to have great people skills since he set up important parameters when choosing and meeting new franchisees.

3) The part that was the most confusing to me was the ending to his relationship with the McDonald brothers. How he went from a kid at a candy story when first visiting their store to a business shark taking all their ideas and processes and cutting them off from the future of the company. Ray Kroc decided that they were not doing anything to help him so he wanted to buy them out or cut them off.

4) 1) What were your beginning requirements to meet when first becoming a franchisee? Because I would want to know what he values in a business partner.

    2) Why did you initially decide to go with franchisees and how did that idea come about? Because I would want to know hoe his great business vision works.

5) I think Ray Kroc's opinion of hard work has to be on the highest standard. Having "grinding out", as he would say for more that 30 years of his life, selling things, working 19 hours a day for 6 days a week on the road. This level of hard work was probably commonplace for a man with a drive and motivation such as himself.