Six Tires No Plan
So, I'm in my local Discount Tire store to have the winter tires on my wife's car swapped for summer threads when I see a large poster that reads "Six Tires No Plan." Now, generally speaking, as a Marketer I'm not partial to advertisements in an establishment that tell me the company doesn't have a plan... it makes me just a little bit nervous. However, it, and the illustration of a man in a bowler hat... without a shirt... standing inside a stack of tires, did get my attention and I read the copy on the ad.
Bruce Halle founded Discount Tire by selling the six tires that he had left after a failed partnership. I found it remarkable that he was able to up sell and start a new venture from the ashes of the earlier business. That earlier business was a company that sold tires in addition to auto accessories. "Think" of the combination of an auto-parts stores inventory and a tire shops inventory with no benefits from the combination. Only Wal-Mart has been able to have both in one building and even there selection is minuscule compared to a stand-alone auto parts or tire shop. Now, I haven't yet read the book, but I love the idea of taking your experiences, a small amount of inventory, and hard-work and turning that into a thriving business. Its called "bootstrapping" and its the under-pinning philosophy of the Entrepreneurship class. Small and nimble businesses that can satisfy customer needs quickly and beyond customer expectations. Take what you know, what you have/that people need, and leverage that into a small business. No, you won't have employees in the first week, the first month, or maybe even the first year. But with hard work and determination, maybe, just maybe you'll get more than an education out of this course, you may just end up with a company. For more information about Six Tires No Plan, Bruce Halle, the Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation or Discount Tire visit the links.
Questions:
1. Do you think you have what it takes to try something again after failing?
2. Why do you think some entrepreneurs write books or make movies for their memoirs?
3. After looking at the information about Bruce Halle or the Foundation, describe one characteristic that you wish you could work on and be better at?
Resources:
Lecture Guide:
PowerPoint: