Time to Make the Donuts: The Founder of Dunkin Donuts Shares an American Journey
by William Rosenberg

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Book Reviews of Time to Make the Donuts: The Founder of Dunkin Donuts Shares an American Journey

Book Review: The Thought Processes of an Outstanding Entrepreneur
Summary: 4 Stars

Most entrepreneurs succeed mostly by being in the right place at the right time to fulfill an obsession they have. When the world changes, their first business often falters and they usually fail with any new efforts. Mr. William Rosenberg is a cut above those you have read about. He was able to make many different types of businesses and activities prosper.

The major appeal of this book is that Mr. Rosenberg is able to explain what he learned about being a good businessman, why it works, and where he learned the lessons. Although he stopped his formal education in the 8th grade, he was a student of whatever he could learn from the successes and failures around him (including his own). Later, he was fascinated to learn that this same method was used by his son to learn business from written case histories at Harvard Business School.

From selling watermelons from his father's grocery store, Mr. Rosenberg learned many ways to attract customers. This beginning led to success in such diverse activities as selling ice cream from trucks, food from canteen-type trucks, industrial feeding, vending, and eventually stand-alone donut shops with superb coffee (Dunkin' Donuts). Between some of these phases, he also succeeded in being a Western Union delivery boy and organizing better production methods in a shipyard during World War II. Whether dealing with customers, partners, employees, or labor unions, Mr. Rosenberg displayed remarkable empathy and an ability to find ways to look out for the other person that built trust.

Mr. Rosenberg is an excellent example of the power of positive thinking. "We turn pitfalls into windfalls." The book is filled with examples of how that was done in detail. "I believe a person can find a way to succeed." His suggestion is that you "find out who solved it [the problem] best and start where they left off, not where they began." He was equally committed to meeting his goals, and getting the best possible people involved. There's lots of good advice here about keeping drunks away from alcohol and womanizers away from women, but never keeping or trusting a liar.

Mr. Rosenberg's memoirs are also candid in pointing out mistakes that he made, and giving credit to others. For example, he missed an opportunity to own half of Burger King for a relatively small investment. He has a lot of good things to say about his long-time partner who held up the successful expansion of Dunkin' Donuts and later became a leading competitor. When his son's business team made some mistakes in expansion, Mr. Rosenberg took responsibility for the problems with the board and argued for keeping everyone with the company.

From the title, you might think this book is primarily about the rise of Dunkin' Donuts. Actually, that is the biggest subject, but it does not dominate the book. There is a great deal of material about his business activities before Dunkin' Donuts was founded in 1950, his pioneering work in franchising, his horse breeding and racing activities, and his many experiences with ill health (needing to lose weight, overcoming lung cancer and later lymphoma, and needing three hip operations). Of particular interest to me was his description of how he worked for his father, later employed his father, and brought his son into the business.

The book also has vignettes that will please the casual reader. During his many efforts to lose weight, he met interesting people like Mario Puzo (who described his work on the Godfather), Colonel Harlan Sanders and entertainers. His friends also included many other famous entrepreneurs. The story about the time that Sumner Redstone's father took him golfing with Mr. Rosenberg will leave quite an impression with you about how tough fathers can be on sons.

Where could you do a better job of keeping your word? What would be gained? What will be lost if you do not?

Keep focusing on making the world better . . . for all!

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