Read or subscribe: michaelwmchugh.com No. 325 | March 27, 2026 Welcome to Friday Five, a short dose of ideas to start the weekend with clarity. Most success looks like talent. Up close, it’s usually a set of decisions made earlier than everyone realized mattered. That’s the thread running through this week’s Friday Five: true success, […]
Friday Five — Reputation, Character, and the Power of Choice Read More »
In 1954, Ray Kroc’s McDonald’s success story almost didn’t happen. At the time, he was a 52-year-old milkshake machine salesman with diabetes and arthritis—and very little to show for it. Most people his age were slowing down. Kroc was just getting started. That year, he visited a small restaurant run by the McDonald brothers in
Ray Kroc’s McDonald’s Success: The System That Built an Empire Read More »
Read or subscribe: michaelwmchugh.com No. 324 | March 20, 2026 Welcome to Friday Five—a short dose of insights to start the weekend with clarity. This week’s theme: the power of choice. From Ray Kroc’s strategy to Roger Federer mastering his craft, the biggest returns come from choosing what fits you best. If this issue resonates,
Friday Five — The Right Thing, The Person You Decide to Be, and Human Choice Read More »
A McDonald’s franchisee in Knoxville once called Ray Kroc with a problem. A competitor down the street was selling hamburgers for a lower price. The franchisee wanted permission to match the price. Kroc said no. If a competitor could win on price alone, Kroc said, McDonald’s deserved to lose. It sounded irrational. It wasn’t. The
Ray Kroc Business Strategy That Built McDonald’s Read More »
No. 323 | March 13, 2026 Welcome to Friday Five, a short dose of insights to start the weekend with clarity. This week’s theme: trust the process. From Ray Kroc’s work ethic to the Japanese idea of ikigai, the biggest results come from patience and consistent effort. This Week in Friday Five 🎸 Luke Combs
Friday Five — Trust the Process, Patience and Time, and the Pace of Nature Read More »
In 1954, Ray Kroc received an order that made no sense—an order that would later become one of the most famous Ray Kroc lessons in entrepreneurship. One hamburger stand in San Bernardino wanted eight milkshake machines. Eight. Kroc had spent years selling the machines and rarely convinced anyone to buy even one. Most restaurant owners
Ray Kroc Lessons: The Risk That Built McDonald’s Read More »
Read or subscribe at → michaelwmchugh.com No. 322 | March 6, 2026 Welcome to Friday Five, a short dose of insights to start the weekend with clarity and focus. This Week in Friday Five 🎺 Miles Davis and three songs to start with☕ The conviction that built Starbucks📚 Jeff Bezos and Amazon’s early lessons🎙️ Instagram
Friday Five — Courage of Your Convictions, Never Giving Up, and What Convinces Read More »
It’s the early 1980s. Milan. Howard Schultz is in town for a housewares show. The city’s espresso bars stop him cold. They are community gathering spots, a “third place” between home and work. This is the seed of the Howard Schultz leadership style. Baristas knew customers by name. Coffee wasn’t a transaction. It was a
Howard Schultz Leadership Style: Conviction Built Starbucks Read More »
Read or subscribe at → michaelwmchugh.com No. 321 | February 27, 2026 Welcome to Friday Five, a short dose of insights and inspiration to start your weekend with clarity and focus. Music of the Week The Beatles were an English rock band formed in the early 1960s. Their sound pulled from classical music, pop, folk,
Friday Five — Emotional Control, Freedom to Choose, and Pricing Power Read More »
Howard Schultz stops mid-stride on a Manhattan sidewalk and stares at a bright red “80% off” sign screaming from a boutique window. The world is on clearance. It’s the peak of the financial crisis. Storefronts are plastered with “For Sale” signs. Even Madison Avenue is begging customers to buy. Retailers are cutting prices at any
Starbucks Pricing Strategy: Why Howard Schultz Refused to Discount Read More »