#5 Built from Scratch

Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus With Bob Andelman, 1999

Inspirational Quote: "You want a formula for success? Take two Jews who have just been fired, add an Irishman who just walked away from a bankruptcy and an Italian running a no-name investment banking firm."- Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus

In 1978, Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank were executives whose perspective changed when a friend told them they had been kicked in the ass by a golden horseshoe. Initially both of them thought he was crazy. Later came to know what their friend Ken Langone, meant was that they now had the opportunity to create the kind of wide-open warehouse store that would help a consumer revolution through low prices, excellent customer service, and wide availability of products.

Built from Scratch is the story of how two incredibly determined and creative people; and their associates built a business from nothing to 761 stores and $30 billion in sales in a mere twenty years.

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