His name is not on the 20,000 restaurants around the world that sell french fries, Egg McMuffins, and Big Macs to tens of millions every day. But Ray Kroc is the reason that a bus driver in Philadelphia and an accountant in Berlin can dine on the exact same food served exactly the same way in restaurants that look almost identical.
The origin story of McDonald’s and Kroc is the subject of the new Michael Keaton biopic “The Founder.” Reviews of the film have been mixed, and many have pointed out that the tale paints a picture of a visionary and driven businessman who could also be ruthless and unforgiving to competitors and even former business partners.
But there is no arguing with Kroc’s industry-transforming (and, in fact, industry-creating) success. What lessons can budding entrepreneurs and fledgling start-ups learn from Kroc? Here are three Ray Kroc quotes that are applicable far beyond the drive-thru:
- “If you work just for money, you’ll never make it, but if you love what you’re doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours.”
“I’m lovin’ it!” may be McDonald’s latest tagline, but it also reflects the passion that Kroc saw as essential to success. If your heart and soul is not invested in your company, you can invest all the money you want and still come up empty. Similarly, the money you receive from VCs and angel investors won’t sustain your business—only your clients and customers can do that. And only you can make sure that their needs are met and concerns addressed.
- “The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.”
You can’t truly expect your company leadership and employees to strive for greatness if you’ve made it clear that you’re willing to accept less than that from yourself. That doesn’t mean being perfect; it simply means that you won’t be happy with any effort that doesn’t strive for perfection.
- “You’re only as good as the people you hire.”
If you hire an underperforming marketer, an unreliable IT guy, or a dishonest CFO, you, your company, and your bottom line will feel it. Conversely, one rock star performer can bring transformative ideas and energy into your offices. From the top on down, you need to hire thoughtfully and carefully. Take the time to develop a rigorous screening and recruiting process.
McDonald’s is one of the world’s iconic brands, but it wasn’t destined to be. Ray Kroc, with vision, passion, and guts made it so. There’s no reason you can’t do the same.