Milton Hershey’s Story and Hershey’s Kisses:
Milton Hershey ‘s story is truly that of the rags to riches story. He has created a $20 billion a year company.
Not only a company but a town and a community surrounding this industry.
Let’s talk about how entrepreneurs become successful. You’ve heard that if you keep doing what you love, you will succeed. Some people negate this and says it a B.S. Is it? The truth is that you must do what you love to succeed. And additionally you’d have to have few other key factors. Most people are missing these. That’s why only 3% of the people achieve success.
Let’s talk about how entrepreneurs become successful. You’ve heard that if you keep doing what you love, you will succeed. Some people negate this and says it a B.S. Is it?
The truth is that you must do what you love to succeed. And additionally you’d have to have few other key factors. Most people are missing these. That’s why only 3% of the people achieve success.
While as I was doing research on chocolate for the Valentine’s Day, I came across with the story of Milton Hershey, the founder of Hershey Chocolate Company. I was quite impressed with this man. So I would like to share with you. And tie his story to the Success Principles.
5 Keys to Successful Entrepreneurs Mindset: The Story of Milton Hershey and Hershey’s Kisses:
[1] Rising Beyond Your Childhood Hardship:
He is from German and Swiss Immigrant family and lived in Hershey or in the farm land of Pennsylvania.
His family did farming. His father was never around, so Hershey did lots of farming. For a child to grow up without his father’s presence and guidance. Especially in a farming village. In the 1850’s. (Perhaps, it is just as painful or traumatic today.) He only had the 4th grade education.
[2] Willing and Eager to Learn and Train:
In his youth he trained as an apprentice in candy making. In New York city, Hershey worked and learned about candy business at Huyler’s, a candy factory and restaurant chain.
[3] Go After Your Dream and Never Quit Even in the Face of a Few Failures:
He migrated to different states and started up two candy businesses. His first confectionery business bankrupted after 6 years. His second candy making business in New York City failed after 3 years.
With his gained experience in the confectionery industry, he set up the Lancaster Caramel company. This was a smashing success and set the stage for future achievements.
[4] Plan and Align Yourself with the Outcome You Want:
By this time in his career, he was determined to mass produce milk chocolate. He didn’t just dream of being successful with making chocolate. He was very He didn’t’ dream about it.
He thought and planned.
Milton Hershey’s accomplishments:
- New Mass Production Techniques
- He realized he needed milk. Set up a dairy farm where he could get plenty of high quality milk supply directly.
- Large population for workers and market
- Infrastructure of houses, businesses, churches and transportation around the chocolate factory
- Accessibility to port of mass supply of cacao beans and sugar and other needed materials.
[5] Being aware of the market and customer’s demands and need and coming up with a solution.
Mass production of milk chocolate was made available by Hershey. Chocolate became affordable. Small bite size chocolate was first introduced as the Wilbur Bud. But it’s production was very cumbersome. Hershey streamlined this production system and applied to making Kisses. With milk chocolate and now with Hershey’s Kisses, Hershey dominated the market.
His customers always wanted to have a few extra chocolate to carry with them. And without having chocolate melting on their fingers. Hershey got an idea to wrap these Kisses. At first his workers wrapped by hand. Soon he came up with an automation system.
Hershey chocolate achieved consistency, long shelf life and became affordable.
Extra Special Key:
You are always told that truly successful entrepreneurs are not greedy. They share their riches. Hershey’s employees were paid good high wages and benefits. During the Great Depression, he kept his workers employed and paid them out of his own pocket.
A trust fund was set up by Hershey. The trust fund helped to establish schools in the native town, medical center and a hospital.
For Your Thoughts…
So if you follow your passion, can you be successful? Yes. But the most people are missing Keys #4, #5 and Extra Special Key. Most people only want something for themselves and not for others. They don’t really plan and implement. They lack steady and consistent action.
Milton Hershey didn’t figure everything on his own. He worked with a team of expert and he believed in a system. He also was very aware of the time was changing to look into automation and new technology.
If you are not achieving your goal or stuck, it may be that you lack a system and a team to support you.
In 2015 we have just began a new era of Internet Revolution.
My Teammates and I use this simple system. Tens of thousands of people are already using this system and on their way to achieve freedom.
Don’t ever compromise your passion and don’t every give up on your dreams.