For a long time, it looked like FedEx would never get off the ground. The company's early years were an unending series of legal, financial, and operational crises that continually threatened its ability to stay in business. Yet FedEx's leaders and employees were incredibly resourceful and resilient. Pilots used personal credit cards to gas up planes, paychecks weren't cashed, and in one of the most famous episodes, founder Fred Smith literally gambled the company's last remaining funds to keep the planes flying. Becuase Roger Frock was with the companies from the start, he is able to chronicle these real-life hardships and hard-fought triumphs as only an insider can. With humor and insight, he describes how FedEx overcame impossible odds to become one of the world's greatest success stories, a revolutionary company that truly changed the way the world does business.
Author: Roger Frock
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Customer Reviews
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Brilliant
Having worked in the air frieght industry as an operations manager for some time I always had a fascination with Fed-Ex and its systems. I now own my own business (no longer in transport) but the principles in this book still apply to it and any other business.
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<br />The Author is a no-nonsense straight talker and the chapters are short which makes the book easy to read when you only have moments to steal here and there. He drills down into specifics and anyone who runs their own business will certainly be able to appreciate the hard luck, the dumb moves, the good luck and the creative thought that went inot getting this company off the ground and running. It's nice to know that even a great company like Fed-Ex made its own fair share of stupid errors and was able to become a great success.
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<br />Any busines owner will feel much better about their lot in life after reading this.
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<br />I loved it.
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Jerry R.
This is a fun read... An instructive read....A great and understandable course in MBO, Team Building, and more, and a passinately written account of things in the early days of FedEx as Roger saw them.
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<br />Roger has presented his story of the birth of FedEx in a way that makes it difficult to put his book down, which is pretty unlikely for a book on the reading list of many Busines Admin classes. But I truly could not put the book down!
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<br />I loved the story of how Roger and his team worked for years to keep the company going. Once the Chairman took some company money, went to Vegas and brought back the winnings to keep FedEx in the air.
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<br />But there is so much more...there is a picture drawn of effective team building, management by objectives, and other business methods. The use of the business tools is not obvious as you read. However, upon examininating how Roger was able to build FedEx from zero, his techniques become obvious, also making it obvious why BusAd Profs are using his book. But ignoring the teaching aspect, you can simply sit back and enjoy a wonderful read, with some tense moments, even though we know the final outcome.
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<br />The other thing that comes through to me is the true goodness and honesty of Roger Frock. I saw it in him nearly 50 years ago, and I am pleased to see it reflected in his writings.
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A fascinating story.
It is hard to imagine what our lives would be like without the reliable overnight delivery system pioneered by FedEx. It is equally difficult to imagine the obstacles that had to be overcome to make this a viable business.
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<br />Roger Frock possesses two valuable attributes in telling the FedEx story. First of all he is the ultimate insider who started working with Fred Smith, the founder, before the company was even formed. Secondly, he writes well. The result is a fascinating book that can keep you up late at night.
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<br />This is a story about people who were captured by a dream, who lived that dream. The made the dream come true despite times when the dream verged into a nightmare. Not only did the company have to face the problems of a then government regulated industry, but also the OPEC oil embargo, well-established competitors in the air transportation industry and the constant need for venture capital.
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<br />Mr. Frock clearly develops the main events through each phase of the company's growth, showing how a committed, talented group of people can work together to make the impossible happen. Along the way he also illustrates solid business principles that can help any company seeking to set and achieve its goals.
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<br />Michael Long,
<br />President
<br />Long Financial Services
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FedEx story delivers
FedEx is more than a household word; it is a household verb replacing the word "delivery" as in, "No worries, we'll FedEx this so they'll have it tomorrow." The story of this colorful company's history and the personalities that brought it to fruition is captivating - filled as it is with cliffhangers, dodged disasters and near failure. In the early days of Federal Express, nothing was a sure thing. Founder Fred Smith and his management team had to elude financial ruin while inventing an entirely new industry. Author and former FedEx general manager Roger Frock fondly recounts the tumultuous early days of the company, although you may wish he had shared more of his insight into the personality of Smith, who remains an elusive unknown. We recommend this book to those who enjoy rags-to-riches corporate stories or to anyone who relies on FedEx to deliver goods that "absolutely, positively have to be there overnight."
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