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Staff post about: Dave Thomas Become an Author

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Thomas’ father once told him, “You’ll never keep a job! I’ll be supporting you for the rest of your life.” From being an anonymous baby who was unwanted by his birth parents to becoming a multi-million dollar CEO, Thomas made the vision he outlined as a 15 year old come true. Through a combination of hard work, desire and his unique personality, Thomas rose to the top of the food chain. What were his success factors?

He was Revolutionary: “If there are things you don't like in the world you grew up in, make your own life different,” said Thomas. From fresh ground beef patties to a pick-up window to a salad bar, Thomas strove to create as unique a product as possible. By pushing the existing boundaries, Thomas set new industry-wide standards. He differentiated his restaurant from other fast-food chains and in doing so, generated enough customer loyalty to help it grow.

He Gave Quality: Thomas believed that everyone who worked at a Wendy’s restaurant should have an MBA – a “Mop Bucket Attitude.” This meant being willing to do anything necessary to ensure customer satisfaction and treating every customer as if their jobs depended on it – “because they do!” By focusing on even the smallest detail to ensure quality, Thomas was demonstrating the necessity of building his business up from the basics.

He Made a Contribution: Any time Thomas was offered an honorarium for a speech he had given, he had the host organization make the cheque out to his adoption foundation. Whenever the opportunity to give back to other arose, Thomas seized it. He used his wealth to give others the same chances that he was given when he was first starting out. From adoption to education, Thomas devoted his resources to the causes closest to his heart and created a legacy that has endured even years after his death.

He Was Principled: Thomas believed that the cornerstone of any successful business was integrity. He highly valued his own personal integrity and strove to operate his business in an accordingly acceptable way. The way he treated everyone from a Wendy’s crewmember on up to a high profile corporate CEO reflected his principled attitude towards others. Thomas proved that business doesn’t have to be all bad.

He Had Faith: “Everyone has an opportunity to succeed,” said Thomas. “You can be anything you want within the laws of God and Man.” Thomas believed that if there was something he wanted to do, he could do it no matter what. Without that attitude, Thomas knew he wouldn’t ever amount to much. With even his father doubting his abilities, Thomas had to strive doubly hard to stay confident and focused on his dreams.

Today, Wendy’s employs over 123,000 people and earns over $3.5 billion in revenues. Thomas' adoption foundation continues to raise awareness and disperse millions of dollars in grants each year. He may not have striven to create a legacy but he has certainly created one that will last another lifetime.

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