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The Message Man From Mississippi: Fred Smith is Born

“I think the American Dream is freedom,” says Fred Smith. “It's the ability to do what you want to do. It's the freedom to succeed; it's the freedom to fail. And the freedom to live your lifestyle the way you want to live it…Very few people in the history of the world have ever had that enormous opportunity.”

Fred Smith Has Lift-Off: The Beginnings of Federal Express

“By the early '70s when I'd gotten out of the service it was very clear that this new society was coming in earnest,” recalls Smith. “And so, at that point I said, ‘What the hell, let's try to put it together.’” After leaving the U.S. Marine Corps, Smith purchased a controlling interest in Ark Aviation Sales, a company that focused on aircraft maintenance. This was the first step towards realizing his goal of what would soon become Federal Express.

Lesson #1: Be Willing To Roll the Dice

“In retrospect it was ridiculous to try to put this system together,” says Smith, “which required so much up front money, and required changing a lot of government regulations, but I didn't know that at the time…I didn't know that I couldn't do this.”

Lesson #2: Never Stop Putting Up A Fight

“I was very committed to the people that had signed on with me and if we were going to go down, we were going to go down with a fight,” says Smith. “It wasn't going to be because I checked out and didn't finish it out.”

Lesson #3: Learn To Put People First

“First and foremost is our corporate philosophy, which we call PSP: People, Service, Profit,” says Smith. “If you're going to run a high service organization, you have to get the commitment of the people working for that organization right at the start. If you don't, you'll never be able to deliver at the levels of expectations of the customer.”

Lesson #4: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

“It’s not like we’re carrying sand and gravel,” says Smith. “We’re carrying chemotherapy drugs, and important manuscripts, and electronic parts, and pieces for airplanes that are grounded. So when we pick it up and say, ‘We’re going to have it there early the next morning,’ I mean we have to deliver. There’s nothing else to it.”

Lesson #5: Be Flexible Enough To Change With The Times

“The third underlying element of the FedEx culture, after the philosophy and the continuous improvement management system, has been the focus on change,” says Smith. “As time changed and markets changed and peoples’ expectations changed, we changed with them.”

Father of the Overnight Delivery Business: How Smith Revolutionized an Industry

“I would like to sit down some time and put a few thoughts down on paper,” says Smith. “I've got a few observations that might be useful for someone. It'd be fun for me to do it, and I intend to at some point. Other than that, I enjoy my family, enjoy the business and get to see a lot of the world, so I have no complaints.”

Fred Smith Quotes

Fred Smith Quotes

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