Milton Hershey
“The difference between mediocrity and greatness is extra effort.”
—George Allen
Some people see failure as a sign to give up. Those who eventually become successful see failure as a stepping-stone and another lesson in the business school of life. They just keep on trying. Milton Hershey’s father was an itinerant speculator, moving from place to place and investing in every kind of business with little success. Milton, born in 1857, attended seven schools in eight years and never made it past the fourth grade. He first worked for a printer, was fired, and then was apprenticed to a confectioner. In 1876 Milton opened his own candy business in Philadelphia, but he couldn’t make a profit. Next, he went to Denver and opened a candy store. It too failed. Milton made another attempt in New York City, and that business failed in 1886.
Finally, Milton Hershey returned to his hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and began making caramels. The candy came to the attention of an English importer, who placed a big order. The caramel business prospered, and Hershey built a modest factory on the site that eventually was to encompass sixty-five acres of candy manufacturing. In 1893, inspired by German chocolate makers at the World’s Fair, Hershey began to produce his own chocolate. By 1900 he sold the caramel business and concentrated solely on producing chocolate. Hershey refused to advertise (a policy the company adhered to until 1970), believing that quality would sell his wares.
Consider This: Failure can be and is a valuable part of learning. Some see it as a dead end, while others see it as an opportunity to learn a valuable lesson.