5 Business Lessons I learnt from 'The Founder'

Recently saw this movie 'The Founder' about McDonalds' history. Sharing some interesting things I learnt from it -

1. Ray Kroc, entered a business partnership with McDonalds in the year 1954, when he was 52 himself. It is he who made the drive in restaurant a global name. He was 52 and a milkshake machine seller. No entrepreneurial background.

2. He owes it to persistence. There were hundreds of other drive ins and even the brothers who ran the original McDonalds tried franchise model, but it didn't work out for them. He persisted more than he was passionate.

3. The real brothers who owned the brand were far more passionate about the brand than him. They nurtured and made sure their one store was top notch quality and served the best food. But he was passionate about the business, he didn't care if he had to bend some rules or mend some ways to get things done. Business is not about passion, but about being passionate about business.

4. An undying hunger is what could best sum up what this guy had. He simply wasn't satisfied. The brothers on the other hand were happy and satisfied with what they had and didn't want to grow any further.

5. He eventually ditches the brothers and 'buys' their business out to be seen today as the Founder of McDonalds. Business is much like war, and you should only wage a full blown war if you can go to any levels to win that war. If you don't think you can do that, run a smaller business, one where you don't necessarily have to fight it out with everybody. 

Both the brothers, and the Founder were 'successful' businessmen in their own right. Just the definition of success that varied.