13A: Reading Reflection

For my entrepreneur autobiography, I read Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald’s by Ray Kroc.

1. What surprised you the most?

1. I was shocked to find out that this iconic tycoon started off his career by playing piano part time to support his wife and daughter alongside selling $0.35 cups for 17 years. This was such a humble beginning and stark contrast to the empire that Ray Kroc soon built. 

2. What about the entrepreneur did you most admire?

1. Ray Kroc is described to be a “modern day commercial legend.” I admired his abiding loyalty to his associates as described in the book because I firmly believe that internal relationships are vital to the outer wellbeing of a company. Without secure bonds between associates, success is futile and meaningless.

3. What about the entrepreneur did you least admire?

1. I guess I least admired the narrator’s refusal to add basically any negative traits about himself. This became apparent to me when he spent nearly a whole chapter explaining his piano skills that seemed to come off as just another bullet in his resume that would be used to boost his reputation and skillset. He even went on to say his school was just too slow for him, which came off as a bit snarky, especially since education is such a valuable opportunity that not everyone is fortunate enough to have. 

4. Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it?

1. The entrepreneur’s adversity seems to lie in his early career, when he partook in menial, low-paying jobs before getting his big break. Despite these obstacles, he managed to act on any and every form of opportunity that came his way and make the most of it, eventually allowing him to be a part of an empire. 

5. What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited? 

1. Kroc explains the necessity to find opportunities in every single facet of life, which is exactly what he did when he first came across the Multimixer milkshake machine. His ability to have a sharp eye for any form of opportunity and to diligently act on it seems to be his core competency. 

6. Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

1. I was confused as to how Kroc just walked into a McDonald’s one day and introduced himself to the McDonalds brothers, who schedule a dinner meeting with him that day to explain the functions of their business. How were they so willing and why did they share what they know to a complete stranger? 

7. If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why?

1. I would like to ask Kroc, “What did it feel like the first time you had a McDonald’s hamburger?” because the book so vividly described the hype surrounding the restaurant and the long lines waited to get one’s hands on a McDonald’s burger. I’d also ask, “If you could see the changes from the original McDonalds and McDonalds franchise now, how do they make you feel and what’s the most shocking change? Do you approve of these changes?”

8. For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion?

9. a. Kroc is infatuated with hard work to the point where he disagrees with the statement “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” because he believes that work is play. He spent his entire life grinding and working yet never seemed to complain about it because it was just a part of his lifestyle. I admire this view yet think that balance should be used instead of mixing work and play into one category.