Do you know the history of Kingsford Charcoal? You’d be floored.
The 104 year old company owns 80% of the market and does billions of dollars each year, but it began in quite a peculiar way. You see, Henry Ford purchases a tract of timberland from Edward G. Kingsford on Ford’s way to being the country’s largest producer of wood burning waste: charcoal.
Light bulb moment!
Naturally, Henry Ford found opportunity in what seemed like only a cost center. Soon they used the sawdust from the factories to press the waste into briquettes. The product name was later changed to Kingsford as a way to pay tribute to Edward.
In the recent Hold the Standard™ Summit, we did an exercise in creating value in our teams, families, and businesses. Part of the game is learning the lesson that we can create remarkable value right now with what we have. The Kingsford case study is the most advanced form of creating value, which is to turn a cost center into a profit center.
My guess is that if you, too, were forced to play the value creation game, you’d find success. What if you had to create new value with the people, knowledge, and assets you already have around you?
You might accidentally make (another) successful business like Mr. Ford. Try it!
4/17/24 WOD
DEUCE Athletics GPP
Complete 4 rounds of the following:
6 Weighted Pull Ups
Complete 3 rounds for quality of:
16 Seated DB alt. Presses
15 DB Tate Presses
10 Weighted Evil Wheels
Complete 4 rounds of the following:
In :60..
Corner Run
Max Sand Bag Ground to Shoulder
— Rest 2:00 —
DEUCE Garage GPP
6-6-6-6
Tempo RDL (42X1)
8-8-8
Paused Bent Over Row
Then, complete 4 rounds for negative splits of:
400m Run
-Rest as needed-