http://www.wfmz.com/news/news-regio...treat-soda-is-closing-after-97-years/30885736
A-Treat Sodas, a century-old mfg. of low-cost flavored sodas, shut down. Although the news station didn't connect the dots in the interview and article, the precipitating factor seems to be a decision last near not to kowtow to Wal-Mart's demands that A-Treat truck drivers personally restock the shelves of the Wal-Mart stores they serviced on a daily basis. When A-Treat refused, Wal-Mart pulled them from the shelves, and although the article doesn't say this outright, they went out of business less than a year later. Coincidence? I think not.
CENTS isn't just a formula to help you build a successful business, it's a formula to help you keep it. When this company was where most people on FLF forum are, in the inceptive stages of their business, WOODROW WILSON was president. WWI had just ended. People were still using horses in wars when this company was founded. Women could not vote for another two years when this company was founded. You could probably find a few American Civil War veterans still walking around in almost every major city when A-Treat started. That's how old it is.
After generations of success that led to their own plant, a fleet of dedicated tractor trailers, a host of employees, and distribution in thousands of stores, it all came crashing down.
And after all that work, generations of work, somebody made a mistake.
Somebody gave up control.
NECEST isn't just the secret to building a great company, it's the secret to its life, the essence of its survival. Your company needs to be CENTS compliant not just at the beginning, but every step of the way.
It will be hard. Control is power. Your rivals, your suppliers, your distributors, everyone will try and push you out of a controlling position. It may even look easier to take that route, for a little while. I'm sure when A-Treat got into Wal-Mart, they thought they had it made. They probably were even tempted to neglect searching for other distributors, or at least not search quite as hard, as the cash rolled in. They thought they had it made, but without control, they had nothing.
After 97 years, the last employees will shut the lights off tomorrow and never return. Two weeks notice, no severance. In a year, nobody will remember this company, into which sweat and hard work and sacrifice was poured for generations, ever existed.
Respect the CENTS. There is no other path to Success.
A-Treat Sodas, a century-old mfg. of low-cost flavored sodas, shut down. Although the news station didn't connect the dots in the interview and article, the precipitating factor seems to be a decision last near not to kowtow to Wal-Mart's demands that A-Treat truck drivers personally restock the shelves of the Wal-Mart stores they serviced on a daily basis. When A-Treat refused, Wal-Mart pulled them from the shelves, and although the article doesn't say this outright, they went out of business less than a year later. Coincidence? I think not.
CENTS isn't just a formula to help you build a successful business, it's a formula to help you keep it. When this company was where most people on FLF forum are, in the inceptive stages of their business, WOODROW WILSON was president. WWI had just ended. People were still using horses in wars when this company was founded. Women could not vote for another two years when this company was founded. You could probably find a few American Civil War veterans still walking around in almost every major city when A-Treat started. That's how old it is.
After generations of success that led to their own plant, a fleet of dedicated tractor trailers, a host of employees, and distribution in thousands of stores, it all came crashing down.
And after all that work, generations of work, somebody made a mistake.
Somebody gave up control.
NECEST isn't just the secret to building a great company, it's the secret to its life, the essence of its survival. Your company needs to be CENTS compliant not just at the beginning, but every step of the way.
It will be hard. Control is power. Your rivals, your suppliers, your distributors, everyone will try and push you out of a controlling position. It may even look easier to take that route, for a little while. I'm sure when A-Treat got into Wal-Mart, they thought they had it made. They probably were even tempted to neglect searching for other distributors, or at least not search quite as hard, as the cash rolled in. They thought they had it made, but without control, they had nothing.
After 97 years, the last employees will shut the lights off tomorrow and never return. Two weeks notice, no severance. In a year, nobody will remember this company, into which sweat and hard work and sacrifice was poured for generations, ever existed.
Respect the CENTS. There is no other path to Success.
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