Going to the top

Going to the top

Dave Longaberger graduated from high school at age 20. He repeated first grade and three-peated fifth grade. He reads at the eighth-grade level, stutters, and has epilepsy. In 1996, his company, The Longaberger Company sold more than $525 million in handmade baskets, pottery, fabric, and other home decor items through 36,000 independent sales consultants. How did it happen? Dave possesses an entrepreneurial spirit. As a child working in a grocery store, he learned that the way to please the boss was to figure out what the boss wanted and get it done. He studied people and learned that work could be fun and he did a better job when he enjoyed his work. In the army Dave learned about uniformity, control, consistency and Central Headquarters. He also learned to be a risk taker and not a gambler. Eventually Dave bought a grocery store and ran it very successfully. All the time he was preparing for bigger and better things. His optimism, patience and hard work enabled him to overcome many difficulties. We all can learn from the lessons that Dave learned on the way to the top.