Description
Book SynopsisIn April of 2000, Gary Erickson turned down a $120 million offer to buy his thriving company. Today, instead of taking it easy for the rest of his life and enjoying a luxurious retirement, he''s working harder than ever. Why would any sane person pass up the financial opportunity of a lifetime?
Raising the Bar tells the amazing story of Clif Bar''s Gary Erickson and shows that some things are more important than money. Gary Erickson and coauthor Lois Lorentzen tell the unusual and inspiring story about following your passion, the freedom to create, sustaining a business over the long haul, and living responsibly in your community and on the earth. Raising the Bar chronicles Clif Bar''s ascent from a homemade energy bar to a $100 million phenomenon with an estimated 35 million consumers, and a company hailed by Inc. magazine as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. four years in a row. The book is filled with compelling personal stories from E
Table of Contents
Prologue xi
1 Send Them Home 2
(or, Why Walk Away From $60 Million?)
2 The Epiphany Ride 28
(the Early Years of Clif Bar)
3 A Drifting Boat 68
(getting Clif Back on Course)
4 White Road/red Road 110
(a Philosophy for Life and Business)
5 Tales From the Road 174
(nine Lessons and a Love Story)
6 Solo Climbing 216
(maintaining Control for the Long Haul)
7 Sustaining Our Living Company 244
(five Aspirations Business Model)
8 Moments of Magic 298
(the Jazz of Business)
Epilogue 318
Appendix 333
Resources 335
Acknowledgments 337
Index 345
About the Authors 355
