Work Hard, Have Fun, Make Money: The Tractor Supply Story

Book by Eddy, Nelson

If "Work Hard, Have Fun, Make Money" were simply the story of small replacement parts catalog company the became the No. 1 Farm and Ranch Store chain in the world, a billion-dollar business that Forbes magazine has ranked among the best managed companies in America, well, it would be a pretty good read.

But it s more.

It s a real success story, which means it s a tale of up-and-down-and-then-finally-up-again fortunes of a company that lost its way a time or two. It s the story where the sad parts make the good parts just that much better. It s the story of turning around and going back to your roots, taking a $13 million hole and planting a billion-dollar business. It s the story of how a very simple retail idea survived the Great Depression, a world at war, the clutches of two huge corporate behemoths and a decade of revolving door leadership that saw no less that five different individuals at the company s helm. It s the story of America s enduring love of the land, our homegrown self-reliance, and our deep-seated desire to live life on our own terms. A reminder that the values on display in our lives are more important to a company s success than all the values that fill its store s shelves. It s a testament to the power of leadership, the necessity of vision, and the self-made magic of a can-do attitude. It s a poignant confirmation that the very best way to do things is to focus on the little things, like working hard, having fun, and making money.

Hopefully, somewhere within all of this is a story for you, something to stir you up and maybe provide you tools and seasoned advice folks have come to rely on from their local Tractor Supply.