Page 7 - Business Facts

In 2011, McDonald’s turned away a higher % of applicants than Harvard!

McDonalds is a popular first job for many high school kids in the United States. However, as the economy struggled in the years surrounding 2011, more and more people saw themselves in the need for an easy-to-get, low-paying job.

However, they found it was not the case during the latest recession. In a 2011 National Hiring Day, McDonalds only accepted 6.2% of people who applied. Compare that to Harvard, which accepts 7% of their applicants.

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Hugh Jackman founded a charity coffee company. 100% of its profits are donated!

Laughing Man Worldwide helps entrepreneurs help humanity by creating and developing new business, and in return for that help, Laughing Man worldwide receives some ownership. One hundred percent of Laughing Man Worldwide revenue goes back to education, community development and new business development.

They don't ask for charity. They request ideas, believers, and support from people to welcome their products into individuals’ homes. Laughing Man Coffee & Tea is the first venture under this model and 50 percent of Laughing Man Coffee & Tea goes back to Laughing Man Worldwide to further it's mission.

Every day, the Laughing Man team works hard to build a great company for it's customers and keep doors open for others. Hugh Jackman co-founded the organization with Barry Steingard and David Steingard. They’re seeking to better the world, or so it seems.

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A 21-year-old CEO fired 66% of managers on day 1. He’s grown the company from $4m to $200m in sales!

Ricardo Semler is a Brazilian businessman and majority owner of Semco, a Brazilian multimillion Dollar company. Semco was first owned by his father and Ricardo worked under him.

After frequent clashing about how to run the business, Ricardo threatened to leave the company. His father instead decided to step aside and let Ricardo run the company as he pleased.

On his first day on the job, Ricardo Semler fired 2/3rds of all top managers. He believes in a radical form of industrial democracy and a more participative system of business. Since he was 25 he has been inspired to want a greater work-life balance for him and his employees.

Through his leadership, the company expanded into many different industries and the revenues exploded: From $4 million in 1982 to $212 million in 2003.

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American Eggs would be illegal in a European Supermarket and vice versa.

Why would wouldn’t the egg cross the Atlantic? Because it’d be illegal on the other side. Due to US and European regulations, egg produced in one region would be illegal on the other. Why exactly is it though?

Eggs in America are required to be washed before selling them to the public. In Europe, they are required NOT to be washed or cleaned in any way. Yes, that means that an European egg could contain traces of chicken poop.

Why would Europe not want eggs to be washed or cleaned? The head of the British egg council says that it’s because it promotes cleaner farms. That is, a farmer knows it must produce clean eggs so that people buy them.

The USDA, however, thinks that no matter how clean a farm is, you can still get traces of chicken manure on your egg shells and if you touch something else, you might catch something.

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During the 2008 hops shortage, Samuel Adams held a lottery that saved many craft brewers from going under!

Talk about a good corporate citizen. Samuel Adams, a famous brand of beer brewed by the Boston Beer Company decided to help out a lot of smaller craft brewers when there was a global shortage of hops in 2008.

They had 20,000 pounds of hops that they set aside to sell at cost to 108 randomly selected craft brewers for the United States. This saved many of them from having to reformulate or go out of business. The company also does other things to promote craft brewers. They participate in a competition called Longshot in which homebrewers submit their brew and the best ones get mass produced and put on the shelves.

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