Here is a sad tale of a franchise leader gone nuts. To help us discuss the franchise owner leadership lessons in Moby-Dick, Mr. Blue MauMau speaks with Dr. Beth Schulz, professor emirita of English and Art History at the University of Kansas and Shaun Higgins, CEO of Movies for Business.
The ship Pequod, which Ahab captained, was a business within a business, much like running an individual franchise that operates within the business of a franchiser. And at the time Melville wrote Moby-Dick, America was in the height of being the world's leader in whaling for oil, much like the bulk of the world's major franchisers is centered in America today.
Yet, despite all the ships coming back to New England laden with lucrative whale oil to fuel the economy, Captain Ahab's ship met with disastrous results. Here is a discussion of Moby-Dick and its leadership lessons that franchise owners can learn from a scholar and business consultant.
SACRAMENTO — Franchisee Keith Miller argues that franchise chains can outperform the competition when they put owner-operators in charge of national functions like marketing and the supply chain. Want proof? Then look no further than America’s largest franchise chain by number of stores – Subway. 9:55 minutes (4.54 MB)
Franchisee Miller urges lawmakers to pass fair franchising bill. (photo:Raja)
SACRAMENTO — Three witnesses gave testimony Tuesday to California's Judiciary Committee on behalf of franchisees. Assemblyman Huffman, attorney Peter Lagarias and franchisee Keith Miller each urged representatives to pass Assembly Bill 2305, the Level Playing Field for Small Businessess Act.
