Author Talk: Becoming Trader Joe

FESCH.TV INFORMIERT:

For Joe Coulombe, not playing by the rules allowed him to find his sweet spot. Coulombe founded what would become Trader Joe’s in the late 1960s and helped shape it into the beloved, quirky food chain it is today. Realizing early on that he could not compete and win by playing the same game his bigger competitors were playing, he decided to build a store for people of somewhat modest means.

A lifetime fan of Trader Joe’s, Patty Civalleri collaborated with Joe Coulombe on the book Becoming Trader Joe, his detailed experience of building America’s most beloved retail brand. On Tuesday, June 22, 2021, Patty was joined by her editor, Tim Burgard as they discussed her experience writing with the late Joe Coulombe.

About the Book
In the new book, Becoming Trader Joe: How I Did Business My Way & Still Beat the Big Guys the late American entrepreneur and Trader Joe’s founder, Joe Coulombe encourages out-of-the-box thinking and lays down his blueprint for other business owners to follow to build their own unique shopping experience that customers enjoy and a work environment that employees love.

In Becoming Trader Joe, Coulombe shares the lessons he learned by challenging the status quo and rethinking the way a business operates. He shows readers of all types:

* How moving from a pure analytical approach to a more creative, problem-solving approach can drive innovation.
* How finding an affluent niche of passionate customers can be a better strategy than competing on price and volume.
* How questioning all aspects business leads to powerful results.
* How to build a business around your values and identity.

About Joe Coulombe
Joseph Hardin Coulombe was an American entrepreneur. He founded the grocery store Trader Joe’s in 1967 and ran it until his retirement in 1988.

Coulombe graduated from Stanford University in 1952 with a degree in Economics. He earned an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1954. Coulombe was a member of Alpha Kappa Lambda.

Joe passed away on February 28, 2020.

About Patty Civalleri
Patty Civalleri, the author of a full line of travel books for Italy, is also the creator of the ‚New Spin on Travel,‘ a collection of tools and accessories for Italy’s visitors.

As a historian and global archaeology professional, Patty Civalleri enjoys the honor of serving on the Director’s Council of the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) and on the Board of the Center for Medieval & Renaissance Studies at California State University in Long Beach (CSULB).

About Tim Burgard
Tim Burgard is a Senior Acquisitions Editor with HarperCollins Leadership, an exciting new business publishing imprint that is dedicated to finding new ways for leaders to share their experiences and insights and for developing leaders to benefit from their wisdom.

This event was co-sponsored by Barrett Bookstore.