How to Build a Burger Empire Using The 48 Laws of Power

March 1, 2017 Tennile Cooper

When you've loose your appetite, break out into cold sweats and self-diagnose a grizzly bear cough --you watch a movie called The Founder to get back your strength.

If you don't judge me on how I spend my healing period of having a cold. I won't judge your enjoyment of being pantless.

I am not a McDonald's eater...anymore.

For one, it's unhealthy and I have a story of why I really stopped eating it. There's fainting and a toilet involved but I'll spare you the gory details. Just know, I don't eat those golden deliciously salted fries at McDonalds anymore.

Back to building a burger empire using the 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. Big Greene fan. His books are the secret to life. If you don't do anything in your entire existence read one of his books. Just one. The man has 5.

On to the movie.

This true story drama shares how Ray Kroc, a salesman from Illinois (which I'll refer to as "The Founder"), met Mac and Dick McDonald, (and I'll refer to as The McD Brothers) who ran a burger operation in 1950s Southern California. Kroc was impressed by the brothers' speedy system of making the food and saw franchise potential. He maneuvered himself into a position to be able to pull the company from the brothers and create a billion-dollar empire (Taken from Wikipedia).

If you haven't seen the film already, this is your spoiler alert moment. SPOILER ALERT!

As I was watching the film, my initial reaction, this is sad. Very sad. These men (The McD Brothers) were just trying to make an honest living. Started a burger business and proud of what they built. But then, I wised up and realized this is life doll and it's either you learn from their oversight or become another sad story like them.

You can't revival my self-talk. It's ruthless.

So I learned and also connect it to 20 of the 48 Laws of Power. I'm sure you can find a couple more if you put some more thought into it. Here is my take in 20-bite sized form (tweetable even). Highlight and Tweet out.

#1

1 NEVER OUTSHINE THE MASTER | "The Founder" had a humble approach to the McD Brothers. Which brought him closer and fostered trust.

#2

3 CONCEAL YOUR INTENTIONS |"The Founder" knew the McD Brothers' Speedee System but by playing the dull card concealed his business smarts.

#3

4 ALWAYS SAY LESS THAN NECESSARY |"The Founder" was a talker but while the plot brewed in his head he kept the McD Brothers in the dark.

#4

5 SO MUCH DEPENDS ON REPUTATION |"The Founder" tried bank loans to build more locations and got rejected. He approached rich friends instead.

#5

7 GET OTHERS TO DO THE WORK FOR YOU | This was the crux to how "The Founder" won. He swiped the McDonalds name + blueprint in 15 years.

#6

8 MAKE OTHER PEOPLE COME TO YOU | Word spread of the opportunity to do more than make an honest living & franchise candidates began to flock.

#7

9 WIN TROUGH YOUR ACTIONS | The McD Brothers had strict rules but "The Founder" found a way to bend them by proving himself through results.

#8

10 INFECTION: AVOID THE UNHAPPY AND UNLUCKY | "The Founder" longed for his 1st wife to work by his side. She wouldn't. They later divorced.

#9

11 LEARN TO KEEP PEOPLE DEPENDENT ON YOU | The McD Brothers tried & failed at franchising. "The Founder" made it work & they had to bow.

#10

12 USE SELECTIVE HONESTY & GENEROSITY TO DISARM YOUR VICTIM | The McD Brothers missed out on 100 million/yr. in royalties blinded by their nostalgia.

#11

15 CRUSH YOUR ENEMY TOTALLY | Ceasing the use of the name & building a McDonalds parallel to the McD Brothers left no room for recovery.

#12

17 CULTIVATE AN AIR OF UNPREDICTABILITY | "The Founder" made erratic decisions or it seemed to the McD Brothers. Unsuspected smoke screen.

#13

18 ISOLATION IS DANGEROUS | The McD Brothers never flew out to check in on "The Founder" or sought knowledge. This became their downfall.

#14

21 PLAY A SUCKER TO CATCH A SUCKER | "The Founder" praised the McD Brothers ingenuity & got them to believe he could be controlled /w a contract.

#15

23 CONCENTRATE YOUR FORCES | "The Founder" was introduced to powered milkshake which cut down refrigeration cost by 100%. It was a hard sell from real ice cream the McD Brothers wanted. So he formed allies with franchisees.

#16

25 RECREATE YOURSELF | From salesman to mogul is no easy feat. "The Founder" pulled it off by using the expertise of business advisors around him.

#17

30 MAKE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS SEEM EFFORTLESS | "The Founder" never gave credit to The McD Brothers. It seemed HE was the genius behind all ideas.

#18

32 PLAY TO PEOPLES FANTASIES | "The Founder" was the master at this. He knew what people wanted and spoke to it immediately. Playing on emotions rather than logic.

#1