Business Archives

CEO Dick Smith: General Cinema, More Than Movies

How do you take a grow a movie theater company? Dick Smith, CEO of General Cinema, found a way: by expanding into other business associated with movie theaters. General Cinema Theatres was a movie theater company founded in 1922 by Phillip Smith, who expanded drive-in theaters throughout New England and the Midwest. When he died in 1962, his son Dick Smith took over as CEO. Dick Smith further expanded the company’s theater locations, then diversified into unrelated businesses such as beverage bottling and retail.

Ralston Purina: History, Merger, and a Winning Strategy

What was Ralston Purina company, and what made the company so successful leading up to the 2001 Nestle merger? Ralston Purina and its most successful CEO, Bill Stiritz, stuck to unconventional but effective methods of financial management and acquisitions. Ralston Purina was known for it’s analytical, data-driven approach and a strict policy to follow the numbers. This unconventional method clearly led to a big payoff.

The Washington Post’s History: The Power of a Visionary CEO

What makes a newspaper successful? How does the Washington Post’s history prove that a publication can succeed both as a business, and for its journalistic merit? The Washington Post’s history was mostly spent as a local newspaper, and Graham sought a way to grow the company, while increasing its journalistic prestige. During her time as CEO, Graham was able to do both, by focusing on the business and hiring the best people to get the job done.

Katharine Graham—How She Took the Washington Post to the Top

How did an inexperienced executive like Katharine Graham take the Washington Post from a local newspaper to a nationally-renowned publication and high-value company? Katharine Graham, Washington Post CEO from 1963-1993, took over management when her husband committed suicide. She first spent several years learning the ropes. She became a powerful CEO and smart decision-maker, and she made sure she had the best staff and advisers to make the company the powerhouse it is today.

Warren Buffett: Advice from the World’s Best Investor

Why should you listen to Warren Buffett? If his own success is proof, Warren Buffett’s advice is certainly worth considering. Not only is Berkshire Hathaway valued at almost $500 billion in 2018, but Warren Buffett’s advice has been sought after by numerous business leaders. Warren Buffett has advised numerous CEOs and leaders of major corporations, including Katharine Graham of the Washington Post. Below are some pieces of Warren Buffett’s advice and strategies for investing and management.

General Dynamics History: How a Vision Became a Legacy

What made General Dynamics Corporation so successful? Did the short terms of its CEOs make a difference? General Dynamics Corporation is one of the largest and best known major companies. Discover General Dynamics’ history, how General Dynamics thrived, and how they applied lessons from one of its most successful CEOs, Bill Anders.

Tele-Communications Inc. History: New CEO, New Rules

Tele-Communications Inc. (TCI) was a cable television provider founded in 1958. It grew to be the largest cable company in the country, owning both cable providers and content programming. It was acquired by AT&T in 1999 for $43.5 billion in stock and, through a series of transactions, would ultimately become Comcast. As CEO from 1972 to 1991, John Malone pursued a virtuous cycle strategy—grow subscriber count through acquisitions of cable providers, which would give scale to negotiate lower fees with content providers, which would make acquisitions of cable companies further cheaper.

Qualities of a CEO—Management and Strategy Tools for Success

How can a CEO becomes a great CEO? Can a COO learn better management practices to increase profits? In The Outsiders, author William Thorndike analyzes the management styles and business decisions of eight successful CEOs who all had unorthodox management styles to determine that qualities of a CEO. These Outsider CEOs all thought outside the box, but they had in common the management style and qualities of a good CEO.

Warren Buffett: Value Investing and His Long-Term Strategy

How did Warren Buffett become one of the most successful CEOs of all time? And what is the Warren Buffet value investing strategy? Born in 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska, Warren Buffett was the son of a stockbroker and the grandson of a grocery store owner. His early entrepreneurial activities included paper routes and reselling soft drinks. His business grew over time, and so did Warren Buffett’s value investing strategy, moving from strictly value investing into and investing style that included more complex stocks for the long term.

Capital Cities Broadcasting: History and Rise to Media Giant

What made Capital Cities Broadcasting successful? Was it the CEO, or good business practices, or both? Capital Cities Broadcasting was a media company owning television stations, radio stations, and print publications. CEO Tom Murphy, in charge from 1966 to 1996, implemented management strategies that showed a 19.9% annual return rate, compared to the 10.1% for the S&P 500 and 13.2% return for leading media companies. Tom Murphy, Capital Cities Broadcasting CEO, enacted several business policies during his tenure there that helped the company grow and succeed. Read about the history and major successes of Capital Cities Broadcasting.