Ed Stack: Lessons from Dick’s Sporting Goods [Outliers]

Ed Stack built Dick’s Sporting Goods from a struggling family store into an empire of more than 800 stores and billions in sales. Along the way he nearly lost everything. Multiple times. This episode is the story of what he did, how he did it, and the lessons you can learn. ----- Some of the things you'll learn in this episode: Never rely on the kindness of strangers. Your name is your biggest asset. The person who talks the least is usually the decision maker. Sometimes the most profitable decision on a spreadsheet is the worst decision for a business. Good businesses don’t need debt and bad ones can’t handle it. When the data and the anecdotes differ, you’re measuring the wrong thing. Trust isn’t earned in the easy times; it’s earned in the fire. People are rarely buying just your product. Give the underdog a chance. They want it more. Not knowing what you’re doing can be an asset. All money comes with strings. Your competition always has some...