Review of “Changing How the World Does Business” by Roger Frock

Well, what a story and a half! Talk about taking risks.  Changing How the World Does Business details how an idea, a lot of luck, a lot of in-house and investor money and some stern lobbying can all come together to create a fortune.  Roger Frock was there from the very early days of Federal Express and was on hand for many of the crucial decisions made by the management team, chiefly among them founder Fred Smith.


Smith had sunk his every cent (and some ‘other’ funding) into Federal Express, buying a whole heap of Dassault Falcons and starting up an overnight package-delivery service for across the US.  Doing the math on this one is not hard, as established players were already on the scene and the fixed costs would be massive.  In fact, it would take five years for a profit to be made, right in the thick of expansion.


As Frock details, many of the entrepreneurial business decisions paid dividends, but it could very easily have gone the other way, with Smith doing time.


Changing How the World Does Business takes a little while to get going, but then the business decisions start coming thick and fast and the pace really picks up.  It is recommended reading for anyone in business who is looking to start their own overnight package-delivery service.  In all honesty, strategic thinking is at the forefront off all decisions in this book and strategic planners will be all across the thought processes behind them.  It is still very entertaining.

Hardcover: 239 pages

Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers (2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1576754138
ISBN-13: 978-1576754139