Gatorade has conquered all its rivals and has ruled the sport-drink industry since its creation more than 40 years ago. If you need proof of this, all you have to do is visit any sporting event in the country. You will see Gatorade whether you are watching amateurs or pros. You will spot numerous athletes carrying them around in their colorful bottles or lining up to grab a cup from bright orange coolers. Simply put, Gatorade is the sports drink of choice and it is everywhere.

Join sports business reporter and author Darren Rovell as he uncovers everything that led to the success of Gatorade. Find out Gatorade’s enthralling story and the nine business rules that have helped Gatorade grow to be the giant that it is today.

The story of Coca-Cola is a remarkable one.  The drink, first invented in 1886 by Confederate John Pemberton and Yankee Frank Robinson, is now one of the most dominant players in the global soft-drink trade.  This was achieved after over a century of strict adherence to its trademark and so-called “secret formula” (with notable exceptions), wheeling and dealing, political maneuvers, savvy marketing efforts and under-the-table and backroom deals. 

Coca-Cola itself, as Secret Formula’s author Frederick Allen stresses, is much more than just a soft drink.  Rather, it is more than just the sum of its parts, as it has been right from the very start.  The fiction of Coke has always been greater than the fact.  This is the secret of its success.

Starbucks Coffee is an example of turning a passion for coffee into a successful business venture. What started as small coffee shop in Seattle is now a global marketing phenomenon that covered the globe with over sixteen hundred stores and with more opening each day. The principles behind the success of Starbucks Coffee are discussed including the importance of passion for an excellent product and the need to infuse tradition and imagination as part of the business venture. Transforming coffee drinking into a whole new experience is just as important as serving it. By combining several of the principles, managers, marketers and aspiring entrepreneurs can discover why passion is just as important as capital and marketing savvy are in any business undertaking.

Toyota first caught the world’s attention in the 1980s when consumers started noticing that Toyota cars lasted longer and required fewer repairs than American cars. Today, the company is the world’s most profitable car manufacturer, consistently producing high-quality cars using fewer man hours and less on-hand inventories. To this day, Toyota continues to raise the bar for manufacturing, production development and process excellence.

The Toyota Way explains the management principle and business philosophy behind Toyota’s success. It narrates Toyota’s approach to Lean Production (known as the Toyota Production System) and the 14 principles that drive Toyota towards quality and excellence. The book also explains how you can adopt the same principles to improve your business processes, while cutting down on operations and production costs.