Steven Schussler - Its a Jungle in There: Inspiring Lessons, Hard-Won Insights, and Other Acts of Entrepreneurial Daring

For the last fifteen years or so, Ive given so many lectures, talks, and workshops about my theory of good business that I cant even count them. My lessons always focus on the five Ps of successful entrepreneurship that I have discovered through my own experiences: Personality, Product, Persistence, People, and Philanthropy. In my life, Ive had so much good come out of employing these core strategies. Ive launched my dream business, the Rainforest Cafe, and watched it grow from an idea everyone thought was crazy into a hugely successful international company. Not only have I made it as a businessman by sticking to what I believe in, Ive been able to bring happiness to the millions of kids of all ages who visit my indoor rainforests each year in search of an adventurous dining experience.

At those talks I give on business success strategies, Ive been getting the same question over and over for so long I cant remember: Steve, where can I buy your book? Im a businessman by trade, and never thought of myself as an author, so this was something Id laugh off. Id leave my business card, figuring the best way to sell my business strategy was with myselfafter all, look at the first P, Personalityand go on to my next engagement.

But finally it hit me like an anvil! Steve, I thought, youre not even listening to yourself in these talks! Whats the second P? Product! One of my central strategies for turning the Rainforest Cafe into the enormous success it has become is to always anticipate customer needs and interestsits absolutely essential to constantly be on the lookout for products or services people will buy (I talk more about this strategy in Chapter 9). Now here were my actual customers of lifemy students, the people attending my lectures, and the inspired and aspiring entrepreneurs-to-beactually telling me the product they wanted me to sell them! And all this time Id been laughing it off because I hadnt thought of myself as an author.

Well, this just goes to show you that every day in the business world is a new opportunity to grow and learn. So here I am, writing my booknot only purely for the reasons of the business strategies I put forth in it, but also in hopes that you, the reader, will be inspired by my story. The truth is, Ive just had an amazing time doing what I love and chasing after my own dreams. In the spirit of the third P, Persistence, I never gave up, no matter how unreachable everyone told me those dreams were, and I learned in the end that if you want it badly enough and fight hard enough for it, nothing is out of reach. The idea that I might inspire other people to chase after their own dreams is as exciting as watching my own come true.

Most of the things that I create are highly theatrical and energeticmost projects involve partnering with people who are high-energy entrepreneurs and business professionals. In writing this book, I have tried to capture the energy bounced around during my daily interactions, the thought processes that we create and live by, and my belief in always taking the high road.

My professional life has been a roller-coaster ride, but its been a fun one. I have reinvented myself many times, which is evidenced by the fact that Id held more than a dozen jobs before my sixteenth birthday. I cant stop taking on new projects, thinking of new innovations, and trying out new things that people have avoided trying because it looks too difficult or too wild: sometimes theyre right, and my project comes to nothing, but sometimes theyre wrong and I strike upon something truly exciting. I found that the more I create, the happier I am. The happier I am, the more I create. The two go hand in hand.

Since this book is the story of a guy whos spent that whole roller-coaster ride trying to have fun, I believe that reading it will make you laugh. Its a Jungle in There was written to share the entrepreneurial stories from my career that I believe you will find motivational, educational, and serve as examples of real ways to connect with others that share the same out-of-the-box way of thinking. I share insights on how I look at problems and opportunities that have been everyday occurrences. I believe that I think differently. I have embraced and documented some of those thought processes with the goal of influencing you to never give upno matter what!

Let me give you an idea of some of the key ideas Im going to explore in Its a Jungle in There. First and foremost is thank you. One of the most important lessons Ive learned in my entire life is to give credit where credit is duethe fact is, people may work for money, but they live for acknowledgment. By remembering to thank the people who have offered you their time and energy, you make lifelong allies. There are many people who have influenced me. You will hear about some of them throughout the book. I have tried to make certain that those who have touched my life in a significant way were included in the acknowledgments. If I have inadvertently left someone out, I apologize.

The second tenet of business life is taking the high road. My team and I have made a big deal in the bookand in lifeabout always taking the high road and about giving back. Both of these traits make you a better person and certainly a more successful entrepreneur.

A third key idea is tirelessnessyou must keep trying. I use this example when I talk about frequency and consistency in pursuing your goals. When searching for a job, searching for a product, or searching for a solution to a problem, just remember that the more ships leave the port and go out to fight the war, the more ships return to port. So get out there. Dont send one rsum, send 150. Make sure that there are phone calls and follow-up letters. You just need to do a little bit more and a little bit better than everyone else in order to be extremely successful.