白领商务英语－经典案例5：Top of the Tree Baking Company

    Facing Business Challenges at Top of the Tree Baking Company
Baking Up Millions

You can use a lot of words to describe Gordon Weinberger, the founder² of Top of the Tree Baking Company. Verbose³. Determined⁴. And, of course, tall - 6 feet 9 inches. Another man might have shrunk from the task that Weinberger had set for himself a couple of years ago, but Weinberger didn't. For two straight weeks, he would rush home from his day job in Boston, throw back some dinner , and then head upstairs to his study to work the phones from 6 P.M. to 11 P.M.

He worked from a list of more than 70 prospective⁶ investors⁷: cousins, aunts, uncles, in-laws, colleagues of his father, and friends of the family - many of whom he hadn't talked to in years. This meant he had a lot of catching⁸ up to do before he could even begin to tell them about the new company he hoped to start. Even for Gordon Weinberger, a man with an extraordinary gift of gab⁹ , convincing them to invest in his idea might be hard work.

But Weinberger needed money - $100,000 to be exact. In the previous 4 months, he had honed his pie recipe, drawn¹⁰ up a detailed¹¹ business plan, and sounded out the buyers from area supermarket chains. Almost everywhere he went, the feedback was positive. But without money, he knew his pies weren't going to get much farther than the local county fair.

Each time Weinberger reached for the phone, he drew in a deep breath. Then when the moment arrived, he did what he does best: He told his story. “Hi; this is Gordon. How are you doing? Hey, I'm starting this new company, and I was wondering…” By the end of the night, his ear would be sore and his vocal¹² chords scratchy . But it was worth the trouble.

Though it took a few months and a few more phone calls before the money began to roll in, he “sold” his idea to 11 investors, each of whom contributed about $10,000. The structure of the private stock offering was quite simple. The investors agreed that they would have no direct control or say in the affairs of Top of the Tree. In exchange, they were promised double their money back in 5 years.

Although entrepreneurs are often strong on developing their ideas, many stumble when it comes to raising money. Weinberger had little financial experience beyond negotiating a home mortgage . So the question is: How did Weinberger succeed where so many others had failed? If you were Gordon Weinberger, how would you prepare to market your small-business idea to investors? Where might you go for financing ? How hard would you be willing to work to turn your vision into reality? What would you include in your business plan?

Meeting Business Challenges at Top of the Tree Baking Company

Gordon Weinberger knew he had his work cut out for him1. After all, the pie industry was very competitive indeed. Behemoths2 like Mrs. Smith's and Entenmann's dominated the price-sensitive end of the spectrum3, and anyone who wanted something akin¹ to4 what grandma used to make headed for the bakery department.
In his informal research of the bakery pies, Weinberger learned two things: First, appearances aside, pies were rarely baked on premises¹³. Second, in his view, they didn't taste half as good as his pies. Taking a cue from Ben & Jerry's Homemade ice cream, Weinberger believed there was room in the market for a relatively¹⁴ expensive, fresh apple pie. And apparently¹⁵, some people agreed including Jerry Weissman, a businessman and friend of the family.

Weissman took Weinberger's business plan to a few friends who were enthralled¹⁶ . The plan had short-term goals, long-term goals, and a ladder-type path to reach those goals. And Weissman liked something else, something far less tangible¹⁷ than Weinberger's well-thought-out plan. Weissman sensed that Weinberger had the character and commitment to carry out the plan and he was right.

Weinberger's entrepreneurial pie odyssey¹⁸ began at a 1992 Old Home Day fair in Londonderry, New Hampshire, where he won the apple pie baking contest with his great-grandmother Anne's family pie recipe. After twice repeating his victory, he began to think he might have a recipe for success, not to mention a way to leave his job running the public relations division for a Boston advertising¹⁹ agency.

To develop interest in his pies, Weinberger approached individual branches of supermarkets, Shop & Save in New Hampshire and Star Marketing²⁰ in Boston, conducting in-store tastings and parking lot pie-eating contests. For meetings with supermarket buyers, Weinberger spread checkered²¹ tablecloths²² on the executives' desks, played a tape-recorded jingle²³, and served up warm pie and cold milk.

During their first summer, a period when pie sales notoriously are in the doldrums , Weinberger and company hitched²⁴ an 11-foot-tall fiberglass apple to the back of their truck for a tour through Boston and four other New England cities. Once they arrived, they threw open the doors and began handing out thousands of free pies and pints²⁵ of frozen yogurt. It was a public relations coup⁵ , earning Weinberger spots on the evening news and attention in local newspapers.

By the end of 1995, his first year in business, Top of the Tree was churning out 3-pound pies at the rate of 6,000 a week and had racked up about $1 million in sales. The figures were almost exactly what Weinberger projected in his business plan, even though the route wasn't exactly as he had envisioned . That's because his sales got an unexpected boost from a stint²⁶ selling his pies on the QVC home shopping network. During the original segment, which has since turned into a monthly event, he sold 2,700 pies in less than 2 minutes!

To raise funds for branching out and automating²⁷ his pie works, Weinberger undertook some unusual methods to market his pies. For example, to increase awareness²⁸ and get people excited about his pies, Weinberger and his pie staff toured the United States in a refurbished school bus, serving up apple pie to would-be consumers. Not only was it an effective marketing tool, but the bus became a mobile fund-raiser. In the “Find the Dough²⁹ Campaign,” headed by pie specialist Scott Mayo, the bus was used to seek out more capital. By using valet parking outside swank restaurants and hotels, the pie staff had ready access to potential investors.

One recent weekend the pie staff embarked³⁰ on a tour of Boston, where they picked people up, fed them pie, and dropped them off at their destinations - just like Mass Transit³¹, only with dessert. Afterward³² they parked outside of the Ritz Carlton, where Weinberger and his pie staff provided information on Top of the Tree. “It's incredible,” says Weinberger. “We are touching³³ people in ways that they never envisioned.”

To date, Weinberger has secured $1 million in additional capital with his unusual marketing tactics, and he's intent on raising more money without giving up a significant amount of control of the company. "I don't want to give up half the company for $2 million," says Weinberger. The perfect investors, according to Weinberger, would have a lot of money in their wallet but be willing to step back and let him run the company.

From its fledgling roots, Top of the Tree has blossomed, almost tripling its sales during its second year of operation. There is no doubt that Weinberger's dynamic marketing strategies will see him through to his goal: to become a $20 million company within the next 3 or 4 years.

1 akin   

adj.同族的，类似的

参考例句：

• She painted flowers and birds pictures akin to those of earlier feminine painters.她画一些同早期女画家类似的花鸟画。
• Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.听他的人生故事犹如阅读一本精彩的冒险小说。

2 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

3 verbose   

adj.用字多的；冗长的；累赘的

参考例句：

• His writing is difficult and often verbose.他的文章很晦涩，而且往往篇幅冗长。
• Your report is too long and verbose.你的报告太长太罗嗦了。

4 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

5 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

6 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

7 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

8 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

9 gab   

v.空谈，唠叨，瞎扯；n.饶舌，多嘴，爱说话

参考例句：

• The young man had got the gift of gab.那个年轻小贩能说会道。
• She has the gift of the gab.她口才很好。

10 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

11 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

12 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

13 premises   

n.建筑物，房屋

参考例句：

• According to the rules,no alcohol can be consumed on the premises.按照规定，场内不准饮酒。
• All repairs are done on the premises and not put out.全部修缮都在家里进行，不用送到外面去做。

14 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

15 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

16 enthralled   

迷住，吸引住( enthrall的过去式和过去分词 )； 使感到非常愉快

参考例句：

• The child watched, enthralled by the bright moving images. 这孩子看着那明亮的移动的影像，被迷住了。
• The children listened enthralled as the storyteller unfolded her tale. 讲故事的人一步步展开故事情节，孩子们都听得入迷了。

17 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

18 odyssey   

n.长途冒险旅行；一连串的冒险

参考例句：

• The march to Travnik was the final stretch of a 16-hour odyssey.去特拉夫尼克的这段路是长达16小时艰险旅行的最后一程。
• His odyssey of passion, friendship,love,and revenge was now finished.他的热情、友谊、爱情和复仇的漫长历程，到此结束了。

19 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

20 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

21 checkered   

adj.有方格图案的

参考例句：

• The ground under the trees was checkered with sunlight and shade.林地光影交错。
• He’d had a checkered past in the government.他过去在政界浮沉。

22 tablecloths   

n.桌布，台布( tablecloth的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Champagne corks popped, and on lace tablecloths seven-course dinners were laid. 桌上铺着带装饰图案的网织的桌布，上面是七道菜的晚餐。 来自飘（部分）
• At the moment the cause of her concern was a pile of soiled tablecloths. 此刻她关心的事是一堆弄脏了的台布。 来自辞典例句

23 jingle   

n.叮当声，韵律简单的诗句；v.使叮当作响，叮当响，押韵

参考例句：

• The key fell on the ground with a jingle.钥匙叮当落地。
• The knives and forks set up their regular jingle.刀叉发出常有的叮当声。

24 hitched   

（免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上

参考例句：

• They hitched a ride in a truck. 他们搭乘了一辆路过的货车。
• We hitched a ride in a truck yesterday. 我们昨天顺便搭乘了一辆卡车。

25 pints   

n.品脱( pint的名词复数 )；一品脱啤酒

参考例句：

• I drew off three pints of beer from the barrel. 我从酒桶里抽出三品脱啤酒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Two pints today, please. 今天请来两品脱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 stint   

v.节省，限制，停止；n.舍不得化，节约，限制；连续不断的一段时间从事某件事

参考例句：

• He lavished money on his children without stint.他在孩子们身上花钱毫不吝惜。
• We hope that you will not stint your criticism.我们希望您不吝指教。

27 automating   

（使）自动化( automate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Have you ever thought about automating any part of your business? 你有没有想过把你公司的某个部门自动化？
• We are in process of automating the production department. 我们正在对生产部门实行自动化。

28 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

29 dough   

n.生面团；钱，现款

参考例句：

• She formed the dough into squares.她把生面团捏成四方块。
• The baker is kneading dough.那位面包师在揉面。

30 embarked   

乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• We stood on the pier and watched as they embarked. 我们站在突码头上目送他们登船。
• She embarked on a discourse about the town's origins. 她开始讲本市的起源。

31 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

32 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

33 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。