Panera Bread/Au Bon Pain: Ron Shaich (2018)

Beginnings

Ron Shaich's entrepreneurial journey began with a student-run convenience store at Clark University. Despite his initial interest in politics, he found himself captivated by the business world, leading him to pursue an MBA at Harvard Business School. This experience laid the foundation for his future ventures, as he realized that running a business was akin to managing a campaign, with both requiring strategic planning and execution 1. Shaich's passion for entrepreneurship was ignited by a personal incident at a local convenience store, which inspired him to open his own store on campus 2.

Running a business is no different than a campaign. In fact, a campaign is a business that essentially has one day in which it ends. A business is a campaign that goes on and never ends.

--- Ron Shaich

This pivotal moment marked the beginning of his journey into the retail world.

   

Ventures

Shaich's early business ventures included opening a cookie store in Boston, which he named "The Cookie Jar." Despite initial challenges, such as securing a lease and financial backing, he persevered and opened the store in a bustling urban location 3. His approach to business was not about having a fixed goal but rather exploring opportunities as they arose, akin to body surfing and navigating waves 4.

I see an opportunity. I wade out into the water and I try to figure out where that opportunity is going to take me.

--- Ron Shaich

Although the cookie business was fun, Shaich sought more, leading him to explore additional offerings like French baked goods, which eventually paved the way for his involvement with Au Bon Pain 5.