Celebrating a “Famous” Birthday

Willie Jolley, Doreen, Wally Amos

He’s 75 and still going strong!

I had the pleasure of celebrating the birthday of Wally Amos, known to most as Famous Amos, during an event hosted by Willie Jolley, the incredible author, speaker and radio show host.

What an incredible, inspiring story Wally shared as he talked about his life – the success, the loss, starting over, and living life to the fullest.

It was fascinating to hear him speak with passion and share lessons he’s learned over the years about what it means to be your best, live your best, and give your best.

If you don’t know the story, Wally Amos, known to many in the world as Famous Amos, became a global brand by selling his chocolate chip cookies. Opening the first retail store to only sell cookies in the world in March 1975, many naysayers tried to warn him that you couldn’t open a store selling only one product. If you were going to be a bakery, you had to have at least 25-30 items. His response? “You only need one item if it’s the one everybody wants.”

His cookies soon became known worldwide as he opened other stores and sold them in other retail establishments, such as Bloomingdale. Riding the wave of success, Wally, the man, became just as known as his cookies. He famously, and very publicly, lost his company through his own admission of mismanagement, not listening to solid advice, and ignoring input from his team. Not only did he no longer have a company, he also lost the right to use his “Famous Amos” name! His entire brand was gone.

With no company, no money, and no name, Wally found it necessary to take his lessons learned and start over.

And that’s exactly what he did, writing multiple books and starting Uncle Wally Muffins – in stores nationwide.

At his 75th birthday celebration, he shared life lessons that hold true no matter what you are going through in life:

What you say to yourself either blesses you or contaminates you. Since you have control over what you think and say, think and say things that promote a positive outcome.
Let every breath you take be a rebirth…another moment to walk in your greatness. There is always opportunity as long as you are breathing.
The fastest runner in the world never crosses the finish line if he or she doesn’t come out of the starting block. You will never see the results of any of your goals and dreams if you never take the first step.
Be positive…regardless.

Ideas will always come to you. The question is – are you in tune enough (and RADICAL enough) to act on them.
Don’t ask people what they think of your product or service for validation. Go with your gut. This not only holds true for business…it’s also true for your personal life.

One of the best parts about the evening? The night before, he cooked up a batch of his world famous cookies and shared them with us. YUMMY!!!

RADICAL Success Coach Doreen Rainey helps her clients define success for themselves and then get the guts to go after it. For information on her RADICAL Success Institute and other coaching programs to help you reach your professional and personal goals, visit her website.