{"id":956,"date":"2021-02-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-01T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/3-sweet-lessons-of-success-from-wally-amos\/"},"modified":"2025-05-27T06:35:40","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T10:35:40","slug":"3-sweet-lessons-success-wally-amos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/3-sweet-lessons-success-wally-amos\/","title":{"rendered":"3 sweet lessons of success from Wally Amos"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/category\/people-leadership\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">People &amp; Leadership<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t3 sweet lessons of success from Wally Amos\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2021-02-01T00:00:00-05:00\">February 1, 2021<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"3 sweet lessons of success from Wally Amos\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/3-sweet-lessons-success-wally-amos\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/author\/kangelondexter\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/05\/Kay-Dexter-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/05\/Kay-Dexter-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/05\/Kay-Dexter.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Kay Dexter<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>\u201cI lost a company. So what? It\u2019s just stuff. Can\u2019t take it with you.\u201d <\/p><cite><em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wally_Amos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wally Amos<\/a><\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This month, to celebrate Black History Month, we\u2019re highlighting lessons entrepreneurs like you can learn from some of the most influential African American business leaders. The story of the \u201cFamous\u201d Wally Amos and his unbeatable enthusiasm and ability to turn lemons into lemonade should inspire any entrepreneur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve eaten \u201cFamous Amos\u201d chocolate chip cookies, you\u2019re tasting part of a baking legacy. Amos, who owned a talent agency in Los Angeles, made cookies as his calling card for meetings with agents and clients. Pretty soon, his cookies were known throughout the entertainment community, and he opened his first shop on Sunset Boulevard in 1975. From there, his cookie empire exploded in popularity. Franchises opened up nationwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, as demand grew, Amos began to release control of the company\u2014including his famous recipe. When the financial struggles became too much, he eventually lost the company. At the time, Amos was a sought-after motivational speaker, well-known author and was considered to be an example of entrepreneurial success\u2014but that image came crashing down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the major failure, Amos didn\u2019t give up! He continues to be a cookie connoisseur and entrepreneurial example of success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Small business survival toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get your free guide, business plan template, and cash flow forecast template to help you run your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-aee5a8c2-281d-42bb-8da2-eda5b62f63c6\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__downloads\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t10,548 readers have downloaded this toolkit\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1327127856-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Female hands working on a laptop\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1327127856-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-here-are-three-sweet-lessons-from-the-original-cookie-man\"><strong>Here are three sweet lessons from the original cookie man.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>\u201cI got ahead of my team. I forgot there was a team. I thought that because I was famous Amos\u2026I had all the answers, but I was very, very wrong.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Amos has been very vocal about the mismanagement of his company and puts the blame squarely on his own shoulders. He relied on his own opinion rather than trusting in his team, and as a result, the company struggled, was sold through several owners, and then eventually acquired by Keebler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-lesson-1-hire-people-who-support-your-vision-and-trust-them-to-help-you\">Lesson 1: Hire people who support your vision and trust them to help you<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>\u201cNothing is an obstacle unless you say it is.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When he was forced to sell his company, most of his assets and even his name in the late 1980s, Amos didn\u2019t give up. He couldn\u2019t use Famous Amos, Wally Amos or any combination thereof in his marketing so he launched the Uncle Noname Muffin company from his new home base in Hawaii, wrote a new book and started on a speaking tour to promote it. He generated enough attention to find a partner to grow the company\u2014which became Uncle Wally\u2019s Muffin Company in 1996. Eventually, Amos was able to legally re-enter the cookie market and launched the Cookie Kahuna in 2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-lesson-2-find-ways-to-get-around-any-obstacle-in-front-of-you-even-if-you-can-t-use-your-own-name\">Lesson 2: Find ways to get around any obstacle in front of you\u2014even if you can\u2019t use your own name<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>\u201cI thought I would help other people, but it ended up helping me more than I could have imagined.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Shortly after the launch of the original Famous Amos store, a friend introduced Amos to the Literacy Volunteers of America. The cause was near and dear to Amos\u2019s heart, and he dove into volunteering. Since 1979 he has advocated literacy, led programs across the country and hosted a television series about literacy on PBS for a number of years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-lesson-3-by-giving-to-others-you-re-really-giving-back-to-yourself\">Lesson 3: By giving to others, you\u2019re really giving back to yourself<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What sweet lessons of success are you going to take away from Famous Amos? Share your thoughts in the comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more entrepreneurial lessons, follow #SageatBuild on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Small business survival toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get your free guide, business plan template, and cash flow forecast template to help you run your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-aee5a8c2-281d-42bb-8da2-eda5b62f63c6\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download your free toolkit<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__downloads\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t10,548 readers have downloaded this toolkit\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1327127856-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Female hands working on a laptop\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1327127856-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em><small>Editor&#8217;s note: This article was originally published in 2016 and has been updated for relevance. <\/small><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to our Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get our latest business advice delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-ab515c6e-7e90-4c2f-a67e-113872516e8b\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Working from home with tea in hand\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cI lost a company. So what? It\u2019s just stuff. Can\u2019t take it with you.\u201d Wally Amos This month, to celebrate Black History Month, we\u2019re highlighting lessons entrepreneurs like you can learn from some of the most influential African American business leaders. The story of the \u201cFamous\u201d Wally Amos and his unbeatable enthusiasm and ability to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":87,"featured_media":1299,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[317,152],"business_type":[40],"lilypad":[],"context":[102],"industry":[55],"persona":[96,97,95],"imagine_tag":[230,231],"coauthors":[637],"class_list":["post-956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people-leadership","tag-diversity","tag-starting-a-business","business_type-small-business","industry-professional-services"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-us","author_name":"Kay Dexter","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/05\/UK_Kingpin_SageLive_101215-261.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business","231":"Start up business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice US","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/956","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/87"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=956"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/956\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/1299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=956"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=956"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=956"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=956"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=956"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=956"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=956"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=956"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=956"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=956"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}