The American dream is alive and well.
Don’t take our word for it, read this thread from Ankith Harathi about Richard Montañez.
It really is one of the best things you’ll read today.
A janitor making $4/hour walked into a Fortune 500 company boardroom. Shaking, he took a seat opposite the CEO.
"So I had an idea…" he nervously began.
Years later, that idea would become an iconic consumer brand and make him worth ~$20M.
Here's how that meeting went ??
— Ankith Harathi (@ankithharathi) December 22, 2020
This is great.
1) Richard Montañez grew up in Cucamonga Valley, California, sharing a one-room cinderblock hut with 14 family members.
He dreaded school. Barely able to speak English, he’d cry to his mother as she was getting him ready for class. pic.twitter.com/2DbDaGmBqh
— Ankith Harathi (@ankithharathi) December 22, 2020
2) When asked, all other students in class would eagerly shout out their dream job: Astronaut, Doctor, Racecar driver.
Richard had nothing to say. “There was no dream where I came from.”
— Ankith Harathi (@ankithharathi) December 22, 2020
3) He dropped out of school in 4th grade and took odd jobs at farms and factories to help make ends meet.
Some years later in 1976, a neighbor let him know of a job opening for a factory janitor at the Frito-Lay plant down the road. The $4/hour pay was more than he'd ever made.
— Ankith Harathi (@ankithharathi) December 22, 2020
$4 an hour pay was more than he’d ever made.
Recommended
4) As he was getting ready for his first day of work, his grandfather pulled him aside and said:
“Make sure that floor shines. And let them know that a Montañez mopped it.” pic.twitter.com/qnKN84na2W
— Ankith Harathi (@ankithharathi) December 22, 2020
Love this.
5) Richard made it his mission to be the best janitor Frito-Lay had ever seen.
He spent his off-time learning about the company's products, manufacturing, marketing and more. He even asked salesmen to tag along and watch them sell.
— Ankith Harathi (@ankithharathi) December 22, 2020
6) In the mid-1980s Frito-Lay started to struggle. The CEO announced a new initiative to all 300,000 employees. “Act like an owner” Trying to empower them to work more creatively and efficiently.
Montañez listened.
— Ankith Harathi (@ankithharathi) December 22, 2020
7) Then, he called the CEO.
“Mr. Enrico’s office. Who is this?”
“Richard Montañez, in California”
“You’re the VP overseeing CA?”
“No, I work at the Rancho Cucamonga plant.”
“Oh, so you’re the VP of Ops?”
“No, I work inside the plant.”
“You’re the manager?”
“No. I’m the janitor.”— Ankith Harathi (@ankithharathi) December 22, 2020
This is so great.
Keep going.
8) The CEO got on the line. Loving the initiative, he told Richard to prepare a presentation, and he set a meeting in 2 weeks time.
Stunned, Richard ran to the library and picked up a book on marketing strategies. Then, he started prepping.
— Ankith Harathi (@ankithharathi) December 22, 2020
This is how you do it, folks.
9) 2 weeks later, he entered that boardroom.
After taking a moment to catch his breath, he started telling them what he'd learned about Frito-Lay and the idea he'd been working on. pic.twitter.com/u4l4lhDWmy
— Ankith Harathi (@ankithharathi) December 22, 2020
10) “I saw there was no product catering to Latinos.”
On the sales trips he shadowed he saw that in Latino neighborhoods Lays, Fritos, Ruffles, and Cheetos, were stocked right next to a shelf of Mexican spices. Frito-Lay had nothing spicy or hot.
— Ankith Harathi (@ankithharathi) December 22, 2020
11) The Latino market was ready to explode, Monteñez explained.
Inspired by elote – a Mexican street corn covered in spices – Richard had created his own snack
He pulled out 100 plastic baggies. He had taken Cheetos from the factory and coated them in his own mix of spices pic.twitter.com/7yLtX1PFfp
— Ankith Harathi (@ankithharathi) December 22, 2020
12) He’d even sealed the bags with a clothing iron, and had hand drawn a logo on each one.
The room went silent.
After a few moments, the CEO spoke, “Put that mop away, you’re coming with us”
— Ankith Harathi (@ankithharathi) December 22, 2020
We’re not crying, you’re crying.
13) Flamin’ Hot Cheetos became one of the most successful launches in Frito-Lay history. They went on to become a viral, pop-culture sensation.
Richard became a VP and amassed a $20M fortune.
Not bad for a boy from Cucamonga. pic.twitter.com/DLUhCWQ9C5
— Ankith Harathi (@ankithharathi) December 22, 2020
Not bad for a boy who thought he didn’t have any dreams.
Told ya’, this was the thread you needed to see today.
***
Related:
Join the conversation as a VIP Member