The Pampered Chef, Doris Christopher
The Pampered Chef, Doris Christopher
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The Pampered Chef
The Story of One of America's Most Beloved Companies

Author: Doris Christopher

Narrator: Kimberly Farr

Unabridged: 8 hr 4 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/19/2005


Synopsis

The Pampered Chef is Doris Christopher’s extraordinary account of how she turned an innovative concept and $3,000 investment into a business with annual sales approaching the billion-dollar mark. It is packed with real-life lessons and inspiring insights for small-business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.

In 1980 Doris Christopher, a former home economist and teacher, was itching to get back into the workforce after an eight-year hiatus as a stay-at-home mom. Drawing on her personal and professional expertise, and determined to make cooking easier and more convenient for families, she started selling high-quality kitchen tools through cooking demonstrations to groups of women in their homes. Today, the company she started in her basement, The Pampered Chef, is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary and has grown into a corporation (now owned by Berkshire Hathaway) with tens of thousands of independent Kitchen Consultants who present more than a million Kitchen Shows a year, attended by more than 12 million people.

The Pampered Chef is the story of the vision, energy, hard work, and chutzpah that drove Christopher and her company to the height of success. She describes her early days as a “one-woman show,” chronicles the company’s gradual expansion, its challenges and growing popularity, and the process, offers invaluable advice and sound strategies on how to found and grow a business, including:

• Hard learned lessons for start-up entrepreneurs

• How to create a business concept and set your priorities

• Knowing when to expand and when to slow growth so that demand doesn’t overwhelm your operations or supplies

• How to counter the naysayers and deal with adversity

Today, as at the company’s founding, achieving a better balance between work and family remains central to The Pampered Chef’s mission. The Pampered Chef brings Christopher’s recipe for success to women, and men, everywhere.

About The Author

Doris Christopher is the founder and CEO of the Pampered Chef, Ltd. She has been featured in numerous publications, including FortuneWorking Woman, and the Wall Street Journal. She lives in the suburban Chicago area.Kimberly Farr has appeared on Broadway, at the New York Shakespeare Festival, the Roundabout Theatre, Playwright's Horizons, and the American Place. She created the role of Eve in Arthur Miller's first and only musical, Up from Paradise, which was directed by the author. She appeared with Vanessa Redgrave in the Broadway production of The Lady from the Sea. She has also acted in regional theaters from Los Angeles to New Haven, Connecticut, including the original production of The 1940's Radio Hour at Washington, DC's Arena Stage.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Lisa on July 30, 2020

Watch my full video review at [URL not allowed] - Available August 31, 2020. On the last Monday of every month, my book review will highlight a female founder or business owner. Most of these women started a company from their homes with less than $10,000. The August Female Founder review i......more

Goodreads review by Jenn on February 25, 2020

This happens to be a marvelously interesting book about a company that grew into one of the very best companies in America. Doris Christopher's unique storytelling of how she built her business is as great as her business itself.-JW......more

Goodreads review by Ben on July 28, 2017

an entrepreneurial story about the growth of the company from a female CEO! strong backstory and detail during early stages. fades in value as the company grows and behind achieving substring growth. limited insight into tactics and strategies being very high level summaries.......more

Goodreads review by Florin on February 06, 2019

Excellent book!......more

Goodreads review by Rochelle on February 29, 2024

This was an inspiring story for an aspiring entrepreneur.......more