Yesterday I finally had the chance to commence reading a book I purchased a few months ago, The Soul of a Business . Its a great first-person account of the challenge of being an entrepreneur. I am thoroughly enjoying his perspective and am learning through his account.

Tom didn't have any problems getting his business off the ground. He had a great natural products innovation just as natural products were coming into vogue. His biggest challenge was maintaining his original vision in the context of rapidly expanding business. He hired professional managers to take his product line to big retailers. They did their job, but subtly pushed the brand to fall into line with the other consumer products companies (i.e. P&G, etc.). His role was to push back and keep Tom's of Maine they way it was supposed to be. He did that by attending the Harvard Divinity School and bringing those insights to his board and managers. He defined and built the soul of his business.

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Tom was originally on my Stars & Stepping Stones interview list. I wanted to learn about his entrepreneurial experience. However I know that one of the notes had it right when it said: 'to learn about an executive's experience, read his book.' My list is changing.