Rubies in the Orchard: How to Uncover the Hidden Gems in Your Business [Hardcover]

Lynda Resnick (Author), Francis Wilkinson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 17, 2009

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

POM Wonderful. FIJI Water. Teleflora. The Franklin Mint. Lynda Resnick's marketing triumphs read like an encyclopedia of branding. She is the smartest and hardest-working marketing brain in the business - the kind of marketer who can sell "ice sculptures to Eskimos." But her brilliant ideas aren't simply the result of random inspiration; they're the products of a systematic approach to marketing that any company -- large or small -- can adapt to achieve success. In RUBIES IN THE ORCHARD, she divulges her secrets for creating some of the world's most memorable and iconic brands, and the bull's-eye strategies to sell them.

Resnick believes that every company can find "rubies" in its orchard, elements of intrinsic value that consumers will desire. Here, she shows how every successful marketing campaign begins with uncovering these hidden gems, and communicating their value honestly and transparently to the consumer.

Through Resnick's behind-the-scenes narrative, we learn the secrets of her extraordinary successes, including: POM Wonderful, the wildly popular 100% pomegranate juice that created an entirely new product category out of a fickle and obscure fruit; and FIJI Water, a fledgling brand she transformed into the #1 premium bottled water in America, with sales that have increased 300% since 2004.

A born marketer, Resnick shares tales from a remarkable life, from opening her own ad agency at age 19 to the time she famously overpaid for Jackie Kennedy's pearls at auction, then transformed her "mistake" into tens of millions in sales for the Franklin Mint. Here for the first time, Resnick reveals her systematic approach to breaking through marketplace clutter and consumer cynicism, and creating blockbuster brands with true staying power.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. In a forest of dry marketing books, Resnick's animated debut stands out as its own hidden gem, filled with juicy real-life tales of marketing strategies that rocketed Resnick and her husband to astounding success with companies like Fiji Water, Teleflora, the Franklin Mint and Pom Wonderful, the wildly successful pomegranate juice. The author charms with her winning wit and a self-deprecating tone as she distills the secrets of her extraordinary career into a series of philosophies illustrated through behind-the-scenes looks at various marketing campaigns. She describes how she resuscitated Teleflora, a struggling flower delivery service, by introducing the flowers-in-a-gift container; how she famously endured ridicule when she purchased Jackie Kennedy's signature strand of fake pearls at auction for $211,000 for the Franklin Mint, only to painstakingly replicate them and then sell them in droves, grossing a whopping $26 million; and how she learned to think inside the box, delving into the intrinsic value of products like the pomegranate. A must-read for anyone who aspires to Resnick's level of promotional genius, success or commitment to environmental sustainability. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

Praise for Rubies in the Orchard

“...both entertaining and enlightening.... what’s really valuable to business owners is Resnick's insight on marketing, a field where she's built a well-­deserved reputation as a master.”--Businessweek
“Using sound advice, a wealth of first-hand experience, historical perspective, and fierce self-confidence, Lynda Resnick has written a very useful and practical book. Anyone starting a business or running an entrepreneurial venture should read [it].”
—MARTHA STEWART, founder, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

“Are you looking for proven ideas about how to market anything, overtake the competition, ward off vicious attacks, and become rich? Even if you don’t want to do those things, you will still love this inspiring, funny, thought-provoking, autobiographical sharing of secrets by Lynda Resnick, who figured out for herself how to succeed, again and again.”
—Dr. JARED DIAMOND, professor of geography at UCLA, and Pulitzer Prize–winning author of bestselling books including Collapse and Guns, Germs, and Steel

“Like the POM Wonderful that Lynda Resnick created, this book is absolutely delicious and also amazingly nutritious. In fact, it’s so funny and fun that you may not notice how much wisdom it contains—from marketing tips to insights on brand authenticity in the Internet era. It will make you laugh aloud, but also change the way you do business.”
—WALTER ISAACSON, president and CEO, The Aspen Institute, and bestselling author of Einstein: His Life and Universe and Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

“Lynda Resnick wields a sledgehammer in a velvet glove like no other.…You can buy a thousand books with sound business lessons, but Rubies in the Orchard is among a special few that lift you from your seat and compel you to act immediately.”
—CHRIS DEWOLFE, co-founder and CEO, MySpace

“Lynda is truly an unstoppable force. She has had a remarkable career taking small businesses and transforming them into iconic brands. In Rubies in the Orchard, Lynda shares her shrewd and surprisingly simple strategies for breaking through in a cluttered marketplace.”
—RUPERT MURDOCH, chairman and CEO, News Corporation

“Lynda Resnick focused on finding the truth to set her brands free. Whether identifying the medical benefits of POM or the pitfalls in delivering flowers, this born marketer knows how to sell without even stepping outside the box.”
—MEHMET OZ, bestselling author and vice-chairman and professor of surgery, NY Presbyterian/Columbia

“This book is pure gold!  Lynda Resnick is one of the most captivating, brilliant people I’ve ever known, and I’d buy anything she sells!  The wisdom she shares in this fascinating book shows an amazing understanding of how people think and make decisions.”
--DR. RICK WARREN, bestselling author of The Purpose Driven Life

“In a forest of dry marketing books, Resnick’s animated debut stands out as its own hidden gem, filled with juicy real-life tales of marketing strategies that rocketed Resnick and her husband to astounding success with companies like Fiji Water, Teleflora, the Franklin Mint and Pom Wonderful, the wildly successful pomegranate juice. The author charms with her winning wit and a self-deprecating tone as she distills the secrets of her extraordinary career into a series of philosophies illustrated through behind-the-scenes looks at various marketing campaigns…A must-read for anyone who aspires to Resnick’s level of promotional genius, success or commitment to environmental sustainability.”
--Publishers Weekly, starred review

“It’s exactly the spirit we need to deal with the gloom and doom of Wall Street. I read it cover to cover without stopping. I felt emboldened.”
--Frank Gehry

“Lynda Resnick humbly resists being called a marketing genius. Read her book at the risk of becoming one yourself.”
--Norman Lear

“Lynda Resnick is one dynamic, persuasive gal. She can talk anybody into anything, including getting me to write a blurb for this book. Now that’s persuasive.”
--Larry David, Star of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm

“Part marketing master’s class, part can’t-put-it-down biography, Rubies in the Orchard is as refreshing as a cold bottle of Fiji water on a hot day and as fortifying as a glass of POM juice. In it, Lynda Resnick updates the old ‘Build a better mousetrap’ axiom: ‘Uncover the intrinsic value of a product, promote that, and the world will beat a path to your door!’ Read this witty and wise book to learn how to sell your brand or read it for the life story of a truly remarkable woman, but whatever you do, read it. It sparkles as brightly as the gem in its title.”
--Arianna Huffington, Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post

“There are pearls of wisdom in Rubies in the Orchard — wisdom that marketing genius Lynda Resnick has gained through long experience, hard work, and dealing with many challenges on the road to her outstanding success.  In sharing her personal life story she gives us very useful tips about discovering real value in the world around us and making best use of it.  An inspiring book and a good read!”
--Andrew Weil, M.D.

“Irving Berlin said of Fred Astaire that he was ‘the purest talent’ with whom he had ever worked. As to marketing and original creation, Lynda Resnick is the purest talent and her writing, irresistible.”
--David G. Bradley, Chairman, Atlantic Media Group

“Lynda Resnick is one of the great marketers of our time–who else, after all, could have rebranded and relaunched a food as troublesome as the pomegranate, a fruit formerly more trouble to eat than it was worth? Whether you’re in the business of selling products or ideas, Rubies in the Orchard is full of indispensable advice. Even better, it manages to delight even as it instructs.”
--Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food

“Lynda Resnick is to branding what Warren Buffett is to investing: a master of honesty, commonsense and belief in doing well while doing good. “Rubies in the Orchard" is about a life that has stretched from the Pentagon Papers to pomegranates, and that gives you some idea of the range of its very practical wisdom."
--Gloria Steinem

“With insight, elegance and simplicity she has become an icon in the world of marketing. We should be so lucky that a little of her magic might rub off on us all through this marvelous book!”
--Stephen McPherson, President of ABC Television

“This book is at once an inspiring story and an enthralling treatise by one of America’s most imaginative and energetic entrepreneurs that will give every reader a primer on business and marketing, healthy living and sustainable development. Lynda Resnick, the Pom queen, shows each of us that it’s possible to do well by doing good.”
--Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

"Marketing doesn't have to be a dirty word. There are many ways to make the world a better place, and in this book Lynda Resnick shows that you can do well by selling something that's good for people."
--Eric Schlosser, award-winning journalist and bestselling author of Fast Food Nation and Reefer Madness

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 204 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; First Edition edition (February 17, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385525788
• ISBN-13: 978-0385525787
• Product Dimensions: 1 x 5.7 x 8.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (99 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #519,865 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 48 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring yet sort of like a business autobiography January 22, 2009

By Gratitude

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I decided to request, "Rubies in the Orchard" as one of my Amazon Vine offerings last month as I have recently started my own business venture and feel that I have something really great to offer. Other than knowing that the author was successful in marketing POM Wonderful juice, I had no idea what 'gems' she also found along the way.

It started out as a normal, easy to read business autobiography. I literally had NO idea who this woman was - although I had HEARD her name before but couldn't reference her name or face. It was when she mentions her group of friends being Rita Wilson, Ariana Huffington and Laurie David (producer of Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Truth') did I start to think that this woman, being in this sort of 'circle', that perhaps I should pay closer attention to her book.

It turns out that Lynda Resnick is an ABSOLUTE marketing GENIUS. I mean, who at 19-23 years old has their own STAFFED marketing company?!?! Although hard working, extremely driven and dedicated, she seems to have "it"...that vision - that golden touch if you will. She and her husband have turned around declining businesses such as The Franklin Mint, Fiji Water and Teleflora.

What I appreciated about the book was to read the history if you will behind POM Wonderful pomegranate juice, Fiji Water...these things that my family have been drinking and enjoying over the past few years. It was interesting to read what it took and how these items got to where they are to my kitchen table.

All in all, she has COMMON SENSE and doesn't cave into pressure of the suits just because she is not. I feel that if you have a great product, you have a market for it, then if you manufacturer it with quality ingredients, deliver on your word, stay the course, keep your eyes open for the need to change if need be, then you are ahead of a lot of moderately and even successful businesses out there and you have a shot.

Being that she did not have an opportunity to attend a formal college to receive a formal college degree, I appreciated her tenacity and drive to dedicate herself and her company to making a product they believed in succeed.

What I DID NOT appreciate was the droning on about me, me, I, I, I in her book. I'm SORRY but I understand she's a marketing genius. I understand that she worked hard. I understand that she's incredibly successful. And YES, I would LOVE for the products that I sell and believe in to be just as successful but 3/4 of my way through the book, I just really got tired of me, me, me, I, I, I. She DOES acknoweldge some of the people that were responsible for pivotal points in her career or the the person responsible for a specific aspect of her company's accomplishments (like the person who designed the shape of the POM juice bottles for instance) but I just got tired to reading the words, "ME" and "I" just way too much. I would have liked to read more "WE" along the way instead of it being sprinkled out sparingly through the book. After a while, the words "ME" and "I" eventually starting glaring out at me like they were typed in bold when they were not. SURELY it takes more than 1 or 2 people to run successful businesses...I'm thinking some of those hard working individuals felt overlooked and neglected by not being acknowledged in her book.

I am reviewing an uncorrected proof so it's my hope that the editors revise some of these "MEs" and "Is" along the way so every time it pops up, it's not grinding on someone else's nerves and they get to enjoy the book a bit more than I did.

Overall, what I was hoping to find wasn't here but I found something else...I was hoping to find some suggestions - inspirational or practical, 'functional' advise on how to start, manage and grow your business but instead what I read was a personal business autobiography; which in the end was fine because if she did it, then so can I and so can you. :-)

However, if you are looking for a practical manual or reference in how to start, manage, grow and market your business, then this is not it. If you want to read the story about a successful business woman and marketing genius and can find entertainment or inspiration by someone who speaks a tad bit too much about themselves, then this book may be right up your alley.

UPDATE 5/09
Someone responded to my review and mentioned that she did in fact give credit in her list of acknowledgments...here is my response:

As I had mentioned, I received a copy of an 'uncorrected proof'...the version that I received did not have any acknowledgements listed. Even still, instead of an afterthought added to the end, I would have rather enjoyed reading others mentioned in the stories and scenarios that she describes in the book. It would NOT have not been THAT hard to do...to reference others as she told her stories.

I just recall midway through the book, I started to cringe when I'd read about another accomplishment with her name all over the positive outcome...instead of being lost in the book for a moment, I remember mentally being pulled from the book cringing at the thought and wondering what those people who were overlooked felt as they were reading about a specific incident or scenario. Instead of being impressed with her accomplishment, I felt bad for the person who she neglected to mention and wondered what THEIR side of the story was. With that said, I'm glad that you felt that she was generous with giving credit to those who helped her along her path...I didn't get that feeling at all when I read the book.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Here's to Vanity Press December 19, 2009

By Kurt T. Weber

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Seemingly much of Rubies in the Orchard is a self-pat on the back to the author, successful though she may be from a business perspective. The give away is in the preface: Resnick discusses a "scrumptious" lunch with name-dropping friends as being the kick-off point for her writing this book "with Francis Wilkinson," as the cover notes.

As for content, this book does contain some solid marketing points. However, the gems offered did not need to take so many self-glorification pages to highlight. In keeping with her environmental diatribe, many trees could have been spared in the process.

Though a book about marketing, Resnick covers environmental issues and policy at length in one chapter - from a one-sided perspective - but she takes environmentalists to task when it comes to FIJI Water, the bottled water company she and her husband own. Suddenly, the environmentalists are wrong about all those plastic bottles being a problem and, by gosh, hauling water out of Fiji is environmentally OK because of all the enviro-measures the company takes and causes they support. This appears at once self-serving and mindful of the buying / selling of indulgences.

However, how does one who is so environmentally conscious, who laments the "consumer culture," find it so noble to produce imitations of the (yes) fake pearls worn by Jackie Kennedy? How is it that such an activity contributes to the world's betterment, but all other businesses contribute to global warming (or climate change)?

In sum, buy the book used. Speed read through the vanity-press writing, which is easy enough given the simplistic level at which the book is written. Slow down to savor the principles. Once done, get another, better book about marketing.

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars insufferable, self-indulgent bragfest January 28, 2009

By Carol C. VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Resnick may be a marketing genius, but in this book she comes across as self-centered, egotistical, and dismissive of most nearly everyone who crosses her path. I'd heard that the whole pomegranate craze was manufactured by someone who acquired pomegranate orchards in a business deal and wasn't quite sure what to do with them, funded research to show the health benefits of the fruit, and basically created demand where none existed before. The book shares that story, but the story is buried in page after page after page of the author's incessant boasting, accented by frequent snarky put-downs of everyone she had to outsmart to achieve her great successes. The book is much more about Ms. Resnick than it is about marketing.

Early on, Resnick talks about how, at age four, she took command of the stage and became a TV star -- people "liked her" and she liked the feeling of power. And so the story begins.

In the preface alone, we learn how amazing Resnick is -- she is oh so very busy ("with so many business responsibilities to attend to"), has "stunningly accomplished" friends, has "accomplished many goals" in her life," knows "marketing and branding" better than anyone else and has developed a "formula for success" that she's willing to share with us -- (not that it will teach us anything -- because as Resnick says later in the book -- she has never taken a marketing course and you certainly can't learn how to be a good marketer from a textbook.)

In the first paragraph of chapter one, we learn that Resnick was very wealthy but bored -- and that prompted her to figure out how to squeeze a fortune out of her family pomegranate farm. In typical I'm better-than-you fashion, Resnick talks about sitting at a table with "a collection of cheerless marketing consultants and somber executives" listening to their "marketing gospel and commandments" -- she tuned out while listening to them "drone on". She, of course, knows best -- and claims that she doesn't want to insult them, but "given their supreme confidence," she couldn't have insulted them even if she had wanted to.

Resnick is full of unexplained conclusions -- such as: "there are many points in business when you need to compromise" but "there are also a few areas that are so critically important that compromise is fatal." Translation: My way or the high way. Another conclusory statement -- its become fashionable in recent years to "think outside the box, but it's just about always wrong. The answers are not outside the box -- they're inside." Huh?? These unsupported, pithy conclusions are coupled with unabashed boasting (once she stirred up demand for her product, it exceeded supply by 300%, which she assures us, without explanation, is not good news -- then why is it important? why bother to share that statistic?)

She gives very little credit to others in her life. She turned Teleflora into a successful business, apparently single-handedly,as marketing flowers in keepsake containes was her idea -- and apparently hers alone. "I" thought of the keepsake containers, "My concept . . ." Seems like every success is the result of her single-handedly overcoming a sea of objectors. She dislikes, distrusts, and berates most everyone she encounters in the business world. The first president of Teleflora was on the road to retirement, interested only in his golf game. A partner in an advertising game had no work ethic and took two hour lunch breaks -- whilw she was working seven days a week and raising two kids. When she does give some tidbit of credit to others, she invariably manages to weave a dig or two into the praise. The field force she had to win over to make Teleflora successful -- those are the "willfull bunch of hard-drinking guys who would have resented every order," her "insolent staff." Another key staff member was talented, though with his wife "not exactly the dream team of corporate etiquette", not to mention he had a "touch of larceny" and looked for "every conceivable way to cut corners." This is someone she's speaking favorably about!!

She presents herself as a hard working (yep, seven days a week) self-made wonderwoman, who had to fend for herself because her movie-distributor daddy with two Rolls Royces in the driveway wouldn't pay for art school -- oh, did I mention that she was accepted to the best art school in LA? She did. She mentions as well that she did everything in "typical A-student fashion, . . . with no detail overlooked."

I find the author's narcissism exhausting. OK, Lynda -- You're smart. You're smarter than everyone else in the business world. You're talented. You were a star at four. An ace high school student. Ran your own business. What does that have to do with finding rubies in the orchard? When Resnick does talk about marketing, the stories are really about her ability to create demand where none existed before -- about how she can sell ice to Eskimos. Honestly, it makes me wonder just how much of the pomegranate hype is real and how much is the marketing genius of Lynda Resnick.

Overall, there is some marketing insight in this book, but it's more psychology than business -- it's a behind-the-scenes look at the mind of a narcissist who will do whatever it takes to be "successful" in business and cling to that sense of power she felt on the stage as a four year old.