Sam Walton died with a net worth over $25 billion.
But years earlier, an unforeseen threat left him with NOTHING.
Here's how to identify & neutralize risks coming for your business:🧵
Sam Walton built Wal-Mart from concept to the largest retailer on earth.
With $559B in sales & over 2.3M employees (2021), the magnitude of his creation is hard to comprehend.
But all of this success isn't random, it can be traced back to a turning point in 1950.
5 year earlier, in 1945 Walton purchased a Ben Franklin Variety franchise in Newport, Arkansas.
Undeniably ambitious, his goal was to have the most profitable Ben Franklin within 5 years.
He smashed his goal & earned $250K in revenue with $40K in profit ($400K in 2021).
With 4 young kids, a loving wife, and a thriving business, he had it all.
Until he didn't.
In 1945, an eager Walton signed a 5 year lease with an opportunistic landlord.
It had no option to renew -- Walton had unknowingly handed the landlord leverage.
Then in 1950 with the lease expiring, Walton received unexpected news.
The landlord would not renew at ANY PRICE.
Impressed by Walton's success, the shark-minded landlord used his leverage against him.