WD-40 and the Power of Persistence

Stopping squeaks is a wildly unsexy business problem to solve, but WD-40 does it better than anyone, and has the stock price to prove it.

The name WD-40 stands for Water Displacement, 40th formula. A team of chemists in San Diego in the 1950s were trying to keep NASA's rockets from rusting. Attempt after attempt was made to create a substance that displace water, preventing rust. 10, 20, 30, 39 tries were made. Finally, on the 40th attempt, the work coalesced into the formula that's still used today to create WD-40. Two lessons on this:

1. If you're trying something new, it won't be perfect the first time.

2. Don't quit.

_____________________________________________ At Trellis Group, we believe chaos is the enemy of the small business. It's our mission to partner with small business owners and their teams to develop the managerial practices and processes to crush chaos. If you feel overwhelmed and need a proven system to focus on the next best thing, we can help. Companies who work with us see revenues go up, anxiety go down, and work becomes a force multiplier for good in the lives of your people. Reach out to discover how the Trellis Group can help you crush chaos.