Fortune Small Business Entrepreneurial Superstars

Well done: How Viking Range got started

As Fred Carl Jr. learned while launching his company, the deals you walk away from matter as much as the ones you do.

EMAIL  |   PRINT  |   SHARE  |   RSS
 
google my aol my msn my yahoo! netvibes
Paste this link into your favorite RSS desktop reader
See all CNNMoney.com RSS FEEDS (close)
As told to David Holthouse

carl_viking2.03.jpg
Fred Carl Jr. cooked up a $300 million business.
How we got started
The founders of four breakout companies on how they built billion-dollar global brands like Costco and Re/Max from scratch.
Viking Range's timeline
1986: The first Viking Range prototype is produced.
1990: All range production moves in-house after suppliers disappoint.
1994: Running Viking becomes Carl's full-time job.
2009: Viking's annual sales are about $300 million.
If you've started a business, how did you finance it?
  • Personal savings
  • Bank loans
  • Venture capital
  • Investments from friends and family
  • All of the above!

GREENWOOD, Miss. (Fortune Small Business) -- Viking Range is known primarily for a groundbreaking appliance that combines the best features of commercial and residential ranges. Founded in 1986 in Greenwood, Miss., by native son Fred Carl Jr., the company employs more than 1,000 local residents and has annual sales of about $300 million.

Since Fortune Small Business last interviewed Carl ("A Brand Built to Last," July/August 2001), Viking has opened an 87,000-square-foot manufacturing plant and a separate distribution center to handle its expansion into premium appliances, cookware and cutlery. Carl has also founded 16 Viking Cooking Schools, which draw more than 70,000 students annually, and opened the Alluvian Hotel and Spa in one of 23 historic buildings he purchased and renovated in downtown Greenwood.

FSB caught up with the former contractor at Viking headquarters to discuss his early challenges.

Why combine the two different range types?

I realized demand was growing for commercial ranges in the home, despite their drawbacks (they're hard to clean, burn lots of energy, get hot because they aren't insulated, and lack broiling capabilities). After the lightbulb went on, I began creating a hybrid.

How did you begin production?

I made the rounds of all the major range manufacturers, starting with Wolf. They said, "This has merit, but we're too busy to get involved -- good luck." The rest of the manufacturers basically hung up on me.

Then I called another company. I met with its engineers repeatedly and was close to signing a contract when I got a call informing me that the CEO wanted to meet to discuss the terms. "This is great," I thought. "The big guy wants to meet me." So I met him at the Memphis airport, where he had a layover. He resembled [Soviet premier Nikita] Khrushchev, and by the end of our meeting he was acting like him too.

He liked my idea but demanded changes to the draft contract. He offered a one-year exclusive and added, "After that we'll start manufacturing this product ourselves. You'll sell it through your little regional dealers and we'll sell it through our nationwide commercial food-service network."

I said, "You'll be competing with me, then?" And he said, "That's right. Take it or leave it."

I told Khrushchev to take a hike.

I was disappointed but persisted until I reached U.S. Range in Gardena, Calif. It was extremely interested, and I quickly cut a production deal. I later learned the reason the company was so eager: It was financially troubled. But we were both willing to gamble.

What advice can you give other entrepreneurs?

The line between stubbornness and perseverance is thin. If you're emotionally and professionally convinced that your idea is sound, then be very stubborn. And don't be afraid to tell Khrushchev to take a hike.  To top of page

To write a note to the editor about this article, click here.




QMy dream is to launch my own business someday. Now that it's time to choose a major, I'm debating if I should major in entrepreneurial studies or major in engineering to acquire a set of skills first. Is majoring in entrepreneurship a good choice? More
Get Answer
- Spate, Orange, Calif.

Sponsors
More Galleries
10 of the most luxurious airline amenity kits When it comes to in-flight pampering, the amenity kits offered by these 10 airlines are the ultimate in luxury More
7 startups that want to improve your mental health From a text therapy platform to apps that push you reminders to breathe, these self-care startups offer help on a daily basis or in times of need. More
5 radical technologies that will change how you get to work From Uber's flying cars to the Hyperloop, these are some of the neatest transportation concepts in the works today. More
Worry about the hackers you don't know 
Crime syndicates and government organizations pose a much greater cyber threat than renegade hacker groups like Anonymous. Play
GE CEO: Bringing jobs back to the U.S. 
Jeff Immelt says the U.S. is a cost competitive market for advanced manufacturing and that GE is bringing jobs back from Mexico. Play
Hamster wheel and wedgie-powered transit 
Red Bull Creation challenges hackers and engineers to invent new modes of transportation. Play

Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.