Arnie: In the early ’70s, Ron and I dropped out of college and were looking for
our place in the world. We took a road trip to California and as we drove
through the agricultural regions, we were horrified by the aerial pesticide spraying we saw. We had just read Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, and felt like we had
to do something. Ron and I could not stand the idea that the earth was being
attacked. We had read that pesticides were being found in breast milk and that
farm worker families were having a disproportionate number of birth defects.
That led to years of fruitless discussions between us about what could we do.
tening to feedback and instead of taking it personally, reacting and digging
in—take to heart what’s being said and
look to where you can adapt and
evolve.
Ron: Then there was this “aha” moment. I realized that organic baby food
could become a national product and create a huge demand for a diverse mix
of organic fruits and vegetables—especially those that did not have to look perfect for the fresh market. This would make organic farming more viable and
provide a new choice for parents. But we had no money, connections or food processing
experience—at first it just
seemed like a great idea for
other people to do.
Arnie: I think what drove us to
actually start and sustain Earth’s Best through all the challenges was the fact
that we were fighting for something that was so much greater than ourselves. It
wasn’t about us. If it had just been about making a bundle of money, I don’t
think we could have endured the tests we suffered through during the start-up
period. The bottom line was that we were fighting for the future and we
thought that the future would be brightest with organic foods.
OP: What are some of the key insights of your entrepreneurial philosophy?
Ron: Arnie and I define ourselves as “mutt-entrepreneurs” versus people with
pedigree or people who might be locked into an established career path. We
weren’t thinking about our resumes, or whether organic baby food might be a
bad career move because it was so risky. I really believe that innovation often
comes from people who are passionate and aren’t second-guessing their dream
and are willing to leap, not blindly, but willing to take chances.
Ron: For example, when we first envi-
sioned Earth’s Best, the formulations
that I was working on were so com-
plex—they were gourmet to the 10th
power. It reflected the fact that I
wanted Earth’s Best to be a “super
baby food,” but I was overshooting. I
was being impractical about food pro-
cessing and the complexity of mixing
so many ingredients together. I was
also ignoring the fact that at that time,
1987, many of the raw organic ingredi-
ents were just not available. Adapting
was listening to investors, family and
friends who were saying, “You don’t
have to make this so complicated.”
Most importantly, you have to fig-
ure out where you should compro-
mise. If someone had said, “Well, you
need to make this 50 percent organic
because a 100 percent product is just
too much and you’re going to run into
trouble,” that would be a compromise
that we would not make.
Arnie: We may come off as very idealistic, but we’re also very practical. The reason Earth’s Best happened was because we brought together idealism and realism. People can be labeled as idealists, but in so many ways, it’s those people
who are actually realists, because they understand that there’s so much that’s
not working, that our planet is in distress, and that we need to challenge the
paradigms that are in place. Idealism by itself is something that may not ever
make it beyond talk, but when people can bring together their ideals and practical ideas, then there’s potential for manifestation and change. And that’s what
I hope people who read The Earth’s Best Story get. They don’t have to be an expert or well-educated. What they need is to have a dream, and be passionate
about making a difference.
OP: What practical advice can you offer to other entrepreneurs out there?
Arnie: One thing that’s critically important for anyone trying to birth an idea is
to understand that stubbornness doesn’t necessarily win the day. It’s about lis-
OP: In your book, you talk about
“grokking.” What is grokking and how
did it play into the success of Earth’s Best?
Arnie: Robert Heinlein coined the
term “grok” in his 1961 book Stranger
in a Strange Land. Basically, grokking is
a deep connection; it’s vibrating on
the same frequency and wavelength
with someone or something. For example, it’s key for those in production
who are watching the line quality to
grok the importance of everything
being perfect. We had a deep peace in
knowing that the amazing people who
were in charge of our baby food production were aligned and connected
to the purpose and values of Earth’s
Best. It was like having us there. That
kind of connection—that grokking
with the production employees of
Earth’s Best—was the difference be-
