Adventures Continue with the Real "J Peterman" Through Life and the Catalog Business.
"J Peterman" is a name known to more than 40 million Americans, thanks to the witty, entertaining 'Owner's Manual' mail-order catalogue, and regular appearances of a J Peterman character, played by actor John O'Hurley, on the popular TV comedy 'Seinfeld'. Now the real J Peterman steps from behind his persona in a candid memoir that interweaves the rise and fall of the J Peterman Company, with personal adventures that shaped the man himself.
Starting with a $500 investment and just one product, an ankle-length, cowboy-style duster coat that he bought on impulse in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, John Peterman built a $US75 million company. His unconventional catalogue used long, literate copy and artful watercolours instead of photographs to surround his wares - whether a Navy watch or a deck bench from the Titanic - with an aura of romance.
Through autobiographical anecdotes, Peterman explains how a person can turn dreams into action, find courage to go beyond the conventional and be a part of a team without sacrificing individuality. He shows how true passion and drive is not defeated by failure, but can be used as a stepping stone for the next venture.
'Peterman Rides Again' is essential reading for anyone who is growing a business, or thinking of starting one. The book offers hard-won lessons in entrepreneurship and the painful (but essential) art of learning from mistakes.
