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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK“, former Perdue Farms CFO and global business leader Terry Conway shares battle-tested strategies for surviving market pressures and scaling a company in his new book, Business is Simple.
Today’s companies face unprecedented obstacles, from ongoing inflation and supply chain disruptions to general economic uncertainty. To survive and thrive in this climate, business leaders need more than theoretical frameworks or corporate buzzwords. They need practical, battle-tested strategies built on decades of hands-on experience.
In his new book, Business is Simple: From a Family Cottage Business to World Processing and Markets, former Perdue Farms CFO and longtime business owner Terry Conway strips away the academic noise to deliver a three-part framework designed for organizations fighting to compete under pressure.
The Three Core Pillars of Business Success
Drawing from a career that began as a CFO at age 31 and involved decades of building companies in the trenches, Conway argues that while competing for revenue is rarely taught effectively in traditional business schools, it can be mastered through real-world execution.
His methodology centers on three essential pillars:
- Continuous Product Improvement: Regularly enhancing product value to stay ahead of the competition.
- Competitive Advantage in Processing: Streamlining and optimizing how products are processed.
- Effective Sales Lead Generation: Building reliable pipelines for sales teams to close.
To keep teams aligned, Conway also utilizes bottom-line focal points known as “all-abouts.” These tools are designed to eliminate distractions, foster open communication, and keep every department focused on foundational corporate values—specifically, maintaining trust as a cornerstone and encouraging free-flowing collaboration.
Scaling a Family Business Across 17 Countries
Conway’s framework is far from theoretical; it fueled his own remarkable journey taking over Handy Seafood. When he acquired sole ownership of the company in 1981, it was a small family-owned cottage business with just a single phone line and zero plans for international growth.
Through resilience, calculated risk-taking, and innovation, Conway transformed Handy Seafood into a prominent multinational brand operating across 17 countries, eventually scaling sales to $60 million by 2024. His high-risk ventures and international expansion efforts into emerging markets like Thailand and India earned him a reputation as an adventurous trailblazer in the seafood industry.
Today, the enterprise remains a family legacy; Conway transitioned voting control to his five adult children in 2016 and currently serves as Executive Consultant to the Board.
A Blend of Memoir, Manual, and Survival Story
Part business manual, part personal memoir, Business is Simple recounts the operational setbacks, regulatory hurdles, costly mistakes, and high-stakes decisions that defined Conway’s career. Instead of relying on pivot tables and SWOT analyses, the book offers a candid look at the realities of running a company, honoring principles like family loyalty, employee care, and customer dedication.
With an impressive background that includes serving as an investment analyst for Laird & Company, a business advisor at Touche Ross, and CFO of Perdue Farms—alongside lecturing stints at Carnegie Mellon University and Johns Hopkins University—Conway brings unmatched authority to his writing. Outside the boardroom, his diverse background spans military service, Eagle Scouting, and completing the grueling Kona Ironman competition.
Business is Simple serves as an essential read for entrepreneurs, family-owned businesses, corporate leaders, and recent graduates looking for honest, practical guidance on how to build lasting business longevity.
Find more from Terry Conway now:
Website: www.terryconway-bis.com
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3UaegLc
Kindle: https://amzn.to/3TrsF5E
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4pTR8g3
Hardcover: https://amzn.to/4w1wPid
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