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Conversations in Management

Brownie Wise

I wanted to be a successful human being.

It was 1947 and 34 year-old Brownie Wise found herself a divorced, single mom trying to scrape out a living with an eighth grade education. She was barely making it. Then one afternoon a woman selling Stanley Home Products knocked on her door and did an in-home demonstration. Wise wasn’t impressed and believed she could have done a much better job. That belief spurred her to become a sales representative herself and soon she was making a comfortable living selling brushes and cleaning products in the living rooms of her friends and neighbors in what were called Stanley Parties. It seems Wise had an intuitive knack for sales and marketing. She was stylish, vivacious and most of all, compelling. In 1949 she moved to Florida and was introduced to the Poly-T Wonderbowl by some Stanley colleagues. The Wonderbowl was an ingenious product made of a unique, flexible plastic. It came with a lid that when “burped,” formed an airtight seal. It was the invention of Earl Tupper, a grouchy, reclusive New Englander with a long history of failed products. Unlike some of his other inventions, (including the fish-powered boat and the Sweetie Picture Belt) the Wonderbowl had the potential to be a big seller but instead, it languished on store shelves. Wise quickly discerned that it was a product that had to be demonstrated in order to be appreciated. She added it to her product line and soon was selling more bowls than Tupper could produce. That caught his attention and in 1951 he offered her a job as Vice President. Wise pulled the Wonderbowls from retail shelves and focused entirely on selling through Tupperware parties. In short order Earl Tupper was a multi-millionaire and Wise was synonymous with the product. She promoted Tupperware on TV, radio and in countless newspaper and magazine articles. She made the cover of every home-maker’s magazine and was the first woman to be featured on the cover of Business Week. She—like the product—was a sensation.

Of course, Tupperware’s phenomenal success had much to do with the quality of the product. It was well-made, innovative and met a need. But the company’s impressive growth was driven by the zeal of its dealers. Wise recognized that it took more than commissions to keep her sales force motivated and growing. She was one of the first to appreciate that recognition was the key to building a successful work force. In 1954 she introduced the four-day Jubilee as a means to this end. It was an exuberant gathering of dealers that was part pep rally, part entertainment and part (a small part) sales meeting. It included extravagant give-aways like Cadillacs and mink coats. It included treasure hunts with dealers digging up prizes safety buried in Tupperware containers. Most of all, it provided an opportunity for dealers to be congratulated and honored for their hard work. In effect, Jubilee helped successful people become more successful.

Often leaders assume that an employee’s paycheck is sufficient reward for a job well done—and often it is. But everyone likes some level of recognition for the effort they put out. Folks like to know that their contribution is, if not appreciated, at least noticed. While we can’t stage a Jubilee to show our thanks, it’s a good idea to remember that Wise ultimately made successful people more successful by simply recognizing them and saying thanks. Using whatever means are at your disposal; make sure your high performers know that they are valued. It can be as easy as a pat on the back or something with a price tag but it will always pay back more than it cost. And it will help you both be successful human beings.

—Ebert