Ewing Marion Kauffman, “Mr. K”, accomplished unique uncommon success across his lifetime and understanding this great man’s talents and accomplishment can be invaluable for executives and business leaders. His career began by starting a company in his home and growing it into a multi-billion-dollar business, that Forbes recognized as a Top Five Places to Work. He accomplished similar success as a Major League Baseball (MLB) owner, building the most successful expansion team in the league’s history. His community contributions are evident daily across his beloved hometown of Kansas City as a reminder of his success and generosity. These cherished crown jewels are the Kansas City Royals, The Kauffman Center for Performing Arts and his entrepreneurial foundation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, one of the largest endowments of all private foundations in the country.

The story of Mr. K at its core is the story of Marion Laboratories, the pharmaceutical company he started in his basement as a young entrepreneur at age 34. Many experiences shaped him as a person and business leader. As a child, he had a heart condition that required him to stay in bed and with his mother’s urging, this became a year of reading. His reading, including as many as 8 books a week, fed his knowledge and shaped his understanding of how individuals are motivated to achieve uncommon success. As a young man, he worked hard selling door to door products as varied as eggs from the family farm to laundry services. His first large company role was as a commissioned salesperson for a pharmaceutical company, selling prescription drugs directly to physicians’ offices. He eventually earned more in commissions than the president and therefore his customer territory was reduced in response to his success. With a reduced sales territory, he still earned more than the president. These experiences led Mr. K to take all he had learned and start his own enterprise, which he did in the basement of his home.  His charisma, hard work, good judgement, and informed risk-taking learned through mathematics and Navy combat experience all paid off and the company grew. He brought on top talent, his principled leadership inspired his associates to uncommon results and Marion Laboratories became a respected force in the pharmaceutical industry and 5th in the Fortune 500 “best Places to Work”.

Mr. K’s tremendous success is attributed to his leadership principles, his operational practices and his ability to develop and motivate people. Mr. K often stressed the importance of two of his foundational timeless principles, “treat others as you would like to be treated, with dignity and respect” and “those that produce should share in the results.” He instilled these principles in his associates, many of whom have risen to leadership and executive roles in large corporations, small businesses, and private and non-profit organizations, ensuring Mr. K’s legacy and lessons live on.