Reviews for Le Deal: How a Young American in Business, in Love, and in over His Head, Kick-Started a Mul...

The average rating for Le Deal: How a Young American in Business, in Love, and in over His Head, Kick-Started a Mul... based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2021-04-26 00:00:00 Brandon Gorte Business books aren't my usual cup of tea, but J. Byrne Murphy's Le Deal story of how his company brought the concept of high-end retail outlet shopping centers to Europe in the 1990s piqued my interest. Murphy and his partners in McArthur Glen had some success opening retail shopping centers in the US, and saw their next move in taking the concept to Europe. The Savings & Loan financial crisis created havoc for many companies, including theirs, but Byrne and his partners believed this concept was a winner. They just had to find financial backing. They believed their best move would be to start in England. The British were not keen on fashion outlet stores, afraid that they would hurt the big fashion shops in London. Why would people pay full price for clothes if they could get them cheaper in outlet shops? No, the big fashion houses would never go for that. McArthur Glen explained that these outlet shops would be selling end of season clothes, directly owned and supplied by the big retail names themselves. Nonsense was the reply, the British do not want to shop at discount stores for fashion. After convincing them of the concept, Murphy and his team discovered that they had competition in the form of a man they had come across before. Roger Morgan was a smart businessman, and they had had a good relationship- until now. It seemed that Morgan was always one step ahead of them, was he spying on them? Morgan "gazumped" them, a new term for me. In England, a real estate deal is not necessarily complete when the agreement is made. If another company offers more money even up to the moment before the closing, your deal can be "gazumped". That seems unfair. Murphy moved with his wife to Paris, and he began to set the wheels in motion to open outlet centers in France. The steps that he had to take- from meeting with every politician in every small town they were looking at to site visits to winning approval to appeals to their win to eventually having their case before the French Supreme Court- are recounted in detail here. The numerous political considerations in France were something Byrne and his team did not have to deal with in the United States. Every politician had an angle, and allegiances changed frequently. The disasterous EuroDisney experience hurt their credibility with the French as well. US businesses were not exactly welcomed with open arms. I found the section where they were preparing for their grand opening in France most fascinating. As someone who worked in marketing in a mall, I could relate to all the preparations and excitement. McArthur Glen had to deal with possible protests from downtown merchants blocking the road and construction that was still going in inside the stores right up until the evening before the grand opening. Le Deal is a business book that reads like a novel. From the differences in business culture in Europe to the criteria for site selection to the machinations of the politicians, it was all so interesting, and at times it feels like a thriller- will they get it done? You have to read it to find out how, and I recommend you do.

Review # 2 was written on 2021-03-26 00:00:00 Anthony Wayer Le Deal by J Byrne Murphy is a real-life story of passion, perseverance, belief, loyalty with a lot of heart. Unlike so many memoirs, it’s not an equally balanced arc through Byrne Murphy's life. It’s not an ego gratifying display of his awesomeness, heavily weighted in the success of the company and all the amazing things that went on around that. Instead, it’s a deep focus on the beginning years of his struggle as an entrepreneur after he landed in Paris with his wife and a baby and a dream in 1992. Byrne Murphy covers all of it in detail. The ups and the downs, many downs. The moments where he felt like he could lose it all, which seemed to happen at least once a year. His personal struggles as a leader and a manager. His momentary conflicts about whether or not the struggle was worth it. The breakthroughs – mostly understood in hindsight – when he realized they had gotten to another level. Le Deal provides insight into the mindset required to be a founding CEO of a start up. It's a scary place to be knowing your every action will impact the future of the company and all the people who work for you! This book is a gold mine. Labor relations, change management, marketing, Govt. relations, & cost reduction – I get to know all about it in this book. More than that it teaches you about persistence, about having a greed for ambition, about confronting petty egos, not falling in the paralysis of analysis and doing something, and about having guts to do what might be unpopular now but right in the long term. Le Deal by J Byrne Murphy is distinct in the way it is written, as it masterfully balances the nature of honesty and humility. The story, told in first person by Phil himself, begins by focusing on his early life. In fact, Byrne Murphy shares the most candid and universal experience there is--being lost and finding oneself. Throughout the book, you see the growth of Byrne Murphy along with his company. From the uncertainty of his actions to his decisive leadership, he is molded by the obstacles he faces--all of which are detailed. The book is beautifully written, and Byrne Murphy's voice shines through as both smart and honest. He spends most of the book returning to the real-life business and relationship challenges of founding a company and managing people. Writing aside, the story itself is fascinating—let me be more precise—Phil is fascinating. This is one of the best book written by a businessperson. It's smart, exciting, and is full of amazing life lessons. A must-read for anyone that identifies themselves as a competitor, whether that be in business or life. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves biographies. More so for budding or even seasoned entrepreneurs.