Sam Zemurray The Fish That Ate the Whale

In this episode of Founders podcast, the host revisits the remarkable life of Sam Zamuri, a quintessential example of high agency and a man who reshaped his world rather than being shaped by it. Zamuri, an immigrant who arrived in America penniless, became one of the richest and most powerful men by transforming the banana trade. His story is a testament to the American Dream, filled with tales of hustle, risk-taking, and strategic innovation. The episode also highlights Zamuri's aggressive business tactics, including orchestrating a coup to protect his interests, and his eventual takeover of United Fruit, where he innovated and saved the company within 60 days. Despite his success, Zamuri faced personal tragedy with the death of his son, which profoundly affected him. The episode underscores Zamuri's relentless drive and the belief in one's ability to overcome adversity, a message the host believes is worth sharing and emulating. Advertising from sponsors like Eight Sleep and Vesto is mentioned, reflecting the host's connection with founders who are passionate about their products. The episode concludes by noting Zamuri's later years and the public relations challenges faced by United Fruit, involving the work of Edward Bernays and the company's eventual breakup.

• Sam Zamuri is characterized as an individual of exceptionally high agency.
• High agency individuals are described as those who make things happen in the world rather than letting things happen to them.
• The story of Sam Zamuri is considered crucial and inspiring, leading to a republishing of the episode.

"Sam Zamuri, the subject of this episode may be the highest agency person that I've ever come across. And that's saying a lot, because every single person that you and I study on Founders podcast is high agency."

The quote underlines the exceptional nature of Sam Zamuri's character as someone who takes control of his destiny, surpassing even those high agency individuals commonly discussed on the Founders podcast.

• The podcast has a unique sponsorship model with personal connections to the founders of the advertising companies.
• The host only partners with sponsors that are passionate about their products and businesses.
• Eight Sleep and Vesto are highlighted as sponsors with products that the host and his founder friends use and believe in.

"One of the most unique things about this podcast is that I know the founder of every company that advertises on founders."

This quote emphasizes the podcast's distinctive approach to sponsorships, which is based on personal relationships and a shared commitment to product quality.

• Sam Zamuri's story is revisited due to its relevance to the concept of high agency founders.
• The host was reminded of Zamuri's story during an interview on "Invest Like the Best," where the topic of high agency founders was discussed.
• Zamuri's life story is seen as a source of personal inspiration for the host.

"And when he asked me that question, immediately Sam Zamuri comes to mind."

The quote captures the immediate association the host makes between the concept of a high agency founder and Sam Zamuri, indicating the profound impact Zamuri's story has had on him.

• Zamuri's journey from a penniless immigrant to one of the richest and most powerful men is a testament to the American Dream.
• His life story includes working in various roles such as a fruit peddler and plantation owner, and even battling United Fruit, a global corporation.
• Zamuri's life is seen as a true representation of America's spirit, where ambition and vision can lead to extraordinary success.

"When he arrived in America in 1891 at age 14, Zamuri was tall, gangly, and penniless. When he died in the grandest house in New Orleans 69 years later, he was among the richest, most powerful men in the world."

This quote outlines the dramatic transformation in Sam Zamuri's life, from a humble beginning to a position of immense wealth and power, encapsulating the essence of the American Dream.

• The book details the life of Sam Zamuri, known as America's Banana King.
• The author, Rich Cohen, is praised for his writing style and the engaging nature of the biography.
• The book is put in context with other founder biographies covered in the podcast, highlighting Zamuri's unique story.

"That was an excerpt from the book I'm going to talk to you about today, which is The Fish That Ate the Whale, the Life and Times of America's Banana King, and it was written by Rich Cohen."

This quote introduces the book that chronicles Sam Zamuri's life, setting the stage for the detailed exploration of his story and its significance.

• Zamuri's life started with hardship after his father's death left the family in poverty.
• His move to America at a young age was driven by the need to support his family.
• Zamuri's determination and relentless pursuit of success are evident from his early jobs and the way he approached challenges.

"He may be young and poor, but he's got a brain, and you clearly see that now."

The quote reflects on Zamuri's intelligence and resourcefulness, which were apparent even in his youth, despite his disadvantaged circumstances.

• Zamuri's business acumen was evident in his ability to spot opportunities that others missed.
• He capitalized on the overlooked market of ripe bananas, which he sold quickly to avoid spoilage.
• His innovative approach and willingness to take risks laid the foundation for his future success.

"It was a calculation based on arrogance. I can be fast where others have been slow. I can hustle where others have been satisfied with the easy pickings of the trade."

This quote demonstrates Zamuri's confidence in his ability to outpace competitors and seize opportunities that they disregarded, showcasing his entrepreneurial mindset.

• Sam Zamuri's story is presented as an example of unlimited potential and the importance of not capping one's upside.
• A Supreme Court Justice's letter to the president highlights Zamuri's remarkable rise from a 14-year-old Russian immigrant to a respected statesman among businessmen.
• Zamuri is described as big, deliberate, strong, slow, quiet, and possessing an unteachable calm.

"Years later, in a letter to FDR, Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter describes Zamuri as, quote, one of the few statesmen among businessmen that I have ever encountered."

The quote emphasizes the high regard in which Zamuri was held by influential figures, highlighting his unique qualities and notable impact on business and politics.

• United Fruit, the "whale," was founded by older businessmen who recognized Zamuri's potential and partnered with him rather than underestimating him.
• The company's executives later made the mistake of underestimating Zamuri, which the book suggests is a significant error with no upside.

"They never, ever underestimated him. In fact, they did the smart move and they partnered with him."

This quote highlights the strategic decision by United Fruit's founders to collaborate with Zamuri, acknowledging his capabilities and potential.

• Zamuri began his career as a resourceful trader, known for buying ripe bananas others considered trash, which caught the attention of United Fruit's Andrew Preston.
• His business grew rapidly from selling 20,000 bananas in 1899 to over a million a year within a decade.
• Preston's recognition of Zamuri's spirit and risk-taking led to a partnership between Zamuri and United Fruit.

"In 1899, he sold 20,000 bananas. Four years later, he sold half a million. Within a decade, he'd be selling more than a million bananas a year."

This quote illustrates the exponential growth of Zamuri's business and his success in the banana trade.

• United Fruit became one of the first truly global corporations, influencing international business and facing antitrust suits that shaped the future of global companies.

"United Fruit is one of the first truly global corporations. In fact, there's like this antitrust suit that gets taken against United fruit all the way up to the Supreme Court."

The quote underscores United Fruit's significant role as a pioneering global corporation and its impact on legal precedents for international business.

• Zamuri's meticulous approach to business and his preference for direct communication without leaving a record are noted.
• His ambition to expand led him to plant his own bananas, venturing into the jungle of Honduras and demonstrating his persistence and endurance.

"The only way to expand was to plant his own bananas. It was a realization that sent Zamuri down the path he would follow for the rest of his life, a tortured path that led him into the jungle."

This quote captures Zamuri's strategic decision to vertically integrate his business by growing his own bananas, setting the stage for his continued success and the challenges he would face.

• Lorenzo Baker, Andrew Preston, and Miner Keith are the founders of United Fruit, each contributing unique skills and ambitions to the company's formation.
• Their vision to create a high-volume, low-cost banana trade led to mergers with numerous other banana companies, drawing parallels to Rockefeller's Standard Oil.

"In the first six months, United Fruit merged with 27 banana companies."

The quote demonstrates the aggressive expansion strategy employed by United Fruit, echoing the tactics of other industrial magnates of the era.

• Zamuri is portrayed as a relentless individual who constantly sought to push his limits and expand his empire.
• His life story is an example of the recurring entrepreneurial spirit that has shaped history, with Zamuri following in the footsteps of the United Fruit founders and other historical figures.

"The world is a mere succession of fortunes made and lost, lessons learned and forgotten and learned again."

This quote reflects on the cyclical nature of business success and the enduring qualities of entrepreneurs like Zamuri, who learn from the past to build the future.

• Sam Zamuri is in the process of building his business by acquiring land.
• He buys his first parcel of land in Honduras for $2,000, all borrowed, securing 5000 acres.
• Zamuri's silence when purchasing land is strategic to prevent price inflation.
• There is a disagreement with his partner Hubbard over the expansion of land acquisition.
• Zamuri's approach is to seize unique opportunities for land acquisition despite financial constraints.
• He heavily invests in land, believing in its future value and leveraging every line of credit available.

"He kept quiet because talking only drives up the price." "It does not matter if you think it's enough. Hubbard said to him, we're out of money." "There's cheap land, right? No one sees the value in it. There's no limit to how much I could buy, the only limit being money." "There are times when certain cards sit unclaimed in the common pile, when certain properties become available that will never be available again. A good businessman feels those moments like a fall in the barometric pressure. A great businessman is dumb enough to act on them even when he cannot afford to."

These quotes highlight Zamuri's strategic silence to keep costs low, the disagreement with his partner about financial limits, and his belief in seizing unique opportunities regardless of current resources.

• Zamuri's knowledge of his business from A to Z is cited as a key to solving problems.
• He has superior information and an understanding of the value of the land he acquires that others miss.
• Zamuri's hands-on experience gives him an edge over executives who are detached from the ground realities.
• His philosophy includes the belief that detailed knowledge of one's business is crucial for success.

"If you know your business from A to Z, there's nothing problem you can't solve." "How many of the executives later on in the United Fruit Company, which is headquartered in Boston, are going to be scouting land by mule? None."

The quote emphasizes the importance of comprehensive knowledge of one's business and contrasts Zamuri's hands-on approach with the detached management of executives.

• Zamuri utilizes corruption to gain business advantages in Honduras.
• His company, as a result of corruption, is exempted from various taxes and import duties, giving it a competitive edge.
• Zamuri's approach to business includes outright corruption and political manipulation to achieve his goals.

"Zamuri's bananas would arrive in the United States unencumbered by such fees." "Flat out corruption, not even trying to hide it."

The quotes reflect Zamuri's strategy of using corruption to gain tax and duty exemptions, highlighting the unethical aspects of his business practices.

• Zamuri is known for his drive and willingness to work alongside his employees in challenging conditions.
• He engages in physical labor, believing in its value for freeing the soul.
• His first-hand experience in all aspects of the business gives him a significant information advantage.

"It was the hardest work in the world." "He was deep in the muck, sweat covered, swinging a blade." "He believed in the transcendent power of physical labor, that a man can free his soul only by exhausting his body."

These quotes depict Zamuri's hands-on leadership style and his belief in the value of physical labor, both for personal growth and for understanding his business.

• Zamuri's aggressive business expansion is characterized by taking on significant risks and debt.
• He faces opposition from his partner Hubbard, who prefers a more cautious approach.
• Zamuri's philosophy is to go all in during moments of opportunity, which leads to their partnership's dissolution.

"Go all in or get out, Sam said." "What was Sam thinking? Piling debt on debt, risk on risk."

The quotes reveal Zamuri's bold approach to business expansion, emphasizing the importance he places on seizing opportunities and taking calculated risks.

• Zamuri's business interests lead him to become involved in Honduran politics, including orchestrating a coup.
• He directly confronts U.S. Secretary of State Knox and challenges powerful figures like J.P. Morgan.
• Zamuri's actions in the coup result in favorable business conditions for his company in Honduras.

"Don't get involved. How about I overthrow the fucking government? Is that too involved?" "Zamuri's scheme can be described as a coup disguised as a revolution."

These quotes illustrate Zamuri's willingness to engage in extreme political actions to protect and advance his business interests.

• Zamuri's unique personal habits, such as eating raw vegetables and bananas and standing on his head, are noted.
• He avoids bureaucracy and excels at making quick, informed decisions without relying on extensive paperwork.
• Zamuri values efficiency and has a disdain for traditional corporate structures.

"He's the Jay Z of banana moguls." "He disdained bureaucracy and hated paperwork."

The quotes underscore Zamuri's unconventional personal habits and his preference for a streamlined, efficient approach to business management.

• Zamuri's company becomes a significant competitor to the United Fruit Company (UFC).
• Zamuri's business practices attract ambitious employees away from UFC.
• The conflict between Zamuri and UFC's president, Victor Cutter, leads to a "banana war" that ultimately results in a government-forced merger.

"The culture of his company was his personality." "Zamuri could move fast without waiting for permission or for a committee report."

These quotes highlight the personal imprint Zamuri left on his company and his ability to make swift decisions, contrasting with the bureaucratic nature of UFC.

• The Banana War involved Zamuri's fruit company in a conflict over land ownership.
• Zamuri, a self-made man with a formidable confidence, was motivated by the desire to win.
• He engaged in a battle against a larger, better-resourced enemy for a piece of land that was marginally beneficial to his wealth.

Zamuri had taken on an enemy of superior resources and size over a few thousand acres that would only marginally add to his wealth.

This quote highlights Zamuri's determination to engage in a conflict despite the minimal economic benefit and the significant disparity in resources between him and his opponent.

• Zamuri's business approach was direct and action-oriented, avoiding bureaucracy.
• He believed small talk was a weakness and preferred to focus on actions rather than words.
• His philosophy was to trust in his own agency and never feel powerless or trapped.

Wars are not won by running your mouth.

This quote encapsulates Zamuri's belief that success in business, like in war, comes from action and strategy rather than idle talk.

• The conflict centered on a 5000-acre piece of land claimed by both Guatemala and Honduras.
• United Fruit and Zamuri's company both coveted the land, which had legal complications regarding ownership.
• Zamuri's strategy was to purchase the land from both claimants, avoiding the lengthy legal process that United Fruit undertook.

When this mess of deeds came to light, United Fruit did what big bureaucracy-heavy companies always do. They hired lawyers and investigators to search every file for the identity of the true owner.

This quote contrasts the bureaucratic approach of United Fruit with Zamuri's more direct and efficient method of resolving the dispute over land ownership.

• Zamuri's fruit company was a reflection of his personality and his business philosophy.
• He emphasized hard work, direct involvement, and quick decision-making.
• His transition from a young, reckless entrepreneur to a wealthy businessman introduced vulnerabilities.

Zamuri's fruit company was Zamuri in the shape of a corporation. His personality made manifest his home and his love, where he tested his theories and formed his philosophy.

This quote describes how Zamuri's company was an extension of his own character and how he infused his personal values into the business.

• Zamuri became one of the richest men in America following a government-mandated merger with United Fruit.
• The merger agreement required Zamuri to retire from the banana trade.
• Despite his wealth, Zamuri faced new vulnerabilities and challenges due to his increased public profile and wealth.

His stake after the merger would be valued at more than $30 million, a figure worth considering, as it would make Zamuri, who had arrived in Alabama with nothing three decades before, one of the richest men in America.

This quote highlights the financial success Zamuri achieved through the merger, which transformed him from an immigrant with nothing to a wealthy and influential businessman.

• Huey Long, a former governor and sitting US senator, became a powerful enemy of Zamuri.
• Long's rhetoric targeted the wealthy, including Zamuri, whom he saw as emblematic of America's problems.
• The assassination of Huey Long, while not directly linked to Zamuri, cast a shadow over Zamuri's reputation and activities.

When Huey said, let's soak the rich, Sam heard, let's soak Zamuri.

This quote reflects how Zamuri felt personally targeted by Huey Long's populist speeches and policies, which were aimed at the wealthy elite.

• Faced with a significant drop in net worth due to United Fruit's struggles, Zamuri took decisive action.
• He believed in his ability to salvage the situation and refused to accept failure.
• Zamuri's approach was hands-on, involving direct communication with those on the ground rather than relying on detached executives.

For every move, there is a counter move. For every disaster, there is a recovery.

This quote encapsulates Zamuri's philosophy of resilience and his belief that for every problem, there is a solution that can be found through action and determination.

• Zamuri collected proxies from other shareholders to gain control of United Fruit.
• He challenged the existing management and implemented sweeping changes to save the company.
• His actions led to a rapid increase in the company's stock price, reflecting investor confidence in his leadership.

He goes around and remember, he's the largest shareholder. So he goes and has these secret meetings with all these other shareholders, and he's like, hey, give me your proxies.

This quote describes Zamuri's strategic move to consolidate power within United Fruit by gaining the support of other shareholders, ultimately enabling him to take control of the company.

• Zamuri adapted to the challenges of World War II by seeking alternative crops for his plantations.
• He focused on crops that were critical to the war effort and not subject to import quotas.
• His innovations during this period were among his proudest achievements.

He chose innovation over despair.

This quote highlights Zamuri's adaptability and his refusal to succumb to difficult circumstances, choosing instead to innovate and find new opportunities for his business.

• The death of Zamuri's son, Sam Jr., during World War II was a profound personal tragedy for Zamuri.
• Despite the historic events of the time, Zamuri was consumed by grief and was deeply affected by the loss.
• The death of his son marked a turning point in Zamuri's life and impacted his engagement with the world and his business.

Everyone I spoke to who knew Zamuri told me that the death of Sam Jr. was the great tragedy of the man's life.

This quote conveys the depth of Zamuri's grief and the impact that his son's death had on him personally and professionally.

• Zamuri hired Edward Bernays, a pioneer in the public relations industry, to improve the company's image.
• Bernays' methods were based on indirection and aligning private interests with public causes.
• His strategies included influencing government officials and shaping public opinion to benefit Zamuri's business interests.

In almost every act of our daily lives whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of people who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses.

This quote reflects Bernays' belief in the power of a select few to shape public opinion and behavior, which was central to his approach to public relations.

• Zamuri's life story is controversial, with some viewing him as a pioneering hero and others as a ruthless conqueror.
• His defining characteristic was his belief in his own ability to overcome adversity and never give in to despair.
• Zamuri's story is one of resilience, innovation, and the power of individual agency.

Sam's defining characteristic was his belief in his own agency, his refusal to despair.

This quote summarizes the essence of Zamuri's character and his unwavering belief in his ability to control his own destiny and overcome challenges.