What Krispy Kreme Can Teach Us About Living a Better Life
The recipe said 30 minutes at 350 degrees. But I wanted to hurry things along, so I cranked the oven to 450, hoping to finish sooner.
Instead, the outside charred, the inside stayed raw, and the whole thing was ruined. My efforts to do more, quickly, failed spectacularly.
Some things fall apart when you try to rush them.
Krispy Kreme discovered that too.
The Story of Slow and Steady Growth
In 1937, Vernon Rudolph opened the first Krispy Kreme shop in North Carolina. For decades, the company grew gently—adding one or two new stores a year. Over its first 53 years, Krispy Kreme reached 100 stores, a sustainable pace for a beloved regional brand.
Then came the 1990s.
Corporate investors got involved, and the drumbeat for faster growth grew louder. Krispy Kreme accelerated its expansion, culminating in an IPO in 2000. Flush with capital, the company pushed even harder, leaning heavily on franchising. By 2004, there were more than 400 Krispy Kreme stores and franchises.
Opening two stores a year worked for half a century.
Opening hundreds in a few years was a different story.
The market became oversaturated. The novelty faded. Franchisees struggled. Many filed for bankruptcy. And by 2009, over 240 stores had closed.
Krispy Kreme didn’t collapse because people stopped loving donuts.
It collapsed because it grew faster than it could stay true to what made it special.
And many of us do the same.
The Trap We All Fall Into
Life is good, but we convince ourselves it would be better if we just had more:
More money.
More success.
More productivity.
More followers.
More accomplishments.
More …
But more is not always better.
And faster is not always progress.
The Invitation to Slow Down
What if instead of pursuing more at an ever-quickening pace, we intentionally chose to go slowly—and savor the wonders already within reach?
Take down a book from your shelf that you’ve been “meaning to get to.” Maybe there’s a remarkable adventure waiting for you. Pull out an old photo album and revisit the memories that shaped you. Laugh again at moments you had forgotten. Or call an old friend—not to catch up quickly, but to reconnect deeply.
As we approach a new year, it’s natural to reflect and reimagine. We start crafting goals and imagining what we hope the next twelve months will bring.
This year, consider aiming for less, not more.
Less noise.
Less urgency.
Less hustle.
And more intention.
More noticing.
More wonder.
Krispy Kreme teaches us a lesson worth remembering:
Speed can sabotage what’s beautiful.
Growth can ruin what’s precious.
And “more” can cost us what matters most.
Most of what we’re searching for is already here—quietly waiting to be seen.
We just have to slow down long enough to notice.
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