The House that Cheese Built
The Unusual Life of the Mexican Immigrant who Defined a Multibillion-Dollar Global Industry

1. Auflage August 2023
272 Seiten, Hardcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
A quintessential American dream story from a Mexican entrepreneur who shares the tale of building a multi-million-dollar business from scratch, complete with both success and failure, and always a vision of hope.
Leal came to the U.S. penniless as a teenager, speaking almost no English; he literally slept in the boiler room of a Wisconsin cheese factory for months before he was caught. Through hard work, grit, and ingenuity Leal would go on to launch his own business. He is widely credited with introducing Mexican cheeses to the U.S. market and grew his company to a multimillion-dollar success story that defined an industry. Yet, like many successful entrepreneurs, Leal's great successes were matched by personal failures: the end of a marriage; trouble with law enforcement; and the deeply felt sense that there must be something more to life than great wealth.
* Read the astounding memoir of a Mexican immigrant who worked his way to success in the American cheese industry
* Find inspiration in Miguel Leal's determination and refusal to give up on his dream
* See how Leal persevered in the face of obstacles and setbacks in his personal life
* Follow Miguel's story as he finds peace, purpose, and grace--and realizes that money isn't everything
Leal's memoir, THE HOUSE THAT CHEESE BUILT, is both a quintessential immigrant success story, one that beautifully illustrates the immigrant experiences: isolation, fear, and ambition for a better life and assimilation, as well as a thoughtful personal account of entrepreneurship and all its benefits and costs.
PART I: CASTAWAY
Chapter One: Death of the Transformer
Chapter Two: Observe Everything
Chapter Three: Choose Friends Wisely
PART II: FROM CHEESE CUTTER TO FACTORY OWNER
Chapter Four: Learn to Pivot
Chapter Five: Doing Business with the Amish
Chapter Six: When Opportunity Knocks, Open the Door Or Break a Window
PART III: LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM
Chapter Seven: Expulsion and Reinvention
Chapter Eight: Shooting Pigeons
Chapter Nine: One Last Cheese
PART IV: BETRAYAL AND GRACE
Chapter Ten: Lawsuits and Big Money
Chapter Eleven: Betrayal
Chapter Twelve: Fighting for My Life
Chapter Thirteen: Four Days in Court
Chapter Fourteen: Finding Grace
EPILOGUE: KEY LESSONS FOR ENTREPRENEURS