Recognition

“What Sherry Deutschmann has done in institutionalizing and sharing her employee-first philosophy shows that valuing workers first as people makes extraordinary business sense. By placing empathy and equal opportunity at the center of the business, you engage everyone in serving the customer. By paying a living wage and sharing profits equally, you unshackle workers from the tyranny of overtime and multiple jobs so they can focus on work and tend to their families. And by making yourself, as the leader, accessible to everyone, you gain important insight on your operations and your peo- ple. Lunch with Lucy is a refreshing must-read for leaders of companies of all sizes and levels of maturity.”

“I hate most books about company culture—in fact, I can’t even read them. We all know culture is important. But too often these books treat it as if it’s the ultimate goal—not the means to an end—focusing on silly perks that trivialize the conversation. But as a senior editor with , Forbes, and The New York Times, I’ve been following Sherry Deutschmann for years. I know she’s different, both as a business owner and as an author. She actually connects the dots between treating employees well and maximizing profits. Wondering how to get employees to care about the business as if they were owners? This book is the blueprint. It’s also a fun read.”

“Lunch with Lucy is a beautiful reflection of the author—an authentic leader whose empathy for those she led and for her customers helped propel her business to remarkable success. Sherry’s practical insights are food for every aspiring leader and CEO looking to make a difference. Lunch with Lucy is a full buffet of wisdom.”

“I was hooked from page one. Such a compelling story told in a way that seems so not only doable, but the right thing to do. If we had more leaders like Sherry, corporations would be better people. She helps you envision a world full of compassion, understanding, and kindness. This is an under- dog story that leaves you feeling inspired, uplifted, and full of admiration for the grit and determination this woman has. More of this, please!”

“Wow! An inspiring, touching, funny story that helps you build a better business, strengthen your own character, and even save capitalism from itself. Sherry is a genius at solving problems, and she tells you all her secrets! This is a must-read, can’t-miss, save-your-life, save-your-company book.”

“I have worked with literally hundreds of highly talented executives, but I have never met anyone who understands the transformative power of a simple conversation the way Sherry does. If you spend any time at all with Sherry, you come away changed—more motivated, more hopeful, and feel- ing like a better version of yourself. Her generosity of spirit just glows.”

“Our obsession with maximizing profits at the expense of everything else on the planet has caused immeasurable harm. We need a new model of doing business, and with perfect timing, along comes Sherry Deutschmann with a model we can follow to maximize profits and take care of people. Read this book, follow it, and spread it widely. There is another way—and Sherry has proven it.”

“Working at LetterLogic was one of the greatest experiences in my life. Sherry showed how one person can really make life better for so many. Just imagine if more businesses operated like hers. Think of how far a living wage would go towards eradicating poverty… ”

“I have known Sherry for 25+ years—back before she started her own business and was working as a sales rep and crushing it! Sherry’s fierce approach to life translated throughout her entrepreneurial journey as she grew her business, her people, and herself. In Lunch with Lucy Sherry weaves a powerful message through her storytelling. If you truly listen, it will show you a path less trav- elled and one that will reveal greater fulfillment for both you and your teams.”

“Every successful business owner I’ve met, either male or female, has usually built effective teams. How well they did that was based on their treatment of their employees and executives. Deutschmann’s approach of putting her people first ultimately led to a healthy bottom line, but it also invested in the company’s success. This is an important book for all business owners.”

“Wittingly, Sherry uses lunch as the framework through which we might transform our relationship to traditional workplace hierarchies. Perhaps, we—as workaholic Americans—should start eating lunch together again?!”

“Sherry’s voice, ultimately, is unapologetic. It’s a voice that business owners must learn to cultivate to accelerate toward the realization of their greatest ideas and contributions to the marketplace and our world.”

“Sherry is a shining example of a CEO who fully embodies authentic leader- ship. Decades ago, using her business as a vehicle for change, Sherry blazed a trail for many of us by defining a corporate culture that placed employees first. Lunch with Lucy is an inspiring story and a gift to any entrepreneur who wants to make a difference with and in their business.”

“Sherry Stewart Deutschmann is the boss every employee wants to work for and every entrepreneur should want to be. Lunch With Lucy is a smart, honest, funny, touching, and inspiring story about a woman who succeeded in business because of her own deeply held values—especially her commit- ment to her people. Whether you’re an experienced leader or just starting out in business, you will find many practical and inspiring lessons in Lunch With Lucy. I’ve been a non-profit CEO for 30 years, and I lost count of the times I thought, “Damn! I wish I’d thought of that.”

“Sherry’s proven track record making the Inc. 5000 list 10 years in a row clearly demonstrates the powerful and profitable force of marrying heart- driven intention with thought-inspired action. Sherry made an immediate impact on EarthKind after I heard her story, and a lasting impact on me as a female entrepreneur who’s out to change how pests are controlled—and ultimately how business is done. If more business functioned this way, we may no longer see 85% of workers hating their jobs, 38 million households living in poverty, or another 96 million close behind.”

“Sherry is one of the smartest and most caring entrepreneurs I’ve ever met. She started and grew an uber-successful company, not only in size but in the impact she had on everyone who worked for her. She was a pio- neer in what is known today as “conscious capitalism” and was playing the “Infinite Game” as Simon Sinek coined it in his latest book. Sherry treated everyone who worked for her—and every stakeholder in her company’s ecosystem—as true partners and peers. She is a walking exam- ple of a servant leader, and her company’s success is living proof of how treating your people like they should be treated can take a company to heights you never expected.”

“Sherry’s story is compelling and captivating. In my nearly 20 years teaching at Vanderbilt, she is the single most impactful and inspiring speaker—both for my students and myself—that I have hosted. Her grit, determination, and business savvy are only surpassed by her care and commitment to her people and community. The world would be a better place if we would all read and implement her leadership characteristics. Lunch with Lucy is a must-read!”

“Creating a healthy culture within an organization is not only good for retention, but it’s good for business. Sherry Deutschmann’s employee-first leadership style created brand advocates that propelled LetterLogic for- ward. This book is a fascinating story of how she did that, but it is also an actionable field guide for entrepreneurs looking to follow in her footsteps. So pull up a chair and dig in.”

“Sherry Deutschmann pioneered past complacent competition to drive a culture of empathy that not only engaged her employees’ hands and hearts, but she set up a winning recipe for a successful exit. A must-read for any entrepreneur looking to maximize their impact!”