50fifty Book

Oh, how far we've come. What began as an idea to celebrate MSI's 50th anniversary as an independently owned business in Chicagoland ultimately evolved into much more than a single company's celebration. Throughout building the 50Fifty, we learned what it takes to keep a company going for 50 years from some truly amazing Chicago businesses. From real estate firms to restaurants and everything in between, we've found that these incredible businesses that have stood the test of time in "the city that works" share much more than location. As we traveled to each business, snapped photos and interviewed the men and women behind the scenes, we came to appreciate the passion and dedication necessary to run a successful, independent business – and found some inspiring common threads along the way.

IBM's former president Thomas Watson Sr. once said, "To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business, and your business in your heart." The common theme we found among the 50Fifty companies is that they began – and continue to prosper – because of love. Love for their industries, for their employees and, above all, for the customers who keep their businesses thriving today. The business owners you'll find in this book worked long and hard to establish themselves in their respective industries and were focused on remaining independently owned, with the business frequently passed down through generations, and continually committed to giving Chicagoans, and the world, the best they have to offer.