Garry Ridge has been named by Inc. magazine as one of the world’s top 10 most admired CEOs; he served as CEO of the WD-40 Company for 25 years. He currently sits on the boards of the Gorilla Glue Company and Eastridge Workforce Solutions. Co-writer Martha I. Finney has written, co-authored, and ghostwritten 29 books on employee engagement, leadership, career management, and mental health in the workplace.
Any Dumb-Ass Can Do It is Ridge’s fourth book. In it, he tells the story of how he helped grow WD-40 into one of the world’s most recognized and beloved brands. How did he do it? By following the wisdom of Aristotle: “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” In his trademark Aussie storytelling fashion, he shares experiences from his life to convey leadership wisdom and learning moments.
When asked what contributed to the book landing on the USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists, Ridge said: “It came at a moment when people were hungry for honest leadership and a bit of humor. We chose a bold title that sparked curiosity and made sure the message delivered real value.” He added, “Beyond the content itself, it was the tribe. Over the years, I’ve built a strong network of people who believe in the values I champion—love, learning, and leadership with a servant heart. They showed up for this book not just because I wrote it, but because it reflected something they believed in too.”
Ridge applied a focused marketing strategy that included a targeted series of newsletters, consistent social media posts, and podcast interviews that helped spread the message across different channels. “Everything was built around storytelling, generosity, and clarity of purpose.” He also took lessons from his prior book releases. “Helping People Win at Work, which I co-authored with Ken Blanchard, has been very well received over the years. What I carried forward this time was the same philosophy: Don’t mark people’s papers—help them get an A. But this time, I leaned even more into storytelling and simplicity.”
“You have to do the work; you are a book peddler, and you will need to put in the effort,” Ridge said. “Be clear about your message and make sure it’s something people need now. Build your tribe long before you need to sell anything. Share generously, connect genuinely, and remember that a book doesn’t sell itself—your passion, your people, and your persistence do the heavy lifting … don’t aim for perfection—aim to be helpful.”
E. J. Wenstrom believes in complicated heroes, horrifying monsters, purple hair dye and standing to the right on escalators so the left side can walk. She writes dark speculative fiction for adults and teens, including her new release, a young adult dystopian novel titled Departures (August 10, 2021). When she isn’t writing fiction, E. J. Wenstrom is a regular contributor to DIY MFA and BookRiot, and co-hosts the Fantasy+Girl Podcast. Learn more at her website.
