Many business books promise a roadmap to success, but few are built on the kind of real-world experience that spans international expansion, industry disruption, and decades of leadership. In his new book, Business is Simple: From a Family Cottage Business to World Processing and Markets, former Perdue Farms CFO and Handy Seafood owner Terry Conway shares the lessons that helped transform a struggling seafood operation into a $60 million global enterprise.
Released on March 15, 2026, the book combines memoir, business strategy, and entrepreneurial guidance, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at Conway’s remarkable career journey. After leaving the security of his role as chief financial officer at Perdue Farms, Conway took a leap of faith by acquiring a small soft-shell crab company in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay region.
What he found was far from a thriving business.
“What greeted me as the new owner was not a well-oiled machine, but chaos,” Conway writes. Resources were limited, systems were underdeveloped, and critical business functions had to be built from the ground up.
Rather than relying on complicated management theories, Conway developed a straightforward three-part framework that became the foundation for the company’s growth. His approach focused on continuously developing superior products, processing them at a competitive advantage, and creating strong sales opportunities.
Those principles guided the company through years of challenges, including intense competition, regulatory obstacles, changing markets, and the complexities of international business. Over time, the once-small operation evolved into a globally recognized seafood brand with processing and sourcing operations that extended far beyond the United States.
The book takes readers on a series of business adventures that span the globe, from a tilapia farm in Costa Rica to ventures in Thailand and India. Along the way, Conway details the risks, setbacks, and hard-earned victories that shaped his leadership philosophy.
While the stories provide an engaging narrative, Business is Simple also serves as a practical resource for entrepreneurs, executives, family-business owners, and recent graduates seeking guidance on navigating uncertainty and building sustainable growth.
Conway emphasizes that successful business leadership often comes down to making sound decisions consistently rather than chasing complicated formulas. His goal, he says, is to help readers create their own path to success using principles that have been tested in the real world.
For anyone looking for a business book grounded in experience rather than theory, Business is Simple offers a compelling look at how vision, persistence, and a clear strategy can turn chaos into lasting success.