The road to success is paved with mistakes well handled.

In Danny Meyer’s book Setting the Table, he tells of a story meeting the remarkable head of Neiman and Marcus. Stanly Markus. Who better to know what is "the best" than the man who made Neiman Marcus synonymous with excellence for more than fifty years? Danny Meyer had just opened a new restaurant and it was not going as well as he had expected. He said, “This might be the worst mistake I’ve ever made.” Stanly Marcus responded, “So you made a mistake. You need to understand something important. And listen to me carefully: The road to success is paved with mistakes well handled.”

His book Quest for the Best outlines Marcus's philosophy of what constitutes the best in goods and services and how to receive it. Marcus gives good advice on how consumers can educate themselves about the best, demand it, and get it. Originally published in 1979, Quest for the Best is timelier now than ever.