Sam Zemurray, the "Banana Man," rose from a penniless immigrant in America to orchestrate a Honduran coup and lead United Fruit, turning discarded bananas into a vast empire through grit, innovation, and hands-on leadership. His life story, as detailed in Rich Cohen's The Fish That Ate the Whale, offers timeless lessons on risk-taking, knowing your business "from A to Z," and leading from the front lines.