Thrissur, located on the Keralan coast, is referred to as India's "gold town." This is where Puthussery Alukka was. In the late 1950s, Joseph Varghese transitioned from his umbrella company into the retail jewelry industry. Joy Alukkas, one of his fifteen children, appeared to have inherited Joseph's spirit of entrepreneurship. In 1986, Joy traveled to Dubai, the contemporary "city of gold," in pursuit of his own El Dorado. Any entrepreneur's spirit would be dampened by the challenge of learning the ins and outs of the business, including procurement, staffing, sales, and other regulations. However, Joy persevered and opened the first "Alukkas" jewelry store in Abu Dhabi, which was quickly followed by another in Dubai. The Gulf War broke out in 1990, just as business was picking up steam. This caused chaos in all facets of life and compelled Joy to return to India. A few months later, a resilient Joy not only returned to the Gulf, but he also revived the Alukkas brand by opening stores in and around the United Arab Emirates. Over the next twenty years, he took his company to eleven countries and over 160 stores. He also revolutionized the gold-retailing industry with a number of innovations, including the use of karat meters, the first billing system in the business, and board rates for gold prices. His company's philosophy hasn't changed over the years: to be the "customer's favorite jeweler." In addition to capturing an incredible entrepreneurial tale, Spreading Joy offers unique insights into a largely disorganized and fragmented industry. No matter what industry they work in, aspiring business owners will find this book to be extremely helpful as they create their ideal companies.