The Greatest Businesses Are ...

the ones that make me feel special and are personal. I ask people what their favorite place to shop or buy from is and they never say, Superstore. They never say Costco. They always name some business that is often unheard of to me. The common thread to these businesses is that they always give people great experiences. These favorite businesses are always described as a place or escape where someone treats you special.
As an example, I found out that although we get delivery for all our supplies and inventory for my restaurants, my business partner Jenna still goes to the Italian market herself (even though they deliver). I started to tell her how inefficient that was but she said she loved going. I asked why and she said, because when I go in there they make me a coffee as I shop, they gave me a free biscotti last week and always call me by name and they get special products from the back they think I will like and can use in recipes. She is like my own nona (grandmother). The lady is sooooo sweet and friendly. I can't not go in to see them!
Have you ever had THAT experience in Safeway?! How about the mall? Remember, if you own a business you need to be creating an experience for customers. This applies to all businesses - office, business to business, retail, wholesale, etc. We create programs for people called our Service Titans program. It can be done.
If you are an employee, you still have the option to create a memorable experience just with the way you treat people. Harry Beckwith, the author, tells a story of an advertising agency getting a 15 million dollar deal because the receptionist at that firm remembered him from a single meeting one year earlier. She called him by name and he went with their firm.
Greatness in a business is all about a great experience. Great means personal, heart-felt, individual, special and friendly. Simple but often overlooked.

Start with Fun and then rest get easier

I was standing in a coffee house near my office this morning and a guy rolled in as I was sitting around waiting for my drink. He was happy and chipper, he knew people's name, he said good morning like he meant it. If I didn't know better I would have suspected some drug use.

In fact, this guy was just a good example of one of those people who are enjoying their daily journey. He wasn't focused on the cold, or snow, or lineup or bad headlines ... he was having a good time. I figured, how much more success would this guy have simply because he understands that everyone else likes to deal with fun, upbeat people. It must affect his work, his family, his friends ... it sure affected people around him in a coffee house.

Success and wins are often preceded by fun. Have fun first and winning becomes easier. Success will flow to you. Try getting out of bed and making one commitment today - I am going to have some fun!

A great friend of mine, Dawnie, always says; If it ain't fun, I'm not doing it! Subsequently she makes everything fun and success chases her! People love her! Her business flourishes! You want to be around her!

Fun and happy attract more of the same. Set the example when you get your coffee tomorrow morning.

Consumerism vs Excess Consumerism

It is November 11^th and I am sitting out on my family’s deck in Montana watching the lake and enjoying the silence of the lake. There is no mall in site and somehow I still feel happy and content.

This moment of shear enjoyment without having to buy anything leads me back to yesterday. Saturday we hit the mall like apparently like everyone else in Montana. If there is an economic downturn anywhere in the US it’s nowhere near Kalispell, Montana.

As we entered the mall I made a list of all the items I “need”. Well, actually it was more like a list of what "I think I could buy”. I don’t need more stuff, I don’t need to upgrade anything. I have more stuff than most people and I got this far without my imaginary list of “must haves”. So it occurred to me; when did we buy into this idea that shopping and consuming was a noble cause on its own. That a great way to spend a Saturday was fighting the crowds to get more stuff. In my opinion, it really has gone from shopping for items that need replacement or replenishment or filling your functional needs to a matter of determining “what can I add to my list of items I don’t need but might give me some instant moment of gratification”. That is my distinction – when you go from buying items that you require in your daily life or things that will clearly made every one of your future days brighter to just adding shit to the pile. I watch people evaluate what to buy and they look like their objective is as much to just fill the cart as it is to fill their needs. There is no quota or volume to fill folks!!

If you carry a credit card balance, you can likely tie a portion of that debt to my newly defined “excess consumerism”. Try taking a weekend to not spend any money. Don’t buy anything or even hit the malls. See if you can still be happy by Sunday night. Strangely enough, I think you can.

I am a huge fan of stuff – I have good quality stuff, expensive stuff, flashy stuff. But you know what, I also don’t have an excess of it. I buy what I need first and try to wait on all the things “I think I need to fill the void”. I have found the void is internal and no volume of new products will fill it.

I challenge you, where do you draw the line from being a consumer to being excessive with your consumerism. It is important to know, for you, where the line is.