Excellence & Novelty

He stands outside his shop in a T-shirt and shorts, wearing a funny and conspicuous hat, a big smile and has a word or two (or more) for everyone who passes by or heads to his door.  Excitement about his clients, his employees and his business certainly energizes the would-be customers, leading them to this unique eating experience.  The novelty of taking something simple and making it extraordinary is still a big win in business.  But novelty alone is not enough.

For decades Hot Dog Tommy’s has been a physically small but enormously memorable part of the Cape May landscape that makes it a special place.  More importantly to this writing is the incredible success and lessons of this seemingly small but impactful entity. Taking a simple concept of Hot Dogs and turning it into a “must try” for all that pass by.  Although novel, it’s Excellence that really makes this all work.  This is yet another lesson for anyone looking to start a business or improve on their current platform.  Novelty yes but in my opinion without Excellence there is no long-term success.

How simple can it be? Even a limited menu focused on Hot Dogs and toppings can generate great revenues if it’s done right. Homemade Chili, Onions, Mashed Potatoes and much more all add-up to a winning combination that any entrepreneur can learn from.  

We’ve all seen this model many times and perhaps all too often we miss the behind-the-scenes efforts that lead to great business models. Katz Pastrami, Starbucks Coffee, Jersey Mike’s Subs and so many others have taken a known food product and created masterpiece business examples that any company could benefit from.

So what is your product?  Simple or complex, ask yourself; How can I raise the bar on excellence and perhaps sprinkle in some novelty to make for a truly winning formula that may very well take your enterprise to new heights.  Of course, enthusiasm for what you do must be at the heart of your transformation and is essential to fuel the efforts that will take you where you want to go.  Besides, why be in your own business if you are not excited about it and willing to be excellent at what you do?

Is building a business easy?  Not that I have ever seen.  But the old adage “Find something you love to do and you’ll never work another day the rest of your life” still rings true in my ears.  Whether you are starting anew or need to rejuvenate the existing work you do, add Excellence, perhaps Novelty and lots of Enthusiasm.  This will allow you and your team (current or future) to achieve new heights and find the wonderful results any business owner dreams of.  You deserve success if you are willing to work for it. 

“The thing that keeps businesses ahead of the competition is excellence and execution.” ― Tom Peters