Was watching a video about a burger restaurant owner who takes pride in making the highest quality burger through taking control of every aspect that goes in to a burger. They grind fresh Wagyu beef, make their own bacon, bake their own buns, grow their own baby lettuce, roast tomatoes to make the ketchup…you get the idea. Their reputation for excellence allows them to charge top dollar for their food. They sell out every day, have loyal customers, and get a lot of positive press.
I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be a tragedy if someone like Charlie came along, bought the restaurant, and then started cutting corners to maximize profits?” Another product and business marginalized by a short-sighted executive.
Charlie: “Let’s source mass-produced beef from Mexico, customers are too d-mb to tell one bacon from the next, we’ll buy large quantities of buns from a third party vendor and freeze them, get rid of employees who take pride in their work and bring in minimum-wage people who will work for cheap, we can save money by cooking all the burgers at once and reheating them to order…”.
People are willing to pay more for a high-quality product from a trustworthy business who strives for excellence. Striving for excellence raises the standard, provides a higher value and creates a better experience for everyone. Mediocre businesses lower the standard, are a dime-a-dozen and lead to decline.
Charlie - Why intentionally contribute to the race to the bottom? Is that the mark you want to leave on this world??