What Does Success Taste Like? Probably Melted Cheese.
When we think of the word sandwich, we all jump to our favorites. Turkey club, grilled cheese, reubens with extra sauerkraut… the classics. Who cares what that guy ahead of you in line likes? We’re good as long as he doesn’t order the last one of MY favorites.
The same thing can be said about the idea of ‘success’. We all have different ideas of what success looks like. For some people, it’s saving enough money for retirement, for others it’s simply getting through the week without crying over a lukewarm panini at their desk. I’m not here to tell you how you should measure your success, but to lay out some observations on what makes the dream work!
Ladies And Gentlemen, I Present To You, Bread!
Bread.
Tasty, fluffy, universally loved bread. From comfort food to complimentary baskets at restaurants, bread has been around for a LONG TIME. Some places slice it for you, others give you the loaf, and you have to wash off that one good knife you still have in the drawer. It’s good with butter, cheese, or for the truly daring, a combination of the two to make a grilled cheese.
For bread, the measure of success has been longevity and versatility. A recipe that’s been around for thousands of years, only ever finding new ways to be enjoyed. Gluten free, pumpernickel, rye, sourdough (hell yeah), the list goes on!
Regarding your business, strive to be the bread for your employees or partners. You can adapt. You can make a legacy. Find new ways to inspire, and keep the wonder alive while you make something truly memorable.
Just not Wonderbread… Just… no.
Cheese. Grated, Not Shredded, Please.
Ooh man, do I have some skin in this game. Sandwiches are NOTHING without the right cheese. Here’s a little word of advice: Deli cheese. Not pre-packaged, individually wrapped cheese slices, no. NO I SAY! Get yourself a block of cheese from your local deli, slice that sucker as thick or thin as you like, and voila, you have the perfect cheese. That cheese is perfect for eating cold, melting on the pan, or hell, even grating it down for a soup!
It can’t just be any old cheese, either. Sometimes you need to branch out and use different cheeses to achieve different flavor combinations. You wouldn’t put cheddar cheese on a Cuban; that HAS to be Swiss cheese. You also wouldn’t put Swiss cheese in a salad or a soup. That’s just wrong.
Hey, as far as I’m concerned, the doors are locked for this presentation, and I am the sandwich authority until then, got it?
So, how does this apply to a business or success? Well, I ask in turn, how doesn’t it? You have a great thing going here with your employees and a great product. Your team is the backbone of the business, but not all positions are needed on every project. You don’t need your graphic designers for sales calls, and you don’t need your sales guys for support tickets. Different positions offer different strengths, and you have to be aware of them before you allocate them somewhere they’ll be set up to fail.
(Seriously, do not put Swiss cheese in your soup. I’m begging you. That’s just wrong.)
Like A Well-Oiled Sandwich…
Oil, vinegar, spices, mustards, aiolis, seasoning. A dry sandwich is just some meat between pieces of bread: It’s the sauces that tie it all together. Something spicy, or maybe something sour just to tantalize the taste buds, stimulate the senses. It’s not like you didn’t think of all these things before you order your sandwich, you had this whole thing planned out in advance. Rocking the boat just sinks the subs, anyway…
No, you’re a planner. Taking chances with business is well and good, but that can’t be every time. Planning ahead for the future is one of the key things a business owner should do if they have a mind to success. Even though we aren’t mind readers, we can predict when and where things are going to take off or flop, and if you don’t try to stay ahead of the curve, you’re just a butter knife stuck in the mayo jar.
(No jars of Miracle Whip were permanently harmed in the making of this newsletter)
Ready For the Check!
So how ‘bout it? Feeling hungry? I was, I had to leave to get a sandwich half way through this newsletter. You have the tools you need, and the people at your back to make it all happen. Go forth, and dare to try new flavors!
Some Honorable Mentions:
- The reuben sandwich, that got me through it all.
- The PRESSED Cuban sandwich, that made me dare to dream once more.
- The turkey club on rye, without whom I would still be hungry.
- Black Forest Ham. Yum.
