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A Successful Business is Like a Dishtowel

Knowing when to work and when to enjoy

Success, defined as being profitable, is not easily accomplished in the world of retail. Then again, it is not easy in any area of retail. It requires a lot of effort, dedication, and expertise. And for those who would say it requires a lot of luck; it is the experience and belief that the harder you work, the luckier you become in business.

Creating success in your business can be compared to using a dishtowel. While you may think this is a stretch of an analogy, take a few moments to see how the proper placement of the dish towel, and work habits, go a long way towards placing your business in a distinct minority - profitable and successful.

Think of the main purpose of a dishtowel in a restaurant; you dry dishes so they can again be used to serve another customer. The more dishes you are drying, the more it is an indication that the restaurant is serving more and more customers.

Of course, your dishtowel can be used for other purposes. You can clean tables, dry your hands, and in some restaurants you see people wearing them around their waist as they wait tables. In each of the examples we have given in the restaurant, the usage of the dishtowel has been one of serving the customers.

Haven't you enjoyed visiting a restaurant in which the owner, manager or server has demonstrated that they were enjoying your visit as much as you were?

The second use of a dishtowel, perhaps grossly exaggerated, is one in which it can be used in place as a napkin. You place the napkin across your lap as you begin to enjoy a meal. Imagine that you have done your day's work and now you have decided to have a meal. Your meal may be as simple as one from a fast food place. Or it may an elaborate eight-course meal.

In either case, you are using the napkin to serve yourself. The meal may be exclusively for nourishment as exemplified by the fast food restaurant; the meal may be part nourishment and part reward as demonstrated by the eight-course meal. It will be up to you to decide what type of meal is appropriate for each occasion.

There is a third usage for the dishtowel in our example. Imagine our taking the towel in one hand, and waving it over our head in celebration. Perhaps our restaurant person is waving it to help a customer celebrate a birthday. Our restaurant person may be standing in the kitchen, celebrating a restaurant overflowing with customers, the hiring of a new chef, or accomplishing a sales goal within the restaurant.

Whatever the situation, our restaurateur is celebrating their hard work.