Lately I’ve been watching a unique cooking show on the Cooking Channel called Big Bad BBQ Brawl. It involves two brothers, Shannon and Big Rich Ambrosio who own a successful BBQ food truck in Brooklyn, New York, traveling the country competing with local chefs in a fun competition.
On a recent episode, the Ambrosio brothers entered a full BBQ competition in Florida. This meant that they competed against real Pitmasters in three types of meat: brisket, ribs, and chicken. Wanting to dazzle the judges who were used to traditional sweet southern flavors, they opted for Italian style brisket, Vietnamese-flavored ribs, and non-traditional chicken.
They didn’t place in any category. And they were very disappointed.
Here’s the lesson: While the food was good, the Florida judges weren’t ready for it. A good idea at the wrong place at the wrong time.
We’ve probably experienced that too haven’t we? We have a great plan in our heads for a new process and the boss shoots it down. We come up with a new product or service we KNOW our customers will love and they simply blow it off. We try to impress our partner or spouse with a new restaurant or gift and they don’t react the way we hoped they would.
In ALL cases, we approach the idea from OUR point of view rather than from that of our intended audience.
I know, it’s that Golden Rule thing: Do unto others and YOU would have done unto YOU. Unfortunately, most people don’t really care what YOU want done unto you, they simply want what they want done unto THEM.
If that’s the case, maybe we should approach anything new with a little market research or at a minimum, careful observation. And innovation, while very cool, is a risky business. The world might not be ready for what you have right now.
It takes patience and lots of careful research.
So this week, before you unleash your new idea on the world or even your relationship, ask the following questions:
- Is there a need for this right now?
- Is there a need for this EVER?
- Do I think it’s a great idea without even testing it?
- What will I do if the idea is rejected?
I don’t intend to discourage you. Just wanting you to maximize success!
