Perfection Kills

“Perfection is the enemy of progress.”
- Sir Winston Churchill

This quote by Churchill is one of my favorites. It probably should be inscribed on my headstone.

My life philosophy has been, “Why put in six hours for the A, when you can put in one hour for the B?”

True entrepreneurs are a special breed. We live in a ready, fire, aim realm.

Just think about how we were all tested last year. My most successful clients didn’t call up the Department of Covid and ask for the game plan for how to save, or even thrive, during the largest period of "pivot" we have seen in my lifetime.

They spent a day freaking out, then put on their big boy and big girl britches and got busy. From selling groceries, to family meals, to coffee by the pound sold through mail order all across America, thousands of restaurant operators zigged and zagged to get through it. 

I have a ton of respect for the hustle.

Strategies Need Software and Systems

Recently I added two new team members to help grow sales; one working with my telemarketing team and one working on strategic relationships. I also brought on a new developer to help expand our software.

Maybe your brain works like mine…

Michael’s Brain

INITIAL THOUGHT:  Let’s bring on a Director of Business Development. Think of all the opportunities.

INITIAL ACTION:  Hire said position with a high level of explanation of the position.

REALITY:  I didn’t think about all of the systems and tools needed to make this position successful.

ACTION:  Work like hell to map out the process. Research the software/systems we need. Write emails/copy/scripts. Get my digital marketing guy to implement the techie stuff: software, Zapier integrations, lead gen pages, emails and sequences. And so much more!

IMPLEMENTATION: After all the brainstorming, strategy review and tactical tools, we are ready to implement!

FOLLOW UP: Adjust system as issues arise.

The same process happens when developing a new piece of software code. "How difficult could it be to just add three date/time fields to the order-taking process?"

That simple, naive statement leads to a nine-page document of step-by-step specs.

Lean On Your Team

This insight into how my brain works is to showcase how perfection would lead to my paralysis.

If I really took the time to think about every step and system I needed in order to bring an idea to fruition, I would probably just say, "pass!"

The lucky entrepreneur (that would be me) surrounds himself with a team that understands that shortcoming. He realizes there is a method to the genius' madness and learns to just go with it.

I have a phenomenal team that has placed their trust in me; something not taken for granted. And luckily for the most part we continue to move the ball down the field and gain more touchdowns than tackles.

Marketing Strategies Ready To Implement

Now there are strategies the entrepreneur can do to stay a little more grounded. Not everything needs to be ready, fire, aim.

CaterZen Catering Software has a built-in Marketing Calendar Reminder System. We provide our clients with a calendar of marketing ideas and emails to promote their catering month-by-month with reminders.

Some of the ideas come with the actual ads to use from our members-only website: www.RestaurantProfitPoint.com - the same ads, sales letters and marketing pieces I used to take my 104-seat restaurant from zero to over a million dollars a year in catering sales.

I am also a big believer entrepreneurs need to take their ready, fire, aim ideas, and once vetted and perfected, turn them into replicable systems to run their business. There is nothing worse than operating on personalities; not processes.

And that’s what CaterZen is all about. We give you multiple systems to better run and profit from your catering business. 

Your time needs to be invested in growing sales and cutting expenses; not herding cats all day long.

Once I took myself out of the day-to-day grind and relied on systems, I could start working "ON" my business and not "IN" it, as Michael Gerber describes in his best-selling book The E Myth.

So for those of you sitting on the sidelines waiting until that marketing piece or new initiative is perfect…

It’s ok. Just do something. You’ll figure it out as you go!