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The Better Business Bulletin

The Value of Enthusiasm

by Ben Armacost

I have been quite disappointed by how little enthusiasm I see among merchants these days. Walking into a shop or store, I am so often greeted with little more than a dull grunt. What a shame that people take so little pride in what they are doing with the majority of their time. It seems many people have nothing more than that "another day, another dollar" attitude toward their work. They are there just to make a living, and aren't even satisfied with that. Their occupation is basically something to occupy their time, and nothing more. They see each new day as just a chore, longing for the weekend that will rescue them from their misery!

I heard this story a few years ago, and it reminds us of the importance of enthusiasm. It is about a recently retired man who sat on his porch day after day in Kentucky. One afternoon he walked to his mailbox to get his pension check he thought to himself, "Is this all my life is going to be, just sitting around waiting for my pension check to arrive?" It wasn't a very happy thought, so he began to write down all his talents and gifts and everything he had going for him. He listed everything–even small things like the fact that he was the only person in the world who knew his mother's recipe for fried chicken. It was a unique recipe indeed, and he wanted to share it with others. He went down to the local restaurant and asked if he could cook the chicken and see how customers liked it. Very soon the chicken became the most popular item on the menu. Soon he opened his own restaurant, followed by the opening of a string of restaurants. Eventually he sold the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise to a national organization for many millions of dollars. He represented the company publicly and continued in that role until his death. All of this happened to Colonel Sanders–a man who was enthusiastic about his product!

Do you have something valuable to offer to the community? If you do, take pride in it! Be excited about your products and services. No one will value your product if you don't value it first. If you are enthusiastic about your business, your customers will notice. Enthusiasm is contagious!

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