Steve,

Many years ago before I ever considered getting into the Hot Dog business I heard this story that made an impression on me.  I just found it again on the internet and thought I’d share it with the rest of the gang. Enjoy!

-Dave Barkley

HOT DOG STORY

There was once a man who did not have any formal business training in accounting, engineering, law or medicine so he did what most people do in those circumstances, he went into sales.

He opened a little stand on the corner and yelled out “Hot Dog” and what do you think happened to his business? It grew.

So he got a bigger griddle, put up a sign that said “Hot Dog”, did some advertising and his business boomed so much, that he was able to put his oldest boy through college.

His oldest boy came back with a degree in marketing and obviously knew everything there was to know about how to run a business. He told his dad there was a recession going on and that he had better change the way he did business: re-engineer, cut back.

So the dad was scared his son knew it all, so he cut out his advertising, then he took down his “Hot Dog” sign, then reduced the sized of his griddle and even stopped yelling “Hot Dog”.

He went home one day very dejected and his son asked, “What is the matter Dad?” The dad said, “You’re right, there is a recession going on out there and it hit my business awful hard.”

Point: Self-fulfilling prophecy.

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Great story with a great lesson.

Thanks Dave!