My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Generosity begets generosity
Evidence
Cornell study showing 18% higher tips with mints, cognac gesture creating customer loyalty, Chewy flowers leading to lifetime customers
Implication
Small investments in customer generosity create disproportionate returns through reciprocity principle
Counter Belief
Customers take advantage of generosity without reciprocating
Example Application
UPS store comping $40 worth of services daily creates customer stories and loyalty that generates more value than the cost
Related Knowledge
Go to the Tapes for Successes
When something works exceptionally well, analyze it as thoroughly as you would analyze failures to understand exactly what made it successful and how to replicate it.
Bridge Authority and Information Gap
In most organizations, people with decision-making authority lack frontline information, while people with detailed customer knowledge lack authority to act.
Three Categories of Unreasonable Hospitality
A systematic approach to customer experience divided into three categories: one size fits all (improving every touchpoint for everyone), one size fits some (pattern recognition for recurring situations), and one size fits one (personalized gestures for individuals).
Rules for Productive Criticism
A systematic approach to giving feedback that positions criticism as investment in someone's growth rather than negative judgment.
Enable systematic execution of creative hospitality ideas without bandwidth constraints
Frontline staff consistently execute creative customer experience ideas because someone dedicated removes execution barriers.
Identify and enhance overlooked customer interaction points for maximum impact
Customers notice and remember your business because you care about details others ignore.