The Deli Kid

This is about the entrepreneurial mindset and beyond.

Rosa Say  and  Tom Ehrenfeld  fuel massive doses of oxygen into the entrepreneurial mindset oven. Their positions are enlightening and inspiring. Come with me today and let's take a peek into this oven from a different porthole. Let's take a look at the Deli Kid.

I was standing in the deli line at a nearby Publix grocery store when I first noticed the Deli Kid. As he waited on one customer he acknowledged others who walked up. When a customer asked for an item, the Deli Kid would try an upsell.  "Would you like to try a taste of our house brand?" Either way he would pull out the meat to be cut, cut a sample matching the customer's desired thickness, ask if it was ok and then offer a sample again to be tasted. 

The clerk waiting on me basically followed the same process. Her presentation however, was canned and robotic. What made the Deli Kid different? He injected the entrepreneurial mindset into his job. For a moment I thought I was standing at Louie's Meats. You know, your friendly neighborhood delicatessen owner.

What if?

What if Publix allowed the Deli Kid a little entrepreneurial elbow room? What if they compensated him on the number of customers that he served? What if they e-mailed me his schedule so I could shop when he was there? What if they made business cards up for him to pass out? What if the Deli Kid sent out a mini newsletter to his preferred customers? What if he solicited his own book of customers for Publix? Now The Deli Kid is jacked. Imagine his skill development and production with this kind of support? Good for Publix but what about the Deli Kid you ask?

The Deli Kid is learning the ropes of entrepreneurship. He makes decisions; he implements an action; he gauges customer's response; he learns; he realizes benefits; he improves. How much fun is that? I know, still fun for Publix. So what if the company prefers robotic drones to the entrepreneurial spirit?

Chances are, the Deli Kid is working his way through school. Chances are, some of you are working your way through a job. Why not focus an awareness on work related actions today that develop into entrepreneurial skills to be used today and tomorrow?

Comments

[Steve Sherlock]

I don't think you can buy the passion that drives the deli kid. I would hesitate to think that Publix would be able to legislate and properly administer the kind of compensation program you suggest. Too many managers, too many different ways of doing things, even if they are all within the "policy". Maybe I am too jaded by corporate life.

I do believe you can feed and reinforce the Deli Kids' passion but I don't believe you can't buy or incent it.

[Dave]

You are probably right Steve. But I want to vaporize the limitations of conventional thinking.

I also think your response comes from a fresh dipping in the corporate well. Perfectly normal.

Think about what Rosa said: "Can you imagine if you were the Deli Kid's manager?"

We need revolutionary managers. Those who are not afraid to create that air space of entrepreneurial elbow room. We also need the Deli Kids of today to become aware of what their bosses are doing. And then we need them to notch their belts for every entrepreneurial skill gained...to be used now and in the future.