Tag: brand

 
+

You are not running a business. You are copying a grandma's hobby of making pies.

Like any grandma, she had the hobby of making pies and we use to receive lots and lots of pies to make her happy.

Like or not, grand kids are told to always thank grandma for the pie and tell her how wonderful is the pie, how they can not resist the last pie which was the best. It ends up of having more pies, although they never liked the pies till today.

Grandma is a very senior, (and I hate to say old) with very limited mobility and very bad or no eyesight will challenge her ability to make more pies and send them to her grand kids as she believes she makes them happier.

I was invited to an introduction to a new product with the business owner and I was told that is better for my health and my life. I was given a bottle to try and I just curious. I was told that it is a new product that is better than anything else for my health. I was intrigued and as I start to ask simple questions to find a reason to try the sample.

I found a very strong resistance to answer simple questions. I was framed as a consultant or to be in the business of helping others. I was told to not impose my service. I am not consult and I am not in the business find other businesses to offer them service. I think they should simply search my name on google “Wael Badawy” and they will know who I and what I am not doing.

The product was introduced as a mix of some ingredient that I know and others that I do not know and I may not heard about it. – It triggers a flag to me because I am not in a position to eat or drink what I do not know in the absence of a strong motive. I am also framed that there are fruits and vegetable that I should be taken but I do not them, I am not sure what I am missing !!!
I predict that the consumer of these products are the type of individuals who are using organic products because they like to know everything about their food and they do not like the chemical that they do not know and may impact their health. I saw the second flag, because I was judged again.

I want to say that “organic” is good to justify its high price, but “organic” or natural ingredient that I do not know is better, is not true. Pure marijuana or marijuana’ s leaves are danger plant and even though we need to know more details to understand its medicinal effect. If I consume it, I will be addicted and I may end up in Jail because I am using an organic natural plant !!!

Then the presentation went to explain that principle of consume the whole fruit/vegetable as a juice, against extracts. In mind, it is questionable with many diverse arguments. As a matter of fact, having a full lime as a juice will change its flavour and texture with time because of oxidation, and it can turn to be poisoning or has higher toxic. I can not consume the orange or the banana as a whole, I have to peal it first !!! – Anyway, I will pass on this argument because I am not the expert but I know when i eat.

Then I started to ask questions to better understand who is the owner, what is the business value and what is the quality of the product in order to give me a level of confidence to try the product.

I asked about the size of the business, to feel comfort that there are others trust and use this product. I was looking to understand their WHY, or what are the reasons to buy this over priced product.

I asked about the growth plan in the next three or five years. I asked about the vision of the owner to simple get a confirmation and make sense of the quality of the product and there is someone stands behind it. All what I received is “3 and 5 years are very long time”. In the absence of an answer, it demonstrates that there is no continuity no guarantee to a quality control or that the same product at different time will have the same ingredient and taste the same.

I asked about the value of the product is to try to find my WHY, to tryout the sample. The articulated value is “You drink good natural stuff, so your body will perform better”. I asked, does it help with a diet plan, or release weight, or having high energy, etc. The value was articulated well, you eat better ingredient, you be healthier and you feel good. First of all, I do not eat pizza and burger all days and I eat apple and banana every day. “One apple a day, keeps the doctor away!!!” The articulated value is very general and I can have a strong blinder and I use organic mix of fruits and vegetables. AND, WOW, the mix will have similar value. The answers continues to be “the ingredients used are planted by the owner in business owner garden!!!”

I asked about the science or the research behind this drink. The answer that the business owner has researched each one of these ingredient. The business owner has two degrees (none related to food, or health or technology or medicine) and everyone is impressed of these two degrees with no relation to the business. Moreover, the business owner has no passion to either degree and do not work in these areas and offers this product to serve and help others.

The product looks very professional with an expiry date of two days!!! The product comes in a quantity of 1, 4 and 8. I also noted that the bottle has an expiry date within two days. I do not know the reason that of the expiry date given that there is no research or science behind the product. I wondered If someone want to order a pack of eight bottles, will he/her use them all in two days. what about the logistics of producing, distributing and consuming, a product that has to be kept cold (I assume) within two days. It mean that a very limited number of customers with limited quantity orders, within a very small geographical area. So the production, distribution and consumption in two days !!!.

This is not a business, this is a grandma hobby to make pies, it is:

1- The pies are initially FREE till she as for a favour in return, which will be fairly pricy.
2- The ingredient is from grandma apply tree in the back yard – Oh, by the way, it is natural and very organic because grandma is not in heath conditions to take care of the tree or even fertilize the tree.
3- Grandma believes she makes her grand kids happier by offering more pie and she consumes her effort, while the grandkids do not prefer to eat the pies, or do not eat them at all.
4- Grandma pies have to be eaten hot, and within one or two days.
5- No one knows grandma secret ingredient, even grandmas
6- Grandma pies differ from time to time, based on the mood and the time in the oven, grandma can not read the time.
7- Grandma serves only her family and friends which has a very limited consumer base.

The whole time, I was simply looking for a reason to try a sample of a new product. I may feel lucky to put my hand on a free sample of this product and I was trying to find the reason for myself. BUT, I know grandma but I do not know you. So please stop copying grandma hobby to make pies and focus on building a business.

Note from the author:

This is a true story and I held the name of the product and business because I have the care and passion to every small business and entrepreneur in our community. I strongly believe that the message will help everyone in their business, So please let me know you thought below.

I also say that I owe the business owner the price of the sample because I did not feel comfort to drink it which is my fault and the sample passed the expiry date!!!