Continue to make progress. If something doesnt feel right, It's the right thing to do.
Always ship.
You cant win the game if you dont play.

Today Bespoke Burgers printed its first flier. Now its getting real.
But a flier is cheap. A grill is not.
I am nearing the end of my first quarter. This first quarter was all about concept development and business plan structure. Next quarter is the fun part.
Next quarter is when the check book comes out. Everything from a deep fryer to a front door to an attorney will need to be found and purchased.
It needs to be purchased in the right order thought. Chicken before the egg type thinking. For example, should I buy the grill first or find a building first?
A creative outline will need to be drawn up to make sure all the ducks are in a row and headed in the right direction.
This is fun. There is nothing more I'd rather be doing. I recommend everyone pick some goals out and see them through. Start, start, start. 

Do you have a goal you want to reach? Good, you have accomplished the easy part. The hard part is getting started on your goal.
There are a number of different ways to begin a goal. Some will get online. Others will call family or friends. These can delay the process, or give the perception of starting.
One surefire way to begin a goal is to start at the end. That is, write down a few paragraphs of what your goal will look like when it is complete. The Utopian version of the ultimate outcome. This will give you a starting point.
Now, work backwards. Write down what the middle looks like. Right in the middle of the beginning and the end. A transitioning or influential point in your mind.
Now you are ready to write the beginning. Keep it short. Ask yourself, "how will I reach the end and the middle"?
Just like a maze, it always is easier to start at the finish.

The National Restaurant Association's survey of more than 1,500 professional chefs reveals that local and hyper-local sourcing, healthy children meals, sustainable seafood, and gluten-free cuisine will be among the hottest trends on restaurant menus in 2011.
Suffice to say, this will be a hotter trend in 2012.
Small indie restaurants will be the go to for that home cooked meal we've been craving for. As more and more big chain stores loose market share, they will need to change what's on the menu.
Many big chain fast food restaurants have reacted by decreasing the serving sizes and adding healthy alternatives. For example, McDonald's offers apple slices and white milk, instead of fries and soda.
Bespoke Burgers will lead the way to sustainability. Count on the produce and meat to always be fresh, organic and locally grown and raised.

If you surround yourself with the right people, a lot can happen. Especially if they want what you can give them.
There have been direct solicitations to eat at Bespoke Burger Co. and to bring a lot of people with them.
It turns out people want to eat meat. More importantly for Bespoke Burger Co., they want grass-fed organic burgers. Not only that, their friends want them too.
Thanks to those who choose to buy from local farms and those who choose to teach themselves http://www.eatwild.com/ we can make a difference.
We are not alone. We can bring the farm back to the communities. We can bring awareness back to the masses. We can do it one burger at time.
ALL GOOD...

Do you want a story, or do you want the facts? I could tell you eating organic produce is better for you than McDonald's, but I could guess you are happy with the Big Mac.
What matters is how it makes you feel.
We tell our self a story. A story about how this purchase makes us feel.
I will fail if I try to convert a McDonald's lover to one of my burgers. By telling them my burgers have less of a carbon footprint. Or grass-fed beef is rich in Omega 3. The consumer doesn't care.
Those who care will like the story I tell. They will feel good about a burger made from locally grown organic produce and locally raised grass-fed beef.

They say it's not who you know, but who knows you. Well... maybe both are true.
Today was a huge day. I met with a prospective partner.
He has spent a big chunk of his life running restaurants. Three to be exact.
Best of all... He has the hook ups! Everything from kitchen equipment to chefs.
I know I can't open a restaurant alone. I don't recommend anyone taking on an endeavor alone. Everyone needs a partner (or three). A Yin to your Yang. A Cheech to your Chong.
Progress feels good. When you know you are closer to your goals, the world seems to get a lot smaller.
Tomorrow is a new day. Time to make it happen all over again.

Its been about 6 months now. Let me tell you, it's been great. But drawing your own map isn't easy.
I can remember the feeling of going to work and knowing exactly what I needed to do. Most of the time it was just enough to get by. A lot of overworked employees feel the same way. Doing just enough to get by... Lets make a new path.
The world needs more map makers. More daring, bold and outgoing individuals to lead these companies to victory. The factories are gone and the "secure" careers are leaving along with their pensions.
Your last resort is to draw your own map. Find your own path.
No one said it is easy. But with clear goals and perseverance, anything is possible.

It's official. My burger joint has a name.
It wasn't easy. You would think with all the names out there, it wouldn't take much time. But when its your store and your dime, everything needs to be right.
It took a while. It took collaboration between Matt and myself. We would spend hours writing down all kind of ideas. Here are a few that didn't make the list: The Hilltop Grill, Rail Yard, Blue Stone Grill, Hot Box Burgers, Grass Grill, Aegis Burger, Bliss Burger, Wheelhouse Grill, Place Grill, V-Lot Burger, Zone Burger.
When Matt came to me with this name it stuck. It is unique, easy to spell, easy to remember and had a great definition. The first letter was second in the alphabet. This makes a big difference when you are listed in directories and publications. Kind of like being first on Google's list.
So what now. Since the name is done, branding can start taking shape. The logo can be created and a color scheme decided on.
I bet by now you are in a deep sweat waiting to know what the name is. Well wait no further - Bespoke Burger. 
What do you think? Catchy, stupid, different, forgettable? I just hope it sells burgers. Bespoke Grill was a thought. But if a customer came in for the first time and found we only made burgers, they could be disappointed. But with burgers in the name, the first timers know what they are getting into.
It's official. Bespoke Burgers will be the number one Burger Joint in the IE. Selling 100% Grass fed beef. I can't wait.

Being truly interested in others can do wonders. It can dramatically improve your family, friend and business relationships.
Salespeople who struggle, tend to be very self interested. They enter into a prospected buyers office with only one agenda... to sell the guy my product. But the problem is he is not isterested in your product. He is only interested in his headache and how he will make payroll this week. Showing interest in your prospect will get your prospect to show interest in you. 

Showing true interest in people will make milestones of improvements in all aspects of human relations. To quote Zig Ziglar - You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.