Adrian descended upon us, and took over our home for the weekend!
Oldest son, Adrian, is the Cool Dude of the family, as far as his siblings are concerned. Certainly nothing like Dad.
He’s also the Executive Chef of – arguably – the most highly regarded restaurant group in Cambridgeshire.
With 3 different business brands, and 5 restaurants to oversee, he has his work cut out… to maintain the reputation that he helped create.
Anyway, he spent the weekend cooking for us…with everything made from scratch. None of your ‘ready-made, easy-cook’ , out-of-packet nonsense here!
From Friday night to Sunday evening, we enjoyed…
- Thai chicken curry and rice…
- Crispy duck with pancakes and plum sauce…
- Shoulder of lamb, stuffed with rosemary and garlic, sitting on ‘an assorted bed of roots’…
- Panacotta, Adrian style…
- And so it continued…
By Monday morning I was completely stuffed!
And I’d persuaded him to return to cook for a gathering of friends at ‘The Soul Millionaire Mansion’ before Christmas is upon us.
More important was what I learned about success in business, as I watched him operate at lightening speed (when he allowed me to peek into ‘his’ kitchen).
And I mused… “Hmm, my IFA readers could learn a lot about business success from watching Adrian!”
Allow Me To Share 3 Basic Principles That I Re-learned That Weekend:
Executive Chef’s Lesson #1: “Commitment To Excellence”
When you talk to Adrian about food, he moves onto a passionate, poetical plane!
Describing how he cooks a dish, his comments are interspersed with ecstatic exclamations, chuckles and groans of frustration when he can’t get me to ‘taste’ his words.
As he said to me: “My marriage is priority. But when I’m at work… Good Enough just won’t do! Our customers get an amazing experience of English cooking!”
And there’s no moaning and whining about “Blooming Exams”!
Last year he committed to return to University part-time, whilst holding down his demanding role. He wanted to be more rounded in his business. And he paid the necessary price for that professionalism.
He sets a furious pace for himself and his teams of chefs, as he demands excellence in every single one of the 300 meals served daily in ‘The Chop House’ (just one of the 5 restaurants).
Nothing is ‘bought in’. Everything that can be prepared in his kitchens is created there. Yet he surrounds himself with all of the first class equipment needed to function in this decade of technology.
The business invests heavily in itself… rather than pulling out cash for ‘boys toys and baubles’. That will come later, when they’ve created substantial brand value.
Meanwhile he mixes both science and art as he lifts his team to award-winning performance!
Executive Chef’s Lesson #2: “There’s A Business and Marketing Strategy”
This is not just a nice restaurant.
This is a BUSINESS with a STRATEGY. 3 Different brands, designed for different Target Markets. Each brand aiming to be top of its class in Cambridgeshire.
And each with their own website.
You don’t rise to that level simply by cooking good food (or, in your case doing excellent Financial Planning)!
There needs to be time set aside to think about:
- How the business is structured and internally organised
- Cohesive branding, positioning, promoting
- offline and online marketing systems and technology
To be honest…the restaurant business holds a far higher risk than running a Financial Planning firm!
And those who understand that this is primarily about BUSINESS as well as food and cooking, will generally rise to the top.
The same applies to IFAs… those who recognise that they’ll improve their success by running a Small Business (rather than merely a Financial Planning firm) will ultimately romp ahead of the competition!
Executive Chef’s Lesson #3: “Focus On Your Speciality And Your Niche”
I once asked a skilled, capable Financial Planner “Who exactly is your Target Market?”
His response?
“Anyone who will pay my fees!”
Hmmm…
That’s an excellent way to waste years of your working life, and hundreds of hours of unnecessary hard labour and wasted energy!
Adrian’s restaurant group understands 2 fundamental Business Success principles…
1) The demographics of who they’re marketing to, and…
2) Precisely what cullinary expertise and ‘experience’ makes them wildly different!
Then they focus all of their marketing attention on getting those messages across to the Target Market.
That’s precisely why they’re so successful, and make a healthy profit!
Meanwhile… I wish I could tell you that Adrian’s free to cook for you and your guests.
I’m afraid he’s solidly booked ’til long after Christmas.
It’s what happens when the market perceives you as ‘Better Than Just Good’!
And it can happen to you…
