Greg Siefert
VP, Solutions Formation
Let me introduce you to a man I have not met, but a man who intrigues me. A man who spent evenings with his wife drinking champagne and dining in the up-scale restaurants of New York City before retiring to his Park Avenue apartment. A man always dressed in fine European suits who spoke with an elegant British accent. I want you to meet a man who was a fixture in New York City before passing away in early February. Please meet Joe Ades, the man who sold $5 potato peelers on the sidewalks of New York City.
Eloquent and captivating, Mr. Ades would announce, “When you peel a potato, it doesn’t matter whether you’re right-handed, left-handed, or, like a politician, underhanded. All you take off that potato is a thin layer of skin. You’ve got no waste; you do it in record time. When you come to an eye, you scoop it out—there’s the scoop. Come up a yard. You’ll see better. Come on, don’t worry. I won’t ask you for money. You’re quite safe. You don’t have to buy to watch. You may already have one of these—I’ve sold thousands. I’ll give you a refresher course … ”
Mr. Ades was a truly gifted entertainer and salesman. But what was at the heart of his success? The answer to that is simple: focus. Period.
While so many people and companies struggle to define their focus and many others are swayed by the ever present “opportunities of a life-time,” Mr. Ades was clear on his direction:
1) He sold potato peelers. And he had a good reason for choosing them. “The company in Switzerland that makes the peeler will only supply people who can demonstrate the product. There’s a minimum number you have to buy, and the minimum quantity is far more peelers than one store could handle in 20 years. If you saw the peeler hanging up in a store—for a dollar—you’d walk right past it. It has to be demonstrated.”
2) He sold potato peelers to crowds. He knew that he related to people much better in groups than in one-on-one settings, so he created a setting that drew crowds. “It’s a much easier way to get a crowd,” he explains. “When you’re down low, people walking past can see the backs of people but they don’t know what they’re looking at. They have to stop and look to see what those people are looking at.”
3) He sold potato peelers to crowds in New York City. A city that loves character and personality, Mr. Ades was made for New York City and the city loved him in return. He realized that he was not a salesman, but a show man. He conveyed a persona of elegance and sophistication coupled with a genuine friendliness that drew people in.
Jim Collins, author of the best-selling business book Good to Great, encourages companies to define their focus based on three factors:
1) At what can they be best in the world?
2) What are they passionate about?
3) Is the focus financially viable?
Joe Ades had this focus. He created a business through which he could be the best in the world doing something that he was passionate about. He marketed his product to the right audience in the right location. This well-defined strategic direction gave him the focus necessary to create a highly profitable business.
So, how are you doing with focus? I would love to learn more about where you are succeeding and where you are wrestling – and remember, if all else fails, there is always the potato peeler! Please email or call me at 317.275.3112.
For a little more about Joe Ades, see this video of him in action. After seeing him, you might feel compelled to pick one up on Amazon.com for yourself.
The quotations found in this article were taken from The Gentleman Grafter by Howard Kaplan (Vanity Fair, May 2006).