Ya'll Gonna Think I'm Nuts...

And I may be, but I don't think so.

There is a television show that I think is so valuable to small business people, and especially photographers, that I really got to share.

It is called "Kitchen Nightmares" and I think it is on FOX. Features that whacky chef, Ramsey, the one who yells at everyone. I never watched that show, it seemed rather stupid to me. But that is a different situation.

In this show he goes to different failing restaurants and tries to revive them. And here's the cool part... it is all customer service in a service industry. He yells, screams, cusses, cajoles, prods and forces small business owners to realize the areas that aren't working in their businesses. And he does it forcefully.

When I saw the first show, I kinda walked in and out of the room, but quickly got caught up in the reality that he could be talking to a designer, or a photographer. Here is what you are doing wrong. Presentation is important. How good is your employee pool? Are you sabotaging your own business by doing stupid, self aggrandizing things that don't play well with the clientèle?

What struck me as arrogance was quickly replaced by the understanding that it is a passion that he has for excellence. And his total lack of understanding for anyone who doesn't have his passion and yet wants to be successful. He lives for restaurants and food. He tolerates nothing but the best.

Watch it and imagine he is talking about Photographers... and see how you measure up to the 'chef'.