Entrepreneurship and Networking 101: Personal Branding, the Old-Fashioned Way…

Your parents probably told you that there’s always a lesson to be learned in everything. But what happens when everything you learn is the result of Facebook, Twitter, TV, Google, your latest RSS feeds, or some derivative of those? Does your brain become too overloaded by the information fire hose to pickup anything else? Well it happened to me the other day while I was home in Howard County, MD, visiting my parents. It was a horrible travesty. My gym shorts didn’t have a pocket for my blackberry. I had to leave it in the car.

In the ten minutes without my blackberry, an old friend was able to teach me more about entrepreneurship, customer service, and success than any status update ever could…

I must have been about eight or nine the first time I met The Duchess.

It was Saturday morning and I didn’t want to go to my piano lesson – no surprise there. But on this day my wonderful mother had a trick up her sleeve. She told me that if I was good and went without complaining, she would take me to The Duchess. Having no idea what she could possibly be talking about, I probably made one of cutest “you can’t bribe me” faces ever. I was pretty cute even back then, but I digress.

I soon found out that The Duchess was home to the greatest milkshake on the planet. That and the same simple yet amazing sandwiches you get in your lunch bag every day in elementary school.” And instantly ingrained in my childhood memory were three things: How amazing the first sip was, the line I waited in to get it, and the very nice elderly couple working behind the counter that served it to me. Later, I learned to remember an additional fact: two dollars for a LARGE milkshake was CHEAP.

As the years went by, and my belly and I grew, I continued to go. As a Paramedic at the Ellicott City Volunteer Fire Department across the street, there was nothing better for lunch then visiting the nice couple at Duchess. The world was rapidly changing around them but except for the ever growing business card collection on the wall, the world inside Duchess never changed. You had to call ahead if you wanted more than one sandwich. The nice couple was always happy to see you. The line was ALWAYS long. They continued to sell their antiquated collection of National Geographic issues – and none ever disappeared. The cash register was from the 1950’s. And, of course, The Duchess remained the only place, anywhere, where you could get an incredible sandwich and a milkshake for under five dollars.

One day, about four years ago, I wandered across the street to get lunch, and was greeted by the same “CLOSED” sign that I always managed to run into when I forgot that the Duchess was closed on Sundays.
Later in the day, I found out that the elderly gentleman had died the night before. Duchess had closed its doors. Such sad news spread throughout the county quickly. The local news paper took note. Nobody knew why or how, but the elderly couple and their small business had become near and dear to hundreds, maybe even thousands, of regulars.

For months, the place remained vacant. People would simply drive past and remember Duchess for what it used to be. Then one day, I read in the paper that the wife had sold the building to a businessman who called himself “The King”. About six months later, a new business opened and I decided to visit; maybe The King decided to preserve the business model.

I walked into the place and all of my childhood memories were instantly shattered. Duchess had been transformed into a sleek new “eatery.” There was nothing left of the sandwich shop I once knew. The walls had been painted an ugly yellow. The antique milkshake machines were gone. A brand new computer sat on the counter. The old meat slicing machine had been replaced with a deep-fryer. And what’s more: there was no line. Quite the contrary – the slightly overweight man who called himself The King was happy to see me… probably because I was his only customer of the day. I left without a milkshake, and an overpriced sandwich that probably increased my cholesterol 50 points. Of course, I never went back, and I told all of my friends about what had happened. The word spread quickly, and eventually, the doors were closed once again.

Then recently, I heard a rumor somewhere that the wife had bought her old store back. Obviously, I had to validate this one…

So, a couple of days ago, I stopped by to visit. Of course, the inside had been renovated and it no longer its old charm. There wasn’t a line. There weren’t thousands of old National Geographic issues for sale. A new cash register has replaced the old 1950’s one. But she was there – the Duchess of Howard County – behind the counter smiling happily to see me.

As we talked, I realized that I really knew nothing about this nice woman who had watched me grow up. All I knew was that she was the woman who worked at Duchess. I can’t even say I ever know her name. She doesn’t know mine either. But she had taken such an interest in me all these years. When I went in to visit her the other day, she remembered me – and what flavor milkshake I like. And I love her for it. Everyone loves her. Or is it the amazing milkshake?

Follow Up Note: Duchess is still open 6 days a week in the same Ellicott City location. Milkshakes are not $2.00 anymore. They are $3.75. Give her a break….



Conclusions: In the past four articles, I have talked about networking, and addressed those looking for new skills in that arena. However, I wrote this story to offer a lesson for everyone.

One of my themes has been to watch, and mimic those that are successful in their endeavors. I wanted to drive that point home. In this story, I presented the “Duchess,” who I believe has been truly been successful in what she has accomplished. I see her as a perfect example of an outstanding businesswoman:

• She sells a fantastic product that she hasn’t had to change in years. And the customers always return for more, regardless of the price.
• Her personal brand is so strong, that people will wait for a half hour just to get a simple sandwich and a milkshake.
• She loves each of her customers and treats all of them like gold. And she really listens to them.
• She has worked six days a week for more than thirty years. Talk about a work ethic!
• She derives incredible value and happiness from her business.

Whether you are an entrepreneur, an executive, changing jobs or careers, or a new college graduate seeking your first job, there are extraordinary lessons to be learned by finding a person that has reached the level of success you currently seek. I promise you, that your “Duchess” is out there. Find them…

Thanks for reading everyone. I enjoy reading your comments and responses. As always, I would like to thank my Chief Creativty Consultant, and editor, Kellie Bowers. If you enjoyed this article, then you might enjoy my previous articles on networking. And as for me, if you need a creative entrepreneurial guy to join your staff, I love new opportunities!

Have a great week everyone!

Tagged as: business, customer service, entrepreneurship, networking, personal branding, personal stories