Your next moneymaking idea might be as close as a chocolate chip cookie.
In 1977, Mrs. Fields opened her chocolate chippery cookie store in California. Most people thought she would go out of business quickly. After all, was there really a market for cookies? Mrs. Fields thought so. She believed her customers were important enough she didn’t want to cut corners. Her customers responded well.
As her business grew Mrs. Fields awarded franchise opportunities to locations, primarily in malls, where consistent cookie goodness was born.
While the store count remains high many stores have closed, but more than thirty years in the cookie business taught Mrs. Fields to diversify.
The business was taken online where gift baskets, brownies and tins were sold. Arrangements were made to sell packaged cookies in convenience and discount stores. Tins of her cookies were made available as premiums when purchasing from certain office supply chains.
It is rare that someone hasn’t heard of (or tried) Mrs. Fields’ cookies. In fact, I would venture a guess that part of the reason we see fresh baked cookies in so many fast food restaurants may have something to do with the success of Mrs. Fields who thought that fresh cookies deserved a place outside grandma’s kitchen.
So am I suggesting that readers try to buy into the franchise associated with these cookies? It may not be a bad idea, but there is a principle here that is worth talking about in relation to your own moneymaking idea.
1) Be passionate about your business plan. Mrs. Fields had many who thought her business could not last, but she pressed on to success.
2) Be passionate about customer satisfaction. Mrs. Fields sought quality assurance in every store and did well at making that happen.
3) Be willing to grow. If Mrs. Fields had refused to grow she might still be making cookies each day in her chocolate chippery in California. She was willing to grow as a business – and she did.
4) Find others with a similar passion and let them expand your vision while expanding their own. You may need partners as you grow. Look for those who have the desire to succeed.
5) Be willing to diversify. Mrs. Fields had built her business around fresh baked cookies in centralized stores, but as she diversified she found room for cookie production in factories to satisfy consumer demand in many locations around the world.
6) Be willing to network. Mrs. Fields needed individuals to operate franchised stores, sell her prepackaged cookies and to provide samplers to businesses. This is the type of diversification you might need to consider as you grow.
7) Be willing to be a leader. Mrs. Fields brought cookies into the mainstream. What idea do you have that you can lead onto the stage of public consumption?
Moneymaking ideas are simply the stuff of dreams. You have to be willing to establish your dream, invite others to join you in dreaming and then identify those that can help you make that dream a real and growing enterprise.