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Thread: The man who sold hot dogs

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    Silver Member Vincent's Avatar
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    The man who sold hot dogs

    I don't know who wrote this piece, but it certainly lends oneself to the unusual economic times we're living in. All I have is an old photocopied page of the quote, without the author's name. I know that it came out of a business book relating to starting a business, way back in the early seventies/eighties. Anyway thought I'd share it with the forum.

    There was a man who lived by the side of the road and sold hot dogs.
    He was hard of hearing so he had no radio.
    He had trouble with his eyes so he read no newspapers.
    But he sold good hot dogs.
    He put up signs on the highway telling how good they were.
    He stood on the side of the road and cried: "Buy a hot dog, Mister?"
    And people bought.
    He increased his meat and bun orders.
    He bought a bigger stove to take care of his trade.
    he finally got his son home from college to help him out.

    But then something happened.
    His son said, "Father, haven't you been listening to the radio?
    Haven't you been reading the newspapers?
    There's a big depression.
    The European situation is terrible.
    The domestic situation is worse."

    Whereupon the father thought, "Well, my son's been to college, he reads the papers and he listens to the radio, and he ought to know."
    So the father cut down on his meat and bun orders, took down his advertising signs, and no longer bothered to stand out on the highway to sell his hot dogs.

    And his hot dog sales fell almost overnight.
    "You're right, son," the father said to the boy.
    "We certainly are in the middle of a great depression."
    Last edited by Vincent; 28-Sep-08 at 04:01 PM.
    Vincent Marino
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    bizsmarts (07-May-09), Chatmaster (29-Sep-08), Dave A (28-Sep-08)

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    good one i enjoyed that...we are so blinded by bullsh*t in the media...i think some people use the media as a tool for their own gain.

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    Platinum Member Chatmaster's Avatar
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    I remember reading that in a book written by John C. Maxwell. Outstanding quote and so true! Good one Vincent!
    Roelof Vermeulen (Entrepreneurship in large organizations)
    Roelof Vermeulen| Rock flaps south africa

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    Silver Member Vincent's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chatmaster View Post
    I remember reading that in a book written by John C. Maxwell.
    The name sounds familiar. Do you think he is the author of the passage? If it can be confirmed, we will surly give him the credit.
    Vincent Marino
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    Platinum Member Chatmaster's Avatar
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    I will have to go and check, I remember underlining it in the book so it should be easy to find. He usually say when he quotes someone else.
    Roelof Vermeulen (Entrepreneurship in large organizations)
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    Platinum Member Chatmaster's Avatar
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    Yep, it is on page 121 of his book, "The Winning Attitude"
    Roelof Vermeulen (Entrepreneurship in large organizations)
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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by murdock View Post
    we are so blinded by bullsh*t in the media...
    True. The bit that worries me in modern day parables like this though is the line of thought that the solution is not to read the media/keep up with the news at all. I've heard people say that is the answer and I even did that myself for about 4 years. But I'm not sure that's the key.

    To me it's about setting trends rather than blindly following them - and setting trends successfully does take some level of awareness of what is going on around you.

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    Silver Member Vincent's Avatar
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    My interpretations of this parables is listen to what other people have to say - then make up your own mind, don't follow blindly. For those things that you have no control over, or doesn't affect you like "...the worsen situation in Europe", don't fret about it. Concentrate on your business and the market you serve, and how can all the negative publicity pumped out by the media serve your business better.
    Vincent Marino
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    Platinum Member SilverNodashi's Avatar
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    It just goes to show how much influence the "outside" has on our decisions every day. If someone tells you you can't sell, you'll start to believe it, and won't sell. But if you choose not to listen, you'll still sell, and probably even more than usual - just to prove you can sell.
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    now you hit the nail on the head.

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