A good way to understand the 10 principles of small business success is to  start with the story of Joseph, the auto mechanic. Let’s start with his story as Gerber himself does.
The business next door is easier to look at than your own. Â The business next door was started by Joseph, the auto mechanic. Or by Mary, the cook. Â Or by Frederick, the chiropractor.
But let’s for the moment stick with Joseph.
He comes to work every morning, looking pretty much the same way he looked yesterday morning, and the morning before that.  Joseph is more than likely dressed in his coveralls.  They are well-worn coveralls.  Probably still have the grease from yesterday’s or earlier days’ jobs.
On the back of his coveralls it might say something like “Joseph’s Auto Repair.† What else would it say?  Because, of course, that’s what Joseph does, and has done for years.  Joseph fixes cars.  Joseph has always fixed cars, either for someone else or for himself.
Joseph could be, for all you know, a fine mechanic.  At least it seems like he could.  Of course he may not be, but its’ unlikely you’ll know.  There are a lot of cars sitting in the lot waiting for Joseph to fix them.  But, it doesn’t seem to make much difference to Joseph.
People come and people go, but for all you can tell, Joseph isn’t in any hurry, even though his customers seem to be.  Even though his customers seem to want their car done, and done now, Joseph isn’t in a hurry.  But, Joseph has seen just about everything one could see when it comes to fixing cars.  Cars bread down.  Cars get fixed.  And the clock goes on, just like before.
Joseph is actually quite lucky. Â If predictability can be thought of as lucky, that is. Â Because, no matter what Joseph does or does not do, his business seems to continue apace, one car after another, waiting for Joseph to do what Joseph does, fix cars.
The clock ticks on and on.  And Joseph gets older.  If you could span the time, if you could see if from above; if you could watch Joseph from another perspective, see the whole story of Joseph’s life, you would know something you don’t know now.
Joseph long ago stop growing.  Joseph long ago went to sleep.  Joseph is simply going through the motions.  Josephs fixes cars. End of Joseph’s story.
Page 8.
To be continued, your comments are welcomed…
Al Hanzal
