"Cult of Personality."

I was reading another local blog, who talked about Allyson's Kitchen in Bend as having been based on a "cult of personality"(Allyson herself.) It all fell apart, this writer says, when Allyson left.

Well, I would submit that a business that is built on a "cult of personality" is no business at all: it is a C of P. Churches, classrooms, business, and other organizations -- all have this phenomenon occur, but unfortunately, it is rarely transferable to another personality, a 'lesser' personality, if you will.

Sure, you have to have a fairly strong personality to start, to persevere and to succeed. But if you can't eventually make the store itself the focus, it will all fall apart it you're not there for any reason.


It also kind of brought to mind how most "hobby" store like mine start -- even more than most businesses, comic or card or game or book stores are brought to life by people who love the subject.

In the comic, game and card business, most of these start-ups don't have a whole lot a capital. They start off as "scroungers". Nothing wrong with this, I started off that way myself.

But eventually, you need to grow out of this phase -- to become "professional", if you will. What I notice is, that even successful 'scrounger" businesses very rarely move up that that next level. It's still based on that one guy, wheeling and dealing.

I think I've moved a little past that, but certainly not all the way. I wouldn't call it scrounging, anymore. I'd call it smart buying and stocking.

But even this isn't all that transferable -- except if I get a chance to train the next person, and if the next person is willing to actually listen.

I think a store should purposely strive to become focused on the inventory, the layout, the location, all the objective and measurable standards. Personality comes and goes, and popularity comes and goes, and energy levels and interests come and go.

The store itself, done right. should be able to stand on it's own, at least with a adequate amount of work and effort, and yes -- personality.