What should I write about?
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16So I’m thinking of writing a book. Honestly, I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. I guess a lot of people have thought about writing a book. Maybe we all have something to say. Maybe we don’t. Who really knows. Either way, I still want to write a book. Whether I ever will or not is a different matter altogether.
For now, I’d like to discuss the content of the book with you. Instead of being one of those people who talk a big game but leave their ideas tied to a dock, I’m going to start shipping right here on my regular Friday post. Each week I will start fleshing out ideas that might possibly move me in the direction of a real-life hard copy of Jason’s greatest achievements failures.
So, if I were to write a book, what would I write about? What would you actually want to read? I mean for real. Be honest. Tell me what you would spend money on and set on your nightstand, not your coffee table because no one reads those.
Here are my thoughts so far based on the feedback I received from some of our directors:
- More than likely, the content will include something about leadership
- Other topics might include business or entrepreneurship
- How to create a values culture — tell the story of Orange Consulting
- My own personal journey and what I’ve learned from experiences
- Conversations I’ve had that have made a big impact
Here’s the thing. I don’t want to write just another book. I want to write a book that meets a need that is not currently being fulfilled. In your mind, what would that be? If it helps, just think about these Friday posts. What do you want me to write about each week?
Comments
Hi Jason-
Orange Consulting has done a great job being ahead of the curve on upcoming trends.
You all were early to market with the self serve frozen yogurt industry. With Vinaigrette you all realized that a restaurant built on salads was going to become popular, & you got into Breakout when the market was in the very early stages.
A book about how the decision process to know which industry shows promise to explode in growth & how you & the team decide which ones to jump into would be interesting.
Obviously the venture needs to align with Orange Consulting’s strengths & culture but there are many markets you could have entered. What were the factors that stuck out that made you all decide to commit to these ventures?
A book talking about the behind the scenes decision process would be interesting.
Thanks for the thoughts Adam. I like it!
I’d like to second some of what Adam focused on. I think it would be interesting to learn how/why you decided to enter the industries you chose to.
Also, kind of like, touching on a “blue print” of what you thought Orange Consulting was going to be when first started, compared to what has grown to, and what you would like to see it evolve into over the years to come.
Maybe a look into what you view as some of the best decisions you made were, and what some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned, have been. I think that could be interesting too.
Thanks David. I agree. I think this could be a good direction.
Sir,
Here’s my 2 cents. Write about the Orange leaf story tied in with your personal growth and conversations that had a impact. The orange leaf story the trials and tribulations you have over come tied in with people you have met along the way would be a story I would read.
Mac, I really like this idea. Thanks for sharing.
I also would love to hear some of the stories about the how/ why you chose the businesses you did. What if any challenges, not only physical and emotional, but maybe moral or personal did you have to compromise. What motivates you to be such a strong leader, in a world where you could sit back and not do anything. Who are your role models and what’s the legacy you want to leave behind.
Carol, you probe so deeply! ha. I like it.
I’m in chorus with those before me: how industries jumped out as opportunities and how those opportunities became realities.
Just to play devil’s advocate, though… a book about how specific failures became, or paved the way for, successes, would really draw me in. There’s a ton of books on how leaders succeeded, but I have only seen a few on how leaders failed and what they gained from that.
I like that idea Michael. I agree, I think failures would be an interesting angle.
I agree with Michael! I would love to see how failures have shaped Orange Consulting into what it is now. I would also be interested in reading about what it’s like to be a part of so many different businesses with a common set of values and how those can look based in each type of business (hospitality in food service vs. in the entertainment industry, operations, etc.). You wouldn’t normally pair salads or frozen yogurt with escape rooms, but OC has done an amazing job of keeping people at the center of these businesses.
Alyssa, such a good idea. I’m not sure I even know the answers to these questions, but it would be fun and interesting to explore for sure. Thanks for sharing!
Culture. You have clearly established a culture that has played a significant role in the evolution of Breakout. I have a perception that you may have known the culture you wanted to build before you identified an industry/opportunity. A strong culture and foundation upon which to build and grow is essential but rarely effectively established.
Culture would be a great topic to tackle. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I’m sure we have been intentional, but it would be interesting to explore what worked and what didn’t as we have attempted to create culture.
Great ideas in this thread so far. I think melding together Barry and Alyssa’s would make sense.
I took the liberty of creating this:
https://bit.ly/2XFV4U4
Ambitious, but it’s on the internet so it can’t be changed.
Hahaha. Thanks for the accountability. I’ll put you in charge of finding a publisher.