Write what you know. And what I know right now is pain. The oh, ouch, owee-kazowee hurty-feeling of rollerblading gone bad. I was a victim of the whee-factor, skating way too fast. That’s when gravity stopped being my friend. And when skin encounters asphalt, you can quote me on this, asphalt always wins.

Then I started thinking (guess the fall shook loose some extra neurons) that rollerblading is a lot like building a business. I know it’s an illusive analogy, but just like the Federation folks on Star Trek, I’m on a mission to seek out and discover strange new connections between unlikely events. So before the giddy relief of surviving small time trauma fades, here are my injury induced insights on the ups and downs of business and rollerblading.

Risk is a sure thing. “D’oh!” That’s why you wear protective gear, unless like me you have sweaty knees and elbows and eschew the pads. Of course that’s where I got the boo-boos. (Note to safety engineers: I do wear a helmet and wrist guards. And yes, I’m smart enough to know when I’ve been stupid.)

Being in business is risky too. But some degree of risk is far less dangerous than complete risk avoidance. Decisions have to be made based on the information you have; not deferred until you have ALL of the information. In my observation, indecision and 11^th-hour enactment syndrome are far more costly than a thoughtful acknowledgement that risk is present but that the opportunity is worth it.

Mid-course correction. Henry Pollack, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Michigan, served up mid-course correction when I interviewed him for our podcast.  (Sorry, the interview is still in post-production.)  Mid-course correction is such a solid and scientific way of saying if something doesn’t work out change things up. Of course change can give rise to uncomfortable feelings too. But which would you rather be, stuck in something that’s not working or simply make an adjustment and carry on?

To mash-up and misquote Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, “Nothing last forever, neither good times nor bad.” In other words, now is not forever. If something in life or business isn’t working out it doesn’t have to keep on keeping on. I mean, eventually my rollerblading boo-boos will scab over and heal. I just have to deal with it for now. And you can deal with the risk of poor results by making a mid-correction correction. It’s the smart thing to do and it makes you sound smart too.

Dynamic balance, obviously I didn’t have it. But life, business and certainly rollerblading all demand it. It’s all those tiny little adjustments,; flexed knees, head over body and the absence of chasm-like cracks in the pavement that keep you on your feet. Dynamic balance in wingtips and pumps requires a nimble accommodation of a changing environment too: requests and questions, diplomacy and candor, clear-heading thinking and crazy ideas.

Here’s the deal.  Failing is painful. So is falling down. But as long as we’re able, we get up, we get smarter and we grab hold of the chance to continue with both hands.  It also helps to have at least one foot on the ground.

“I’m an anarchist and an introvert.” 

This is not what you’d expect from a successful businessperson.  But that’s exactly how Ari Weinzweig, partner and co-founder of Zingerman’s Delicatessan described himself during our podcast.  Except for the introvert part, I can relate to the underlying sense of not having any business being in business.  But Ari and co-founder Paul Saginaw have created a successful community of food-related businesses (ZCoB) that completely upend the idea of business as usual.

There are plenty of reasons why Inc. Magazine named Zingerman’s the coolest small company in America.  After all, Ari and Paul succeeded in building an empire without giving up what made it great in the first place. 

Like all of our podcasts, my conversation with Ari and Paul, focused on the practical ways that they put creative thinking to work.  While there is much to consider in their uncommon sense, here’s my take on the top three reasons why no business being in business is good business for them.

Pragmatic Visionaries:  They started small but their vision was always big.  Driven by their taste buds to bring the perfect corned beef sandwich to America’s mid-section (geographically speaking) they were practical about building a viable business that was also a vehicle for something more.  Like an elasticized waistband (which you need when eating at Zingerman’s because it’s SO good), the deli expanded outward; becoming a bake house, a creamery, an online store, a management training consultancy and more.  The bottom line was an indicator not an end.  They were practical and yet never lost touch with a greater sense of purpose.

Inclusive and Connected:  Long before the clamor for transparency and authenticity in all things, Ari and Paul were living it.  From the get-go they were as committed to their employees and the community as they were to their customers.  Wonder how do they do it?

They share financial goals and performance with employees.  In fact, they have training sessions so that everyone from cooks to counter staff and coffee house baristas, can read a balance sheet and grasp what’s going on.

They train their people.  With a variety of three and five-step guidelines, Zingers (my word for Zingrman’s staff) live the goal of great customer experience.  It’s a very smart use of structure as the source of freedom.  Zing leaders allow people to excel as their authentic selves within the Zingerman’s culture.

They provide a living wage.  Ari and Paul may have started the deli because of a passion for corned beef.  But from the beginning their vision included paying people a wage that would support a life, an education, a mortgage, and an opportunity to advance.  Their philosophy in action has strengthened and enriched the Ann Arbor community every bit as much as their many charitable programs.

Zingy!  Really Truly Remarkable:  Zingerman’s is a deli plus a community of other food-related businesses.  But they’re also in the business of retail theatre.  (This applies to the online store too).  The customer experience is a heady mix of yeasty, cheesy, meaty aromas with a congenial crush of people noshing, shopping, learning about hand-crafted, insanely delicious food.  Their in-store graphics are great too: a little quirky, slyly funny and with just enough feeling of home made to keep it real.  (The online store extends the brand with the same graphic style adding high quality content that will keep a foodie up long past bedtime).

When your name (Zingerman’s) becomes an adjective (Zingy) that describes the experience you deliver, you’re definitely doing something right.  In fact, you can learn face-to-face from Ari and Paul and their management consultancy team by signing up for a ZingTrain session.  So don’t worry if you feel like you don’t have any business being in business.  You may be destined for something great that simply isn’t business as usual.