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Business Advice
Flower and garden center Move “The Berry Bucket” into
Omaha and sell berry plants as well
as berries.
Savings and loan Offer gift certificates for prepicked
pints of berries, as well as for pies.
Greeting card shop Add a gift store to the property to
include local craft offerings.
Auto dealership Offer a delivery service to the
city for customers and small
grocery stores.
Shopping mall Develop year-round attractions
like ice skating on frozen ponds,
fairs, etc.
Marketing firm Create a line of berry preserves
with a new logo and label to
test regionally.
Case Analysis
In less than three years after their decision to solicit outside
ideas, the Havens’ business income had increased 600 percent. A
gift shop employed five additional people. Four acres of Christmas
spruce and pine trees surrounded three skating ponds. And their
line of Berry Bucket homemade jams was selling well in two
states. Income from customers who came only to pick berries now
constituted less than 50 percent of their profits.
The Havens were doing well and wanted to maximize their
performance. Having no one within their own organization to
mentor them, they chose outside mentors. They actively sought
out people who were succeeding. They accumulated ideas, sifted
through them, and identified what would work. They used trial
and error, discussed what was working, and maximized successes.
Asked if she would recommend looking outside one’s own
work environment for new business ideas, Mrs. Havens said,
“Only if you’re ready to grow.” The same is true for your
associates — only when they are ready.
The Mentoring Role: Instruction by ExampleC A S E S T U D Y