Here Are Three Examples of the Many Business Lessons That Can Be Derived From Everyday Humor
Over the years, I’ve noticed that instructional philosophies on life and business are very often hidden within humor and jokes – and these “lessons”(as well as the amusement factor, of course) can be garnered if we just simply look for them and teach ourselves how to mine for the philosophical nuggets within.
Obviously, these “hidden”messages can be directly applied to the profitable running of your self-service laundry operation.
With that said, here are three amusing examples, as well as the messages you, as a laundry owner, can derive from them:
A young boy enters a barbershop and the barber whispers to his customer, “This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch… I’ll prove it to you.”
The barber puts a dollar bill in one hand and two quarters in the other, then calls the boy over and asks, “Which do you want, son?”
The boy takes the quarters and leaves.
“What did I tell you?”the barber said. “That kid never learns.”
Later that day, the barbershop customer sees the same boy coming out of the local ice cream parlor. He calls out to the young man, “Hey, son, may I ask you a question? Why did you take the quarters instead of the dollar bill at the barbershop?”
The boy licked his ice cream cone and replied, “Because the day I take the dollar bill, the game is over!”
Hidden Messages:
- Greed is not an acceptable or valid motivator.
- Errors in the premise will always appear in the conclusion.
- Patience is the weapon of the winner.
- Delayed gratification is often the best path to success.
- Think, plan ahead and don’t attempt to get rich overnight.
- We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.
A taxi passenger tapped the driver on the shoulder to ask him a question.
The driver screamed, lost control of the car, nearly hit a bus, careened up onto the sidewalk and screeched to a stop mere inches from a shop window.
For a second, everything in the cab was quiet. Then the driver said, “Look, sir, don’t ever do that again. You scared the living daylights out of me.”
The passenger apologized and said, “I didn’t realize that a little tap on the shoulder would scare you so much.”
The driver replied, “It’s not really your fault. Today is my first day as a cab driver. I’ve been driving a funeral van for the last 25 years.”
Hidden Messages:
- Change is inevitable.
- Change can often be scary and lead you astray.
- It’s best to expect and adapt to change in a calm fashion.
- It’s often best to reinvent aspects of your business occasionally, so you won’t have to do it under stress.
- Your best appraisals are born in the worst crisis. Don’t be afraid of being afraid.
- Nothing is as good or bad as it seems at the moment.
- There is a difference between a change and an ending.
Frank was at his golf club and went into the clubhouse to see if anyone could offer him a ride home, because his car was being serviced.
“Sure,” Bill said. “I’ll give you a lift. My Rolls Royce is parked just outside.”
As they’re driving along, Frank asks, “Bill, what is that thing on the dashboard that keeps ticking?”
“That’s my digital clock,” Bill replied.
A few minutes later, Frank asks, “What’s that other thing on the dashboard that’s moving up and down?”
“That’s my tachometer,” Bill answered.
Then Bill simply couldn’t help himself. He sarcastically stated, “From your questions, it’s obvious you’ve never ridden in a Rolls Royce before.”
“Never in the front seat,” Frank shot back.
Hidden Messages:
- You can’t judge a book by its cover.
- You never know whom you are talking to.
- People from all walks of life utilize self-service laundries.
- Be careful how you talk to people.
- Treat all customers with respect and as equals.
- Avoid cosmic embarrassments.
There are thousands upon thousands of jokes. Just think of all the valuable lessons you can learn from them and apply to your laundry business, while at the same time being joyously entertained.
But, remember, those business lessons are no laughing matter.
