Thread by @segalink

I know a lot of intellectuals who dumb-down their message for the mass appeal.I'm neither an intellectual nor will risk stupid-proofing mine. You see, when you seek the mass market, there are two paths available; you can Dumb down your message & expectations...

...meeting your audience where they stand while annoying intelligent people. You can coarsen your lyrics, offer simpler solutions, ask for less effort, demand less work, promise bigger results...etc

Or you can smarten it up, and lead despite your goal of mass, not Chase it however much "Smarten Up" may not be an expression acceptable to the mass. Ideals that are too mundane often have no value. So the choice is always yours. You’re not called for everyone.

I tell a story often of a man at the De la Poste in Lyon, France, where I once lived. He bakes rich bread and wakes us all up with the aroma of his baking. It was & still is a family business spanning generations. They sold over a 1000 French loaves daily.

Pressures were on by investors and venture capitalists to help the family grow the business further beyond the quadrangle but the family won’t bulge. From 5am there’s this constant queues around the place. It was a religious exercise. People came from different places.

Old men who grew up buying stuff there made custom chairs and resolved to have breakfast there till they die. Many of us made friends there each morning and the shop tightened out union making us all families. It was so cool. Business wise their accounting was near perfect.

People knew what to expect and they never disappoint. Though many times not everyone got lucky enough to make breakfast while stock lasts but some don’t miss lunch. And others end their day there as well. But why didn’t this family want to expand and reach out to more souls?

It is simple. The business is not one designed for the bottom line. Though they meet their target and paid their bills. Their workers are the happiest and they even have summer breaks & vacations paid for by this business. Their secret is in their Discipline till this day.

The business is over 100years old and they remained where they have always been. They didn’t chase after money but value. No one has been able to match their quality or know the secret of their recipe. They are known to always be there and nothing can breach that trust.

Because of their quality and the demand, there’s a premium on their products. Advertisers now pay to showcase their brands at their doorsteps at a huge cost. Sharing part of their goodwill. While chatting with one of the managers. He said...

Imagine us taking huge sums of investors and yielding to expand the business, by now we will be struggling to make ends meet, pay more staffers, stock more ingredients, mechanize production and cut corners to make more profits thereby compromising quality.

Soon the quality bread and other pastries people have come to know will now taste differently and the industrialization of the product will cerainly chip off its value. It will be a matter of time before economic forces and business cycle cripple the operations.

Bottom line, you don’t have to take over the world to make an impact or influence your world. You can lead from where you are. Jesus Christ didn’t strife to become emperor, he started spreading the Gospel with one message/miracle at a time & engage disciples & people.

Everyone who have tasted the products from that shop is an evangelist of their ministry and a preacher of that gospel. It is one of the most powerful business in that quadrangle. I learnt a huge lesson just from being their Neighbour. Value your being and apply yourself.

In the 21st century only paupers & scavengers strive for physiological needs. The greatest of toils are towards Self Actualization. Living daily for something bigger than you that will etch your name in the sands of time. What will you be known for and remembered for? 🤔

Find your heart of service and you will create something that will outlive you and make your name great. Don’t get distracted by social constructs that suggest that making money is the same thing as making a life. All the money in this world can’t bring fulfillment. Think.

...End of Celestial Observation...

Enjoy your Sunday and make it fun.

Kindly avoid the black hole that tends to suck you into stagnation and oblivion. Don’t glory in hoarding or be distracted by the number of following on Socialmedia. Think more of your impact and influence on society online and offline. Be Value driven. #AwakenTheGiant

Be like David who spent time perfecting his gift fighting bears & lions while serving in he back of no where tending sheep. There will soon be a need that has your name on it once your discipline, competence, patience, character & perspicacity has come to maturity. Keep at it.

When David was about to be introduced to the world, the task seemed enormous & insurmountable but he proved God bigger than his troubles. He was given armor but David rejected it because he was confident in that which God has perfected. Same as the evergreen French Pastry Shop.