Candy means many things to people, but you might not associate it with a successful attitude. Switzerland, or rather some passionate entrepreneurs there centuries ago, were able to achieve fame for their country as a leader in the manufacturing of fine chocolates, even considering that they were late comers, compared to their neighboring countries. Not only did they leave behind the legacy of great taste that we enjoy today, but their five strategies for business success deserve a little recognition, as well.
Of course, they probably didn’t recognize their attitudes and actions as examples of evergreen business practices that many of today’s business owners instinctively adopt… and there’s no evidence that they consciously recognized them as smart business practices at all… they just had the desire to make every single batch of their chocolate candy better than the last. According to research, their maxim was “Only the best quality is good enough”.
Brand names like “Lindt”, “Tobler”, “Villars”, and “Kohler” may just bring forth tempting images (or that sweet tooth urge), but what you may not realize, is that these are names of real people… the kind of people who started businesses – dealing with naysayers, government intervention, and most likely, a feeling of loneliness, at least until success became apparent. These men, and there are many others, as well, are some of the pioneer ‘chocolatiers’ of Switzerland. And this was during a time when the rest of Europe; Spain, Italy, and England, were known for their success in the manufacture of chocolate. Switzerland was the underdog seeking a come-from-behind victory in this industry. Against these odds, they won.
