Craftsmanship In Business

In my last blog entry, I described how business can improve its strength with the concept of "AntiFragility". In this piece I explore how bringing a craftsmanship approach to what you do can give you a robust advantage against the changing tide.

They are open ONLY Thursday to Sunday. Daily, their hours run 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., strictly.

They make small batches of breads, pastries, croissants and cakes.

They run out of their most popular items every day, often before noon. One day recently, I arrived early enough to not miss out on my favourite item only to learn that the chef was unhappy with how his croissants had turned out that day and... He trashed the whole batch! At first, I grimaced, but then smiled. Artisans think differently about things. They maximize the art knowing that a good paycheck will follow. Not vice versa. They have customers in order to be in business - they don't go into business in order to have customers.

Welcome to RPM Bakehouse in Jordan Ontario Canada... and yes, I am a fan. They have the best croissants on this side of the Seine River of Paris, light and airy on the inside, with rich buttery taste and endless flake on the outside. They are divine.

In conversation with their pastry chef, a young gent with a thick french accent, I learned that he uses a recipe similar to that of Cordon Bleu, but with more butter. I am positive there is more to it than that. His 27 layers of butter-laminated sweet dough are made with precision and passion.

Is your business robust against the onslaught of automation and digitization? Look for the way in which you can bring a sense of art and craft to what you do.

Do you like our philosophical approach to business? Drop us a line. We look forward to working with like-minded people and companies.