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If you’re lucky enough to have Sky TV, like riding big motorcycles, and watch the Discovery channel on Thursday nights at 7.30, then you will know exactly what I mean when I say “Orange County Choppers”.
This is the most amazing piece of advertising I have ever seen, wrapped up in an extremely good package. Paul Senior and his son Pauly, build Harley Davidson Choppers to an exceptional standard, regularly win best in show at US National bike shows, sell heaps of products and are a “first class act”. They fight like cats and dogs; and most of it I am sure, is done to create more interest in the show, but at times I think it comes close to the bone, for both of them.
Both have valid points of view, in these arguments, but I’m backing the old man, he’s got a business to run, deadlines to keep, budgets to stay inside of, and a million things to think of.
Pauly has to keep being creative and innovative to the highest possible standards and sometimes baits the old man, when the pressure comes on the pair of them.
They both care for their family and each other, that’s obvious. The old mans a tough old coot, and runs a tight ship, you could eat your lunch off the workshop floor and he wants to keep it that way.
Pauly just wants to build bikes, and if you want the workshop clean, clean it yourself or get someone else to clean it, I’m busy.
What the whole team does is, do things very professionally. A hell of a lot can be learnt from watching this show, and much more than you think.
I’ll list a few in no particular order.
Image is everything, do it right first time, every time.
There is more than one way to advertise your business, try thinking outside the square.
Professionalism, first, second and third is the only benchmark worth the effort, and everything else, flows from it.
Innovation, creativity and meeting your deadlines are the only roads to the top of the pedestal.
Once you’re on the pedestal, don’t be a smug barstard, we are all trying to be “best in show” and we will take great delight in knocking you off it. Be humble.
Don’t do what you do on the cheap, cheap shows up real quick, and you can’t charge a good rate for your product, if it’s done cheap.
Don’t be afraid to get into someone’s face, if they are trying to compromise your standards, and make sure you set your standards very high.
But yelling doesn’t always get the result you desire. Be careful.
Teach your staff how to exceed your standards all the time and let them share the room on the pedestal, there is plenty of room for everyone.
Love your family and spend some quality time with them when the pressure gets to great.
Take time out to ride your bike and let the wind blow in your face.
When it hits the fan, keep your head down and do whatever it takes to fix the problem, now.
Keep the boss’s workshop clean; at the end of the day, it’s his workshop.
Don’t look over the fence and see the other guy as the enemy; he’s just doing what he’s got to do to sit on the pedestal. See him as your opportunity to keep improving.
Like I said, there is a lot we can learn from watching Orange County Choppers and it’s a great show to boot.
But then, that is “Just and old trucker’s point of view”
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