 I just returned from a week on the road with my family. We toured a decent amount of Texas, spending a few days in Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio. One of the amazing qualities of Texas is that it pretty much all looks the same every where you go. We were mostly traveling through the infamous "Hill Country", which looks exactly like the rest of Texas, only slightly more bumpy. Texans will say I'm lying, which is true. But only a little. The road between these three cities is pretty darn boring. You know a drive is boring when you spot road construction ahead and you actually get excited about it for the variety it will bring. Imagine my delight when I spotted a billboard near Waco that read: HEALTH CAMP: Super Burgers & Shakes. Exit 333 A Like thousands of other bored-out-of-their-minds travelers, a gigantic and completely involuntary smile burst onto my face. The irony of the name was as thick as, well, a milkshake. I decided I must stop and see this 8th wonder of the world (or is the the 1st wonder of Waco?). Since the billboard appeared several miles before the actual exit, I had time to imagine what Health Camp might be. I had to imagine because what I wrote above is all that appears in giant yellow letters on a plain hunter green background. No picture. No logo. No other description (although they definitely had me at Super Burgers and Shakes). My first thought was that it might be a vegetarian joint run by transplants from San Francisco. I was willing to take the risk to find out. Turns out that Health Camp is a quintessential drive-in burger joint straight out of 1949. I mean that literally. It sits on the spot it was built, virtually unchanged for over 60 years. Aside from the addition of Coke Zero and tater tots, I'm willing to bet the menu hasn't changed much at all since the beginning. FYI: tater tots weren't invented by Ore Ida until 1953. The next time you win a trivia contest with this info I expect a thank you note. So why am I telling you this story? Health Camp has three contributing factors to its half-century+ of success that we can all learn from: 1. Do what you do, and do it really well. Their billboard doesn't lie. The burgers and shakes really are super. Did I mention how good the shake was? It was the kind you can turn upside down and it won't fall out, if that tells you anything. When you do what you do really well you achieve rare consistency that people can actually depend on. 2. Keep it simple. Health Camp's menu is not burgers, tacos, spaghetti, and an all-you-can-eat Chinese food buffet. It's burgers, fries, and shakes. Period. Simple is, well, simple. When we make things overly complex or complicated it becomes overwhelming to maintain. Simple is streamlined. Simple is effective. Simple is profitable. 2. Be you and be unique. Be genuine and unique and you'll likely last. Mimic what's "popular" and you're sure to eventually fade into oblivion. How many TGIFridays, Applebees, and Bennigans have closed over the years? Hundreds. How many Health Camps have closed? None. I rest my case. Don't let me mislead you that Health Camp is the best place I've ever eaten. It's not. It was, however, one of my favorite stops on this trip for the fun, kitschy experience alone. And did I mention how super the shakes were? I'd stop and eat there again in a heartbeat. Can people say that about doing business with you? Who is Mark Henson: I’m a jeans & t-shirt guy. That’s really the best way to describe me. If you’re looking for someone who wears a suit and tie, that’s not me. Don’t get me wrong, I can pull off a suit when I want to. I even own a tux. However, there’s a pretty good chance that if you hire me to speak, I’ll show up in jeans and a Life is Good® t-shirt. Not because I’m rebelling against “the man,” but because I’m genuinely and authentically a jeans & t-shirt guy. I’m living proof that being successful has so much more to do with who you are than what you wear. I’m also crazy passionate about helping individuals and organizations deliver phenomenal customer service, create fun/creative/positive workplaces, and become even more amazing at what they do. Submit your articles to AMAZINES.COM
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