How Mindset & Culture Impact Profit & Performance

I have a lot of experience in franchising, which is a great microcosm for all businesses. It’s a population of professionals engaged in the same work but achieving different results. I observed this almost instantly after completing Edible Arrangements franchise training with other new owners opening stores in Southern California. We all received the same information. We were given the same manual and taught the brand’s standard procedures. The aesthetics of our stores were consistent. Our product line and pricing were the same, as was our equipment. The locations differed a little in terms of exposure and demographics, but operationally, we all followed the same book. Our businesses were virtually identical. What varied was the performance.

Some owners thrived, while others struggled. Some expanded, and some remained stagnant. The differences were not subtle. Some locations outperformed others by hundreds of thousands of dollars per year—running the same operation.

Many attributed performance to location. But that theory proved faulty. Those running great businesses gobbled up the struggling ones and quickly turned them around without moving storefronts. Some believed success resulted from doing more marketing. The best businesses definitely invested in promotion. It made a difference, but it wasn’t the difference. Were they putting in the most hours? Nope. Many of my struggling colleagues worked feverishly—harder and longer—to keep their businesses going.

What distinguished the top performers in our community of Edible Arrangements owners was the same factor I see distinguishing leaders in restaurants, hotels, retail stores, manufacturing, fitness, home services, and so many other industries. Their peak performance was rooted in the human side of their business. More specifically, it was the mindset of individual leaders, the cultures of their teams, and the experience they created for customers.

Some call it “soft skills.” Others refer to “EQ” or “emotional intelligence.” I call it good business because the human side directly impacts the execution of our work and our ability to maintain a peak-performance mindset. It determines how quickly leaders can clear their heads, bounce back from (or thrive during) adversity, and work to continuously improve. It influences workplace hiring, retention, and employee engagement. It’s the difference between facilitating a transaction and creating a mind-blowing customer experience. There’s a lot you can’t control about business. But the way you think, the way you lead, and the way you serve? That’s all you have. And it’s your greatest opportunity.

I strongly support the idea of running a business by the numbers. Data tells us how we’re doing. I’d trust a P&L statement much more than someone’s gut or feelings. The numbers tell us where there are opportunities to improve.

But data alone doesn’t tell us how to execute. Leaders need to know what to do and how to do it well. The best start with the human side. They think, lead, and serve at a higher level, and it’s reflected in their numbers. It certainly was reflected in mine. It’s why we became a top-ranked store. It’s why we turned around a struggling location. It’s why we won awards for management and customer service. It’s why our business was consistent, fun, and profitable.

I help business leaders ensure they’re an asset to their business and not a liability. I help them understand and demonstrate a peak-performance mindset. I show them how to improve their hiring, increase employee retention, and create cultures of engaged, loyal teams who treat the place like it’s their own. With those elements in place, it’s much easier to create emotionally satisfying experiences for customers that they remember, talk about, and want to repeat.