My Meadow Report

the juice is in the journey

  • Home
  • About
    • About Renée
    • What is My Meadow Report
  • New Here?
  • Offerings
    • Practical Astrology:
  • Work With Me
  • Collections
  • Connect
You are here: Home / Business / 5 Essential Elements of a Successful & Sustainable Business

5 Essential Elements of a Successful & Sustainable Business

April 11, 2018 | Renée Fishman

This week, I am exploring the elements of a business worth going out of your way for — or, as I like to call it, #detour-worthy. I’m using Joe’s Pizza in New York City as a case study. Despite the abundance of pizza-by-the-slice places, I will go out of my way to eat at Joe’s.

What makes it worth the detour?

Previously, I wrote about the the experience. When the first visit leaves you wanting more, you’ll return. Once you return, that’s when a business must prove its worth.

Here are 5 more elements of a successful and sustainable business, which I’ve observed at Joe’s Pizza.

(1) Consistency

If you deliver results consistently, then customers will go out of their way to return to your business.

A slice from Joe’s Pizza always tastes the same, no matter what day you visit or which branch. This is essential. Nobody will go out of their way for pizza that’s hit or miss.

Consistency, of course, is something you prove over time. After one visit, customers don’t know if you’re consistent. This is why the experience — especially at the end — is so crucial. Before you can prove you deliver consistently, you must deliver an experience that makes people want more from you.

When customers remember the end as being great, they will want to return. Then you get a shot at proving consistency.

(2) Commitment to Quality

Consistency doesn’t help if the result and experience you deliver are consistently poor. (Sounds obvious, but sometimes the obvious isn’t so obvious.)

What makes Joe’s special is that the quality is always high. There is a commitment to quality ingredients and to producing quality results. Owner Joe Pozzuoli makes the pies as if he is going to eat them himself.

This shows in the high quality ingredients and the attention paid to the process to produce the desired results.

The pizza men in the back are constantly making new pies. This is a high-volume operation. In many pizza places, high volume translates to lower quality, as pies are rushed into the oven. In other pizza shops, the pies sit in the case all day. At Joe’s you know you’re going to get a fresh slice, and that the slice will be high quality. You can taste the difference between a Joe’s slice and a slice from the $1-slice place.

Joe’s is a rare business that manages to pull off the feat of high quality and high quantity. This is difficult in a food business.

(3) Dedication to Craft

Some of the some of the pizza guys have worked with Joe for over 20 years. Wow.

In addition to low staff turnover, the “pizza men” at Joe’s are dedicated to their craft. They pursue mastery in their pizza-making skills. This is what they do, and they take pride in their work.

I think of “craft” as something that is born science and art. There’s a defined process or system to it, but also it’s part artistry.

Every business, at its core, revolves around a craft. Whether it’s the craft of writing, relationship-building, negotiation, sales, coaching, persuasion, speaking, or a more traditional craft like design or hands-on making, pursuing mastery in what you do will show in the experience you provide and the results you deliver.

This plays a big role in attracting repeat loyal customers.

(4) Understand the Customer

People don’t always want stuff that’s too rich or heavy. I’ve been making and watching people eat pizza for over 50 years, I know what they want. — Joe Pozzuoli

Essentail for any business is that you understand who your customer is and what your customer wants. Joe’s Pizza has become a tourist destination, especially at its West Village location. It has appeared in movies and on television shows. But while tourists often visit, Joe’s is, first and foremost, a place for locals.

The decor is geared to how locals view the corner pizza joint. It is sparse, with minimal counter space, only a few high-top tables and a handful of bar stools. This is a place for people on the go. Nobody lingers here. (Except for me, at times when I’m studying the operations 😉).

(5) Personal Investment

By personal investment I mean not just financially invested, but also emotionally invested. The business owner cares about delivering a quality experience and result. But not just the owner. The entire team must be personally invested in the outcome.

If the pizza guys aren’t invested the operation fails. That’s why their dedication to their craft is so essential. If the guys working the counter aren’t invested, things fall apart.

Your entire support team must be invested in your mission. It doesn’t work unless they feel ownership of the outcomes.

Check In With Your Business

Consider these elements in your business.

  • How many of these elements do you have in your business?
  • Where are you weak?
  • Where are you strong?

Or do you not even care? (Just wanted to see if you’re reading!)

Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Filed Under: Business Tagged With: business, case study, pizza, success

Trackbacks

  1. The Secret to Consistency in Your Business | Renée says:
    April 13, 2018 at 7:00 AM

    […] a previous installment in this series, I wrote about the consistency of Joe’s. A slice from Joe’s is predictable, from day to day and from branch to branch. In […]

    Reply
  2. 4 Essential Factors For Long-Term Success - Renée Fishman says:
    March 11, 2025 at 10:26 AM

    […] must be dedicated to the outcome you seek. That said, results and mastery take time. In the day-to-day of your […]

    Reply

Love it? Hate it? What do you think? Don't hold back...Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

The journey is better with friends!

Join a growing tribe of wisdom seekers who are committed to a life of meaning and purpose, and embrace a new paradigm of productivity.

I take your privacy and my integrity seriously. I won't spam you or sell your info. You can unsubscribe at any time.

WHAT’S EVERYONE READING?

  • The Missing Piece to Rumi’s Quote About Finding the Barriers You’ve Built Against Love
    The Missing Piece to Rumi’s Quote About Finding the Barriers You’ve Built Against Love
  • Venus Conjunct Chiron Teaches How to Heal Your Deepest Wounds
    Venus Conjunct Chiron Teaches How to Heal Your Deepest Wounds
  • Reflections On Turning 44: Transforming Double Death Into Blessing
    Reflections On Turning 44: Transforming Double Death Into Blessing
  • 3 Ways to Work With the Energy of Mercury Square Neptune
    3 Ways to Work With the Energy of Mercury Square Neptune
  • Life is Not Happening TO You; It’s Happening Through You
    Life is Not Happening TO You; It’s Happening Through You
  • The Real Meaning of The Wizard of Oz
    The Real Meaning of The Wizard of Oz
  • 7 Tips to Improve Your Time on CrossFit’s DT Workout
    7 Tips to Improve Your Time on CrossFit’s DT Workout
  • Mars Square Pluto: Reveal the Real Roots of Your Self-Sabotage
    Mars Square Pluto: Reveal the Real Roots of Your Self-Sabotage
  • 5 Tips for Alchemizing the Challenge of Mars/Saturn Opposition
    5 Tips for Alchemizing the Challenge of Mars/Saturn Opposition
  • Why We Fear an Empty Space
    Why We Fear an Empty Space

RECENT POSTS

  • 3 Types of Changes to Avoid Making During Uranus in Gemini
  • Full Moon in Capricorn: How to Take Action Amidst the Chaos
  • 10 Practical Strategies to Navigate the Shake-up of Uranus in Gemini
  • How Uranus in Gemini Will Stir the Pot —and Alchemize a New Order
  • 3 Things to Know About Uranus in Gemini
  • How to Reset Without Stopping
  • The Power of a Small Detour
  • The Freedom to Disrupt Yourself
  • 7 Tips For Constructive Conversations
  • 5 Pre-Requisites For Constructive Conversations

Archives

Categories

Explore

action ADHD astrology beliefs business change coaching communication creativity emotions energy fear fitness freedom goals habits healing holidays learning lessons life meaning mindfulness mindset nature personal development personal growth planning practice presence process productivity purpose rest rituals seasons self-awareness strategies success time time management trust vision writing yoga

Disclosure

Some of the links in some posts are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission.

Connect with Me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • Threads
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
  • YouTube

Get the Insider Scoop!

Not everything is on the blog. Sign up to receive ideas and strategies that I reserve only for insiders.

Thanks for subscribing!

Copyright © 2025 Renee Fishman · BG Mobile First · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in

%d