A BlackBerry "Time Out"

Wonder what would happen if we tossed out our BlackBerry's… In this week's issue of Business Week, a scrapping entrepreneur demonstrates to all BlackBerry addicts that you can make money without the techno frills. “Miller Farm, a Pennsylvania food producer has grown the business to $1.8 million in annual sales from less than half that four years ago. The farm is so busy it's turning away orders from food cooperatives around the country,” the magazine reports.

The owner is 32-year old Amos Miller, an Amish man who lives without elecricity, a car, cell phone, email, website, Facebook page, Twitter handle, textin, CRM software, computer, electricity, fax machine, scanner or a copier. Can you imagine? Probably not. We have lived so long with our technology that few of us would know what to do without it. Me included.

As part of their religious beliefs the Amish do not use modern-day conveniences or things some of us would call essentials today (aka a cell phone).

The article reports that back in 2000 Amos and his father decided that they would promote nutrient-dense food since that market was about to grow exponentially. They heard from customers and representatives of organizations that promote these foods, nutrient-dense food was about to be the next rage. And so they focused on expanding their offerings and it’s paid off big time. They can’t meet the demand.

What is most inspiring is how Amos and his father have done it all with something pretty basic…listening to their customers and being innovative. When so many companies and organizations are investing millions in technology, I can’t help to wonder if all this money was invested in the basics – picking up the phone to speak with customers or visiting them in person, listening to what customers have to say, providing excellent service, caring for employees exponentially - and then expanding and innovating, how different companies would look and feel. I bet employees would be more productive, revenue numbers would be up and expenses would be way down…a CEO and CFO’s dream. And our BlackBerry’s may be on a temporary “time out.”