In a Class of Your Own? Why Your Vision Matters.

Can You See Our Vision or Does Smoke Get in Your Eyes?

In the olive oil business, we are always looking for innovative ways olive oil can be used, which leads to creative thinking as to what type of olive oil to create in the first place.  Many producers offer the basics, an EVOO, a citrus olive oil, and an herbed olive oil. A few blog posts ago, I quoted George Patton, who said, "If everybody is thinking alike, then someone isn't thinking."

We are one of the smallest olive oil producers amidst a sea of large olive oil producers, so we need to distinguish ourselves from the rest of the producers, try harder, work faster, and visualize concepts others have not yet tried.  Many times, customers ask what can be made with our oils.  We provide suggestions on our Facebook Page as well under "Mealtime Inspiration" on our blog page, but there are times when some just do not understand our concept.

Such is the case with our smoked olive oil.  We began testing this oil with customers last year, who loved it, so we decided to enter it in several competitions this year, just to see what the judges thought -- you know, the experts.  Issues and questions cropped up immediately from the people processing the entries.

The entry did not fit into any of the categories offered.  In response to this comment, I suggested, "We're in a class by ourselves."  My attempt at humor was lost, and if the person making the inquiry would have been near a door, she would have slammed it in my face.

Next came the discussions as to whether it was truly an infused oil.  Yes, yes, it is an infused oil.  It is infused with smoke.  "Smoke isn't a liquid."  My response?  "True, we did not use liquid smoke."  More questions:  "What did you use?"  More humor, "Smoke-smoke."  Terse retort, "That doesn't count."  It was even suggested that, perhaps, maybe it's not our time.  Our customers loved the smoked olive oil so much last year, that this year, we had pre-orders for it, so how far ahead of our time could we be?  Our time is now.

Competition season has wrapped up, and we have been reviewing the judge's comments.  As you can see from the above photo, the California State Fair judges understood our vision and awarded us gold.  One of the other judging panels reclassified us from the category of "Other" to "Herbed Oils."  Smoked olive oil is not an herbed olive oil and is not meant to compete with a basil olive oil, for instance.  Consequently, one of their complaints was that the oil tasted smokey.  Of course, that's where we were going with that concept.  If only they could have connected those last few dots.

It should be enough that our customers like it, a store is carrying it (because it is different), and it sells.  So why, then, does it bother me that some people cannot see our vision?  Why should we care? In the end, we should not care, as long as our customers love it, and yet . . .

A Run for the Rosés

The same thing recently happened with a wine we are creating, a Grenache Rosé.  In discussions with other winemakers, I described what I was doing with this wine and was told, "You can't do it that way."  I asked, "Why not?"  The response I received is, "Because it's just not done that way."  I asked more and more questions, "Will it damage the wine?"  The same answer kept coming back -- in fact, from different people -- "It's just not done that way."

As you can see from the photo above, the Grenache Rosé was bottled yesterday.  We have done it "that way."  We have people who want to buy cases of it -- cases.  We do not intend to sell this, it will be given as gifts to friends to enjoy over the summer.

All of these recent experiences have caused us to consider the following:

• Are there less innovative people in the world these days and a larger number who cannot see beyond the direction they are headed?

• Is it possible that the majority of people are too intractable and not willing to consider doing something a different way?

• Are inventors and creators, such as Nikola Tesla, generally always misunderstood and their visions rarely seen until years after their time?  Perhaps it is because the innovator is ahead of the herd, at the front of the trail and can see further into the distance than those behind.  

• How do creators continue to be creative, distinguish themselves, and proudly present their ideas when there are throngs of people just waiting to pierce holes in their vision?  

Conclusions -- What Can Be Learned?

It would be great if I could wrap this topic up with some philosophical conclusion, but I continue to ponder why people cannot encourage other's visions.  I have always been different.  When all the other little girls were princesses for Halloween, my father built life-sized dice and we were dice.  When the inevitable grumbling occurred, the response was, "Hey, do you want to be like everybody else?"  We did, and we grumbled more, but in the end, and over the years, we've realized that, no, we do not want to be like everyone else.

People may not embrace new ideas or the manner in which change comes about, some provide constructive input and some may step on other's dreams.  And admittedly, some of the concepts might not always work, but the world needs to have visionaries, dreamers, and idea people to provide a light to those who are in the middle of the herd or at the back of the herd or lost on the trail or in the dark. Better to stand in a class of one's own and keep focused on your vision.  Before you know it, others will begin to see that vision, as well, and then, it will be called inspiration.

Are you in a class of your own?  Why does your vision matter?