On a trip that also took me to Frankfurt Central Station, I saw clear evidence of this once again.

Right behind the main entrance, on the right, was the proof. In Frankfurt, a white line leads from the entrance toward the train platforms. Right along this path, a café had placed a sign that read: “Café to Go—1 Euro.” You couldn’t miss this sign; you even had to be careful not to bump into it. In the photo above, you can see not only this sign but also that there’s no one inside the shop. I stood there for quite a while, and no one went in. Really, no one.

Right next to this discount store, there’s a Starbucks. Now, everyone knows that coffee is significantly more expensive there. In Switzerland, a Venti latte costs 7.20 CHF, which is about 6 euros! Wouldn’t you expect that, in these much-touted times of crisis, Starbucks would be empty and the coffee shop selling 1-euro coffee would be packed?

Here in the photo, you can see that the reality is different. At Starbucks, there’s a line of people waiting to order. We don’t just buy coffee; we don’t just want the product—we want more than just the merchandise, and we’re willing to pay for it even in times of crisis.

In my consulting work, I see time and again how difficult it can be to show startup entrepreneurs—and even long-established businesspeople—that success is actually quite simple. But success isn’t just about price. I took these photos in the main hall of Frankfurt’s Central Station. Thousands of people pass through there every day. Who notices the difference? Who draws the right conclusion from it, who recognizes what makes for success, and that success can even mean a higher profit margin? You don’t have to like this or think it’s right. But you should be able to recognize it and see once again how close success and failure are to one another. In the photo below, it’s now clear to see that both stores are literally right next to each other.

Money isn't the main issue,

Money isn't the main issue.

Sincerely,

Wolfgang Georg Sonnenburg

Winning for Life