Thank You David
On June 21st 2021, David Perell gave ZIKI a shout out in his newsletter post showing why feedback matters.
ZIKI is the Greek-Mexican restaurant concept in Austin, TX that our CEO, team, and myself have built through the past 2 ½ years.
David’s newsletter post on June 21 was written at a time when Sweetgreen was using seed oils (an unhealthy oil that is used as a cooking agent or preservative in many modern-day foods in America). Since then, they stopped using seed oils in their 200+ establishments.
Fast forward to April, 28th 2023.
David got our CEO’s attention. An interview was scheduled to take place at our downtown ZIKI location.
During the interview, Nick learned that David is an avid fan of ZIKI. He eats at our locations like super-customers shop at Costco.
In being such a passionate customer of ZIKI, along with being the detailed, high quality individual that he is, David went above and beyond in more ways than one.
See, after the day of the interview between, it was only several weeks later in which David sent an email to Nick, detailing helpful feedback on his likes and dislikes for ZIKI.
David took his time to write an email that was the length of 2-3 Google doc pages.
This was powerful.
His email described the intricacies he saw in our operations that only the most loyal of loyal customers see. David’s feedback was truthful, not harsh. As Warren Buffet once said, “Honesty is a very expensive gift; just don’t expect it from cheap people.”1 Such honest feedback gave Nick, and our team, action items to make our business better.
Why am I sharing this story with you?
Giving great feedback matters – whether it be within a private email or on the internet town square of X – is a win-win. No wonder its adversary is dubbed “cheap talk”.
As Tim Ferriss says, “There is a glut of mediocrity in the world. Don’t contribute to it… Experimentation is fine, but publishing mediocrity when you could do better is lazy.”
To give feedback like it’s the last time we will ever be able to speak, shows an unparalleled level of care.
David Perell did it well with ZIKI. Because of that, he not only got our CEO’s attention, but it hooked me, as well. So much so that I opted into taking his writing course, Write of Passage, in the fall of 2023.
And Then Some
This past Saturday, I was reading a Christian devotional that perfectly encapsulated what feedback reverberations.
It talked about how God is looking for people with an “and then some” attitude.
It quoted the verse Genesis 24:19, “After she had given him a drink, she said ‘I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.’”
Rebekah was the one who gave water to the man and his camels – as it was common in the Middle Eastern culture during that time to offer someone a cup of water as a welcoming gesture. But what Rebekah did was above and beyond the norm.
A camel can hold 40 gallons of water, and she gave all of them water until they couldn’t drink anymore.
Jesus said, “If a man compels you to go a mile and carry his bag for him, you are to go the second mile without being asked.”
The point of this story is to go above and beyond.
Feedback matters and is a way of going above and beyond.
It enhances relationships, serves as an accountability partner, and attracts like-minded people to each other.
It’s a ripple effect of wins… and with the serendipity of the internet, those wins can go on forever.
Trying it For Myself
January 26, 2023.2
A day in which curiosity and spontaneity drove me to my share of serendipity – God’s divine timing.
Instead of going straight into our company’s HQ on this Friday morning, I took a few detours thanks to the GPS of my curiosity. It led me to a new diner.
This diner’s grand opening happened to be on this exact day that I went about my morning differently.
What are the odds of that?
As I strolled into this 70s style diner, I was greeted with a welcome as though I was the only human existing on earth.
Smiles, handshakes, and hello’s were given to me in abundance.
To this day, I couldn’t forget the staff members’ names: China, James, Rosie, Jaden, Aaron, Kiki, and Jamie.
The diner’s name is The Toasty Badger. It has a classic 70s vibe. The aesthetic of the diner is old fashioned. The lighting on each table is perfectly set as though they are key lights for a movie set. The staff wear uniforms that match the 70s vibe.
The experience was so good that I am reminiscing about that juicy, double stacked Wagyu-Angus burger right now. The diner itself also makes me want to get a newspaper, 80s cap, and smoke a cigar while drinking black coffee.
The Toasty Badger is now my next-store-office-neighbor, so I decided to write a detailed message to the holding company about my exact experience.
I gave them feedback about my experience and got a nice reply from the team.
I will continue giving them detailed, loving feedback about my experiences, along with posting about them online.
What comes of it is beneficial for all.
A BIG thank you to the the intellectual, curious, and awesome
for helping me edit this essay.
Here is my website — you can find more stories, quotes, and deep dives here.
Each comment is helpful feedback for me to become a better writer and also connect with you more – let me know your thoughts on this piece
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