Position Yourself for "Overnight" Success

You’ve probably never heard of H. David Dalquist but chances are that you have heard of (and most likely used) his creation. In 1950, the Minneapolis chapter of Hadassah (Women’s Zionist Organization in America) wanted to bake European-style cakes. But they sought pans constructed with more modern materials than the conventional heavy pans used in the ‘Old Country.’

A chemical engineer by profession, Dalquist designed a thin, lightweight circular baking pan patterned after an original German design. But he added a distinctive variation that made all the difference—creased folds in the pan that made baked cakes more visually appealing and easier to slice.

The women of the Hadassah society loved the new design and named it a “bund” pan (German for ‘group’ or ‘organization’).  Dalquist added a ‘t’ and wisely trademarked his invention as a ‘Bundt’ pan. But even though the women of the Hadassah society loved Dalquist’s new design, the new pans did not catch on with the general public… for 16 years. Until 1966, when—as luck would have it—a Texas homemaker used a Dalquist Bundt pan for her Tunnel of Fudge cake in the National Pillsbury Bake-Off. The cake won second prize and suddenly “overnight” bakers across America clamored for Bundt pans to bake their own Tunnel of Fudge cakes and other culinary creations. When Dalquist died at age 86, his company—Nordic Ware—had sold more than 50 million Bundt pans to amateur and professional chefs around the globe.  
 
Nobody is really an “overnight success.” You must prepare for success now, so when that big break does occur, you’ll be able to benefit. Be like H. David Dalquist, who had the foresight to trademark his creation to benefit from success at a future date. See possibilities and opportunities before your competitors do. And when you do, act. Don’t wait a few days or weeks. Act today. This hour. This minute. Now. (By the way, why are you still reading this? Get going.)

Lay the foundation for future ‘overnight’ success by taking decisive action now.