The One FREE Lunch Request That Didn’t Get Rejected

Patrick McFadden • June 7, 2013

If you want to go further, faster and make your dreams become reality.  It takes only one simple action:  Enlist the help of the best coaches and instructors you can afford. The goal is to tap into their experience and learn from it, you can get to where you want to go faster and with fewer missteps along the journey.

Below is an excerpt from one of my mentors Dan Miller of 48Days. Dan has been seen on CBS, MSNBC, Success Magazine, Fox Business, and many more giving career and work advice. Dan’s advice and experience has definitively played a crucial part in my success and growth. He recently wrote a post about a 27-yr old aspiring entrepreneur who wanted to have lunch with him and here’s what he said:

“I receive lots of requests from people wanting to buy me lunch.  Obviously, as I normally only eat lunch about once a day, I have to reject most of those requests.  However, recently I received a special looking envelope.  When I opened it up a very elaborate coupon fell out.  It stated  ONE FREE LUNCH  across the top.  It stated,  “This coupon entitles the holder to one free lunch and brainstorming session at the restaurant of their choosing.”   At the bottom it included some humor:   “Not valid in Greenland or Cuba.”   The accompanying letter was straightforward:   “My intention is not an attempt at luring you into working on a project with me – quite the contrary.  In fact, my intention is simply to briefly tap into your creativity in a brainstorming and critique session…………..I hope you’ll look at this opportunity not as me attempting to weasel advice from you, but rather as a chance to have an intense creative session over some great food.”

I met this 27-yr-old aspiring entrepreneur for lunch recently.  He is extremely well read and has created a workable plan to launch his business.  It was a delightful time as he promised.”

There’s two important lessons that I don’t want to skip over.

  1. First then 27-yr old did something remarkable and we know it’s remarkable (worth making a remark about) because Dan wrote a post about it.
  2. Secondly, he  enlisted the help of the best coaches and instructors he could afford through offering a free lunch. Sometimes the most you can afford is to check out a book from the library, offer a free lunch or etc. Don’t worry about it. Focus on what you can afford and do that.

In the end, you’ll accomplish more than you ever dreamed possible. And you can do it faster and with better results if you just enlist the assistance of the right help and do what they say.

Question: Do you have some ideas on how to enlist the help you need to succeed?

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Forget “Perfect Workspaces.” Customers Want Perfect Installation Days — Here’s What Happened When One Furniture Installation Company Got That Right

By Patrick McFadden • March 31, 2025
1. The Challenge: VMI was like many service providers — positioning their value around what they thought clients wanted : “Office furniture installation and assembly — let us handle creating your perfect workspace.” But the actual buyers — facility managers, project managers, furniture reps — weren’t looking for “perfect workspaces.” They were trying to avoid installation nightmares . Their real priority? ✅ Great installation days. ✅ No chaos. ✅ No missed deadlines. ✅ No angry phone calls from clients. 2. The Insight: After conducting stakeholder interviews under our marketing strategy consulting engagement , the Indispensable Marketing team uncovered critical feedback: “We need installers who maintain a professional site and follow instructions.” “We lose relationships when installations go badly.” “I need quotes back quickly or I can’t sell the job.” This wasn’t just about services , it was about trust, problem-solving , and professional reliability . So we reframed their differentiators not by what they did, but how they showed up : Same-day project quotes Problem-solving on-site Update protocol with clients Professionalism guarantee Lasting Impression Insurance 3. The Shift: We shifted the positioning from vague benefits to real-world, emotional triggers : Instead of: “Let us create your perfect workspace.” Now: “Get the perfect installation day, every time.” That subtle shift aligns with who’s actually buying (and who feels the pain when things go wrong). The end-user may care about the workspace. But the buyer cares about the install . 4. The Lesson for Others: If you’re selling a service, don’t describe what you do. Describe what the client wants to avoid or achieve — and who the real buyer is. Then, systematize what you’re already doing well and give it a name. Just like our team did with: “Same Day Quotes” “Lasting Impression Insurance” “Reliable Presence Protocol” 5. The Outcome Within weeks of updating their messaging and positioning: The company reported more qualified leads asking the right questions Furniture reps began referring them because they were “easy to work with and made them look good” They were shortlisted for larger, multi-phase projects due to increased confidence in their process But most importantly, they stopped competing on price — because they weren’t selling perfect workspaces anymore. They were selling peace of mind on installation day.

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