Never thought about the words All You Can Eat Sushi being together, in one phrase before until I saw this in a FB feed.

There are instances where unlike things that are fine-even great-on their own become something bigger and better when combined. This is synergy; peanut butter and jelly, concrete, and groups likeThe Beatles and the Traveling Wilburys are good examples.

But there are also elements that just should not be mixed together. Some are absolutely bad-like water and electricity. Others are more subjective-like J-Lo and A-Rod, pineapple on pizza, and oxymorons like the phrase jumbo shrimp, and yes,  All You Can Eat Sushi.

Because I’m wildly allergic to avocado, I steer clear of that cuisine, to avoid any chance of exposure. But even the most casual observer knows sushi is as much an institution as a meal.

Historians have placed the birth of sushi somewhere between 3-5 BC. Today, 10 years of training and apprenticeship precedes the title of Itamae, or Sushi Master. The craft, the process, the presentation, and the etiquette make Sushi as much an experience as a meal.

There is history, traditions, and yes, expectations. YET this Albany restaurant is an expansion. Meaning in challenging times, there was demand. People liked the first one in Saratoga Springs. They choose to go back, and probably bring their friends.

This story fascinates me. “Fascinates” is a strong word, but maybe because I’m a sushi-outsider?   I thought SNL’s dreaded “airport sushi”  was an outlier, that the path to sushi making and eating was stringent and narrow.

My takeaways for both life, and business: Of course, a knock-on-the-head reminder not to assume things. Be curious about the whats and the whys. Ask pertinent questions, and listen to the answers. And in work, always strive to be a problem-solver.

More On Expectations

We know the phrase “you get what you pay for”  Agree with the principal, hate the phrase itself. It sounds after-the-fact, cautionary, with tinges of unhappiness, even regret.

Knowing, and owning your expectations is the foundation to making good decisions, both life and business. It’s key to getting, or providing good service.

I prefer the 2.0 illustration: Cheap, Fast, or Good: Choose two because the third one-no matter which one it is-contradicts the other two. Here you have a choice. It’s proactive and without judgment.

Carrying the Message

Communicating about, and managing expectations is every bit a part of The Refreshed Home’s skill set as the technical, and our expertise. Conversations with new potential clients are typically equal parts of what they want, and how they want it to happen.

To that point, voting has started for Westchester Magazine’s 2022 Best of Westchester competition. Launched in 2007 as a user-friendly, collaborative way to solve design problems, we now have $800M with of staged and sold properties in the books. Regular readers and subscribers know this year our projects ranged from $155K 1BR co-ops to a waterfront family compound.

The Refreshed Home is going for the hat trick this year (for non-fans it’s a hockey term meaning 3rd time) by being voted Westchester’s Best Home Stager again. Can you help?

You can only vote once. AND must vote for a total of 5 categories for your ballot to count. If you’re so inclined, please make The Refreshed Home, Home Stager of White Plains one of those five.  Every. Vote. Counts. Here’s the ballot. Wish me luck, and thank you!!