Be a curator

You don't make a great museum by putting all the art in the world into a single

room. That's a warehouse. What makes a museum great is the stuff that's not on

the walls. Someone says no. A curator is involved, making conscious decisions

about what should stay and what should go. There's an editing process. There's a

lot more stuff off the walls than on the walls. The best is a sub-sub-subset of all

the possibilities.

It's the stuff you leave out that matters. So constantly look for things to

remove, simplify, and streamline. Be a curator. Stick to what's truly essential.

Pare things down until you're left with only the most important stuff. Then do it

again. You can always add stuff back in later if you need to.

Zingerman's is one of America's best-known delis. And it got that way

because its owners think of themselves as curators. They're not just filling their

shelves. They're curating them.

There's a reason for every olive oil the team at Zingerman's sells: They believe

each one is great. Usually, they've known the supplier for years. They've visited

and picked olives with them. That's why they can vouch for each oil's authentic,

full-bodied flavor.

For example, look how the owner of Zingerman's describes Pasolivo Olive Oil

on the company Web site:

I tasted this oil for the first time years ago, on a random recommendation and

sample. There are plenty of oils that come in nice bottles with very endearing

stories to tell--this was no exception--but most simply aren't that great. By

contrast Pasolivo got my attention as soon as I tasted it. It's powerful, full and

fruity. Everything I like in an oil, without any drawbacks. It still stands as one

of America's best oils, on par with the great rustic oils of Tuscany. Strongly

recommended.

*

The owner actually tried the oil and chooses to carry it based on its taste. It's

not about packaging, marketing, or price. It's about quality. He tried it and knew

his store had to carry it. That's the approach you should take too.