People say things like that to me about Toppers all the time

And my canned response is always:

“There’s a lot of people that built Toppers.”

What has it taken to build Toppers?

TIME.  We all invest our time to physically and mentally show up at Toppers.  Our time is our most valuable resource in our lives.  My time in my life is not worth more than a driver’s time in her life!  We both spend our time at Toppers.  In that we are partners.

PASSION and COMMITMENT.  When people tell me they feel my passion, I know that my actions are aligned with my heart.  I’m expressing what is in me through what I am saying and doing.  To say the least, I am passionate about Toppers.  It is certainly my life work.  

And so it is for so many people in Toppers Nation.  I am not alone in this endeavor of pouring my guts out to making Toppers special on a constant basis year after year after year!  Simona, Andy, Sally, Beth, Tish, Matt, Denise, Bill, Paige, Eric, Kelly, Scott, Kendall, and countless others.  My dedication is extreme, but no more than so many others!  In that we are partners.

MONEY.  There have been scores of people that have put ALL of their money into Toppers.  I mean they have risked their houses to open a Toppers store, just like I did (actually I was renting, but I risked being able to pay the rent!).  We are taking a risk together.  Partners.

RESPONSIBILITY TO OTHERS.  When I first opened Toppers I thought to myself “I have nothing to lose.  I saved $30,000 working in a restaurant.  I’m young.  If I lose it all, I will simply start over.  No problem.”  

What I didn’t realize was that 15 minutes after clicking that first OPEN sign, there were 15 people counting on me!  Now there are 2000 Toppers people, their families, vendors and their families, and hundreds of thousands of customers that are counting on me.  And Caro, Greg, Paige, Dana, Noll, Dale, Colleen, etc.  You get it.  Partners.

IDEAS.  I am credited with the founding vision for Toppers:  The fast delivery pizza place with unique toppings and recipes.  In fact it was more than me that created that vision.  And before we were even open Dale was working on the sauce recipe and how we would mix dough.  Rebbie created the logo and brand identity elements.  And on and on.  A million ideas have made Toppers what it is today, and only some are mine.  My job is more to listen today!  The creative beast that Toppers has become is a beautiful mash-up from hundreds or even thousands of creative minds of Toppers Nation past and present.  Partners.

Listen, I recognize that I have a unique role, responsibility and history at Toppers, and that I am special and that I matter.  My mom and dad were Social Workers, so I was raised to believe that.  My point is:

We all do!

See you out there.  

Love,  Scott

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