The e-myth is over. Franchises are passe. What customers are looking for now is a sense of humanity and individual experience, not cookie-cutter interactions.

The concept behind franchising is simple: you take a business that worked once, document everything down to the brand of toilet paper to use, and then replicate that business somewhere else. Copy and paste. This seemingly sure-fire formula proved to be enticing for many wanna-be business owners, and so franchises spread like viruses across the country.

The end result was that we, the customers, now faced the same rote transactions from these smaller businesses as we did from the larger chain stores. There was no relief from the overwhelming standardization. We had no break from the forced smiles and ritual interactions with service personnel, who were forced to attempt to up-sell us, every time, in the exact same way.

This leaves a huge niche open for a new authenticity movement in business. One that acknowledges that people are quirky and unpredictable, and that businesses can be too. It's about finding that sweet spot between quality control and letting the reins loose. This manifesto will explore how to build authenticity in your own business, and create a world that's a little more human for us all.

About lucky13kat: | Kathleen Hildenbrand opened her first retail business, Lucky 13 Hair Salon, four years ago in Columbus, Ohio. This low-budget indie shop recently was voted Best Hair Salon in Columbus for the second time by readers of Columbus Alive, the local independent weekly.

Web site: http://lucky13salon.com