Penny's Milkshakes
Something that everyone wants—but that everyone wants to outsource instead of to simply do.
Another metonym to popularize, unfortunately one I see becoming more common in the coming decades.
Motivation
A “Field Day and Trade Show” is the direct predecessor of a technical conference. Geographically distributed people interested in the same practical or theoretical niche come together to discuss, network, and see demonstrations from vendors who serve the industry. Practitioners benefit from making face-to-face friendships, both with peers and with business partners. Vendors benefit from direct contact, enough that they will purchase booth space and (often) sponsor the logistical costs of the free-to-attend event.
The conviviality of a practical niche’s Field Day and Trade Show (see for example Husker Harvest Days) encourages attendance and overall strengthens the niche’s praxis as well as its sense of self. Equipment vendors vie to have the largest (or smallest) tractors on site, the most interactive sprayer nozzle display. Undifferentiable commodity vendors (whose sales successes depend more on personal relationships and service than on product quality) often take a different tack, offering free cold drinks to foster good feelings among practitioners at the event.
The metonym’s namesake, Penny, sold fertilizer for a regional vendor. Penny was dynamic and engaging, and each year at her niche’s Field Day & Trade Show, she brought a freezer truck, ice cream, and a blender—and served milkshakes to practitioners all day. She brought a lot of smiles and a lot of good feelings, and the milkshakes (combined with prompt, honest, friendly service in delivering her wares) made her one of the most successful salesmen in the niche.
Vacancy of Agenc
Alas, after 20 years in her role, another company headhunted Penny, and she left our niche for another. The first year she wasn’t present, all the practitioners asked “Where’s Penny? Where are the milkshakes?”
And that winter, as the next Field Day & Trade Show was being planned, several other fertilizer dealers asked “since Penny’s gone, can I sponsor milkshakes?” “Sure!” said the organizer. “Ok, who do I call?” “Call? You bring a freezer truck, and ice cream, and a blender…” “Oh, no no, I want to sponsor the milkshakes. Can’t I hire someone to do it?” There is, of course, no one to hire. Someone would simply have to show up and make milkshakes.
It’s been about 5 years since the departure of Penny, and many vendors have “asked permission”— and been give “permission”—to take over the milkshake mantle. But nobody has yet actually rented a freezer truck and shown up with ice cream and a blender.
Definition
“Penny’s Milkshakes” represent a good that produced positive externalities and internalities—the product of one person’s agency and initiative. Penny’s Milkshakes are something that everyone wants—but that everyone wants to outsource instead of to simply do.