Only Two Kinds of Business Owners In Line for an iPhone Today

As I left my apartment around 7:45am this morning, I was wondering why there were thousands of people waiting in a line that wrapped around several blocks. Then it hit me: I live around the block from the Apple Store on the Upper West Side, and today, the new iPhone came out. 

I could not believe how the line encircled several blocks (see picture). Why would anyone wait for hours (or an entire day) just to get a product on the first day it comes out?  I mean, I know the product is cool, and I am a big fan of Apple (see my post on Applefying your company), but to spend somewhere from six to 24 hours for a phone is something I can't imagine doing. Then again, I am a busy business owner so maybe I'm different.

Then I started wondering if any of the people on line were business owners. After a few minutes I determined there are two types of business owners that might be in line for an iPhone. The first is the business owner who is the entrepreneur we all want to be. She has her business running really well and everyone knows what they need to do. She could stay out of the office for a month and the company would be running fine. She is also making plenty of money, so if she wants to wait in line for ten hours in 90-degree heat for a new toy, that is her prerogative. She earned it.

The second type of business owner waiting in line loves new toys, too. But she plays with toys way too often (and surfs on the web all the same). So her business isn't doing that well, and because of that she has nothing better to do with her time. She also rationalizes that the new iPhone will make her more productive and get her business on track. She is delusional.

On another note, what did all those other people in line who have a job tell their bosses?