On the 11th of May 2023, Chef Hilda Baci began her 100 hours journey to beat the Guinness world record for the longest-time cooking. It was titled the Hilda Baci cook-a-thon and what started as a venture supported by family and friends was soon backed with love and support from millions across the globe.
Chef Hilda undertook the task of wanting to beat the existing Guinness world record for longest cook time by cooking for 100 hours from the 11th – the 15th of May 2023. The previous record was held by Chef Lata Tondon in 2019 who cooked for 87 hours and 58 minutes.
The Hilda Baci story has been one of the most exhilarating stories of the year 2023. Chef Hilda has inspired us all to remember that we can do what we set our minds to, but even more than that, her record-breaking cook-a-thon holds vital business lessons that every entrepreneur can and should learn from.
1. Work smart, not just hard
Hilda Baci’s decision to host her cook-a-thon in a public garden space where members of the public were encouraged to come and eat free meals from what was being made was a smart move.
There are no rules for world record attempts that restrict it to just private areas, so her team’s decision to host it in a venue where members of the public could stay all around and cheer her up helped with boosting her morale and kept her going.
This is a classic example of working smart. Working hard is great, but making certain strategic decisions will take you farther, at a much faster time.
2. Compounding pays off.
As seen in a video shared by Chef Hilda’s fitness trainer at Pure Fitness Africa, it was revealed that Chef Hilda had been on stamina training for the past 2 years, and had practised 24-hour dry runs to get her body ready for the event.
Her ability to stand on her feet and cook for 5 days is not something that came by chance. It is the results and proof of the hard work she put in to prepare her body and her mental health for the past 2 years.
Compounding will always pay off. Whether it’s in investment, or committing each day to fulfil a particular business goal like growing social media, keeping at it is the difference between businesses that succeed and some businesses that eventually fail.
Consistency is the bedrock for success both in business and in personal life.
3. Tenacity is needed for long-term business growth
More than the motivation and support she received from the public, Chef Hilda possessed one core quality every business owner should which is – tenacity.
Staying determined to finish what she had started despite her obvious exhaustion and reports of a stress-induced period, Chef Hilda carried through with her goal even if she had to shed some tears along the way.
According to research by the small business association, 80% of small businesses typically never make it past the 5-year mark. Being tenacious as a business owner and being determined to achieve your business goals in spite of challenges will make the difference between your business and others.
In more practical ways, tenacity can look like following through with your business’s content strategy, continuing a course on business structure so your business can stand without you if need be, going back to an accounting course to learn to manage your finances better and lots more.
We hope Chef Hilda has inspired you to keep at your business goals and aspirations because it is indeed possible.
These are the 3 key business lessons you can pick up from Chef Hilda’s cook-a-thon.
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