The Hot Dog Method • How a Cheap Snack Built an Empire
Jo Rawald • May 6, 2025

Imagine losing money every time you make a sale… and choosing to do it anyway.
That’s exactly what Costco has done - for 40 years straight
- with their $1.50 hot dog + soda combo.
Yep. One dollar. Fifty cents. No inflation. No markup. No apology.
And when someone on the leadership team had the nerve to suggest raising the price?
Costco co-founder Jim Sinegal flat-out said, "If you raise the price of the hot dog, I will kill you."
Savage? Maybe. Strategic? 1000%.
Because he got something most business owners miss entirely… => Not everything you sell is about profit. Some things are about perception.
That hot dog isn’t just a cheap meal. It’s a statement:
“We’re not here to nickel-and-dime you. We’re here to treat you right.”
And guess what? That tiny loss leader earns them billions in customer loyalty, trust, and recurring revenue.
I call this the Hot Dog Method:
🌭 Sacrifice something small.
🌭 Earn something massive.
🌭 Make it memorable.
Every business can have a $1.50 hot dog moment:
🌭 A bonus your clients didn’t see coming
🌭 A “damn, no one else does that” type of policy
🌭 A ridiculously over-delivered offer that makes them tell 3 friends
The key?
Don’t hide it. Flaunt it. Repeat it. Build a reputation around it.
Make it so obvious your clients can point and say,
“That’s why I work with her. No one else shows up like that.”
So here’s your million-dollar reflection:
What’s YOUR $1.50 hot dog?
Find it. Double down on it. Then sit back and watch your referrals multiply like Costco memberships in January.

You ever walk into Costco for one thing, and leave wondering what the heck just happened to your life? That was me last night. All I needed was paper towels. Just one 12-pack brick of industrial absorbency, thank you very much. But the moment I stepped through those magical warehouse doors, it all unraveled. First, I saw a velvet chaise lounge I definitely don’t need. Then - it was a six-tier spice rack. A kayak. A weighted blanket. A 5-lb tub of Gummy Bears I haven’t stopped thinking about. By the time I made it to checkout, I was $312 deep in, “Maybe I’ll use this someday ” purchases. And that’s when it hit me. This is exactly what shiny object syndrome looks like. Not just in Costco. In business. You start with a clear goal - launch a course, a new service or a new product, finish your website, close three new clients. But somewhere along the way, you get distracted by someone else’s launch, a new app, a Canva template you’ll definitely use one day. You buy a course. Download a funnel template. Rebrand your business at midnight. Before you know it, you’re carting around half-baked ideas and unopened tools you never actually needed, and your real revenue-generating work is buried under distractions. It’s a costly habit. Not just in money but, in time, clarity, confidence, and momentum. Here’s your wake-up call => If it doesn’t drive sales, systems, or sanity - put it back on the shelf. You don’t need more stuff. You need a strategy that works. One that moves your business forward with intention and impact. So if you’re tired of carting around the chaos, and ready to focus on what actually gets results - I got you. Check out the free resources on my site or book a quick call. No pressure. Just clarity, next steps, and a bold plan that keeps your eyes on the prize. Download your free Focus to Profit Blueprint so, the next time distraction shows up dressed as a business breakthrough, you’ll know the difference. With Grace & Grit, Jo Jo Rawald Growth Architect for Women Entrepreneurs | Lean Six Sigma Black Belt 📞 (305) 934-0006 | ✉️ jo@jorawald.com www.JoRawald.com | @xojorawald www.QueenKongBiz.com | @queenkongbiz

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🍷 Dinner, wine, and your profit breakthrough: www.jorawald.com/Brains-Brilliance-and-Bold-Moves

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Read it. Apply it. Start making smart money moves →
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Let’s fix that.
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