We all think this Internet thing, technology and even the way consumers interact with us is so new and so well. . . hi-tech.. Fact is that most of us over the age of 35 know things about our society and our own lives that make us shake our head and simply say, "I can't remember the last time I faxed something."

Why is it so hard for the smartest people in organizations to understand that "Next" really does mean progress and growth. Not fear and uncertainty. To all the naysayers and all those still carrying the Motorola Brick Phone please just wake up to reality and understand the mind IS as terrible thing to waste.

We are growing faster and better in so many ways.. In a recent blog post by my friend and mentor Seth Godin, he asked the simple question - Do we have just too much stuff that affects our lives on a daily basis? Too much content, too much information too many restaurants, too many websites too many cable stations, too many movies, too many products to buy, too many publications to read, and even too many people in our lives?

Here is my take, this is evolution at it's finest. Our minds are capable of so much more. Why are we discounting the human race to the past instead of the future? The future holds the key to so many amazing things in life and in business. Global socialization is upon us for the first time in the history of man, borders no longer matter on the Internet, language becomes unified, culture begins to mix and the reality of one people, the human race is within sight.

I know, you ask why and how does this affect the restaurant business? Let me think? We impact lives everyday of just about everyone in the free world. We influence government, we drive global consumer trends, we aid those in need in times of hardship, we provide more than 100 million jobs worldwide, we build dreams and we provide the very core of human existence. We as restaurateurs must know what’s “Next is now” it’s not just our job but also our responsibility.

And this is just Canada.