I take around four to six eggs and crack them into a bowl. Next, I add a sprinkle of cinnamon, a dash of salt, and one cup of milk.

Then I add my secret ingredient that is one, or sometimes two, fresh vanilla beans. I split the vanilla bean down the middle, and scrape out the fresh black vanilla beans.

The trick to making great French Toast is to use a medium hot pan and unsalted butter. When the butter is frothy, but not burning, your pan is ready.

Dip your bread in the egg mixture, coating both sides, and place in the pan.

Cook your toast slowly. You only want to flip it once.

Serve the golden brown toast with pure maple syrup, fresh berries, and the absolute best quality bacon you can afford.FrenchToast.jpg

This is the breakfast recipe I make every Sunday morning when my in-laws spend the weekend with us. I’ve followed the recipe so many times, it’s now ingrained in my mind. It’s second nature. I’d be willing to say – it’s perfect.

Business success works the same way. The recipes, and nearly everything you need to succeed, are already out there. The recipes have already been tweaked and tested. Others have already worked out the kinks.

Baking, and I know French Toast isn’t really “baking”, but baking rarely works when you don’t follow a recipe.

Why do so many of us insist on trying something on our own without a recipe?

When you screw up your cooking recipe, though, you can go out and buy more ingredients and try again. Other things, important things, can’t be so easily replaced.