Mileage: Maximixing Your Profits...

Beth celebrated a milestone birthday on Wednesday.

As a surprise, I took her and PJ to Celebrity Chef Rick Bayless' [rickbayless.com] restaurant here in Chicago.

It was an exciting treat for Beth, a big Bayless fan, to actually see Rick, get an autographed copy of his new book and to meet his daughter Lanie (a frequent guest on his PBS cooking-travelogue.)

It was also an exciting treat for me to see how this Entrepreneur has made the most of his brand. Bayless doesn't own one restaurant, he has three, all in a row, ranging from white tablecloth to high-end fast food, one containing a full service bar. (We had lunch at one, strolled around town, took a boat tour, watched a movie filming, and had dinner at another Bayless spot.) He also sells books, DVDs. and bottles of his various branded Mexican sauces.

Doing this, he's able to serve a broad range of patrons no matter how deep their pockets. And the place was buzzing like I'd never imagine for a Wednesday.

Takeaway: Are you missing any profit centers? What do fans want from your brand? Advice? Training? Accessories?