Guest post by Annette A. Penney, BA(Hons), MA – BOOK REVIEW: Startin’ the Fire by George Hensler

I have a real treat for all of my readers, A guest post from Annette A. Penney, BA(Hons), MA

Annette has really taken a great interest in BBQ Just like I have in the last couple of years.

Annette is a Social Media Specialist and Founder of one of Canada’s cutting-edge social media marketing companies in the Toronto area.

Her clients are all across the globe including Canada, the United States, and Denmark.

Annette and her team take companies who want to grow and put them at the top of their game by utilizing internet marketing strategies designed uniquely for their sector.

Inspire and Acquire can be followed on Twitter @InspiredAnnette  and liked on Facebook

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Thank-you for adding some great content to my blog, Annette… Take it away!

BOOK REVIEW: Startin’ the Fire by George Hensler

BY:  Annette A. Penney, BA(Hons), MA

       Social Media Specialist, Founder of Inspire and Acquire

Click on the book cover to be directed to Amazon where you can purchase the book

I have admitted it before, embarrassing but true, I know very little about the barbeque industry, barbeque food, and barbeque restaurants. What I do know however, is how to conduct research (my background is research consulting) and I know how to identify good writing. When George Hensler asked me to review his book I was thrilled that he would consider me as someone sufficiently qualified. I promised myself I would not disappoint George.

THE PROCESS

Read           

First, I read the book of course. George’s writing style makes this book easy to read – the content is clear, the descriptions are precise and the advice is about as practical as you’re ever going to read on this subject. This is the best kind of “how to” book you want to read; want to know why? It was written by someone with real life experience. I happen to think this is extremely important. In fact if you read my Twitter bio you will see that the first line reads, “An academic with real life experience.” I put that there because no amount of studying replaces real life experience. George applies his real life experiences as part of a competitive BBQ team to this book which renders great benefit to the reader and wannabe competitor.

Interview

Secondly, I interviewed someone with competition barbeque experience – Darin Evans. Darin competes with the River Rat Competition BBQ & Catering Team in Brockville, ON as well as the Black Pig Competition BBQ Team in London, ON.  Without revealing the contents of the book to Darin, I asked him straight out, “What are the really important things someone would need to know about starting a competition BBQ team?” My rationale was that I would discover first-hand what the essential knowledge requirements would be from a pro-level competitor, and then I would compare these to the content in Startin’ the Fire. The reason why I chose Darin out of all of the BBQ competitors out there is because I have had numerous conversations with him over the last number of months and one thing I can assure you, Darin is passionate about every aspect of barbequing and he is extremely knowledgeable.

Darin began answering my question by first emphasizing that even after a few years of competing, you can still be at the amateur level and have a lot left to learn. Personally, I think this is his way of remaining humble – an admirable trait in any individual. Darin outlined the most important things to know about starting a competition BBQ team including:

• BBQ Classes. Enroll in BBQ classes like the ones offered by DivaQ. Find out who is offering classes in your area and enroll! These classes start at beginner and go right up to the pro level. They are oftentimes quite affordable, starting at $15 per class. This is a great opportunity to learn from a pro. Another consideration would be to register for a judging class; these classes are available in most states and provinces.
• BBQ Associations/Societies. Join the BBQ associations in your state and country such as the Kansas City Barbecue Society in the United States or the Canadian Southern BBQ Association in Canada. In Canada, the CSBA has a mentoring program where you can enroll and see first-hand what barbequing is all about. Technically, you are allowed to participate in only 2 classes; whole hog and competition class. This is an apprenticeship that has enormous value to the wannabe competitor.
• BBQ Competitors. Get to know some people on the competitive ribfest and competition circuits and pick their brains. Use opportunities to mingle with them to ask them questions. Ask if you can join a competitive team and learn. BBQers are a unique group of people; they’re warm and friendly and will bend over backwards to help out the next person. They’re by far the most friendly and kind people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.
• Research and Product Development. Get as much information from as many sources as you can about the learning process involved in competitive barbequing. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and jump in when the opportunities arise and get your hands dirty. Utilize every possible tool out there including online radio shows, books, Facebook groups, online forums, and BBQ blogs.

Research

Finally, I conducted a Google search of the term “how to start a BBQ competition team.” Considering the plethora of various types of BBQ books out there, I assumed that I would have to scan a large list of books like George’s. Wrong! I did come across some interesting blog posts and articles, such as How to start a BBQ Competition Team on a Shoestring Budget, but there weren’t any books on the subject. What this means is that Startin’ a Fire fills an important knowledge gap. If you’re going to take on a venture of this enormity, you need a comprehensive book to guide you.

My Conclusion

If you’re never going to compete in barbeque, would this book interest you? Why would you even buy this book? If you love BBQ, you are a part of the BBQ community online (you joined one of those BBQ groups on Facebook or you follow BBQ’ers on Twitter to get their recipes), or you attend ribfests and BBQ competitions, this book is for you. George’s explanation of absolutely everything you need to know about how to start a competition team means that after reading this book you will attend your next ribfest or competition with a better understanding of: the KCBS rules; how judges choose the winners; what to look for in good BBQ, and you will have a renewed respect for what the teams go through just for the opportunity to compete. George even provides a glossary of BBQ terms (do you know what “shigging” means?). From what I can ascertain, George covered every important aspect of competitive barbequing.

Let’s not forget the true value of barbeque, folks: it’s about the people. Thank you for that reminder George (chapter 8).

Startin’ the Fire can be purchased online at Amazon.com

You can find George on Facebook, and on his competition team’s (Who Are Those Guys?) Blog.