I bet when you read the title you were thinking I must be kidding about becoming a “go-to” lawyer for the “hot sauce industry, but I am not.

Do a Google search. Just put in the search terms “Fastest Growing Industries.” You will find many articles with the same information on the fastest growing industries. Last April, the Washington Post WonkBlog posted:  The top 10 fastest-growing U.S. industries (Hint: Think hot sauce).

I found another interesting article on the Mother Nature Network: Why hot sauce is one of America’s fastest-growing industries. The article begins with:

By 2017, hot sauce production in the U.S. is expected to be a $1.3 billion industry.

If you look further, you will find a Shape Magazine Article: The World’s Hottest Food Trend. My strong feeling is that unless Mayor Bloomberg outlaws hot sauce in New York City, it will remain a hot food item.

So, just suppose you wanted to become the “go-to” lawyer for the hot sauce industry, what would you do? First, I think it would be important to really like hot sauces. If you don’t really like them, I doubt you will do well representing companies in the industry.

Assume, you put hot sauce on everything but ice cream and you really enjoy the industry. What then?

  1. Begin learning about the industry. Find out the major players in the industry. Create Google Alerts for those potential clients and the hot sauce industry.
  2. Give thought to who you want to represent in the industry. The farmers? The manufacturers?
  3. Join International Society of Hot Sauce Aficionados:ISHSA. This is not an industry  association, but rather one for people, like yourself, who love hot sauce.
  4. Subscribe to Chile Pepper Magazine. Many years ago I had a subscription and actually attended an annual Chile Pepper Extravaganza  when it was held here in Dallas. This year you might enjoy attending the event when it is held in September in New Orleans.
  5. Join the Specialty Food Association.I think this one is a must.
  6. Create Google Alerts for Specialty Food.
  7. Join the American Spice Food Association. Look at this one and decide whether it would be good for you.
  8. Join the Chile Pepper Institute.
  9. Read technical industry publications. In Google I found: Understanding GMPs for Sauces and Dressings
  10. Create the Hot Sauce and Chile Pepper Law Blog and hire LexBlogto host it.
  11. Consider creating a Twitter Profile: HotSauceLawyer.
  12. Add “Hot Sauce” to your Zite app on your iPad.
  13. Consider liking the  Hot Sauce Pages on Facebook.
  14. Consider joining the Gourmet Sauces and Hot Sauces group on LinkedIn.

I hope you get the idea. I will leave you with one of my favorite Seth Godin quotes:

Being best in the world is seriously underrated.

I REALLY like hot sauce. I bet that unless someone else already has the title I could become the “go-to” best in the world hot sauce industry lawyer. If I can do it, so can you. If not hot sauce, which of the other fast growing industries is the one for you?