Low Hanging Fruit is not enough

Our first thought with opening a restaurant started when we were asked to cater food for a friends mission farewell lunch. We had to plan and organize for 200 people. Shortly after we got a call to cater for my friends wedding reception. This will be 225 people. As we were then asked to cater for more and more events, we realized my husband's banking job was the top priority UNTIL the day came of the food events, and then we had to shift focus for a few hours/days.

Our first idea of simply catering was comparable to the idea of "low hanging fruit", which isn't bad fruit but it is the first idea and usually the easy idea. Our next idea: a drive through food stand, our next idea: a food truck, and now the idea has morphed into a full restaurant that seats 252 guests! We aren't in the business of fixing problems. We have a dream and with our 4th, 5th, 10th idea, we can make that dream come to fruition.

We have finally got our location, after searching for almost a year. Contract negotiations were completed in August, 2024. Then we hired a general contractor. We assumed the GC was doing us a favor. NO! We shifted the mindset that the contractor works for us! Quickly we went from the one guy that we thought we had to hire to the process of finding 4 GC's and choosing the right one to tackle this WITH us. Trent and his team are outstanding! Transparent, quick responses, quality work, clear plans, scheduling is done with precision, we have expressed our gratitude multiple times and he has said he enjoys working for us!

Now that construction is going at full speed, we've began interviews for potential employees. We can be picky! We should be picky! We have opted to not offer "tip share" when we open, where the customers tip and we divide that up to our employees. We are not going to ask for tips! We are going to compensate our employees. The expectation is that they will simply do their job for the agreed upon wage. Our belief is that if you stand as you order your food, seat yourself, take your own tray to the waste bin, you should not have to tip! We are going to absorb this burden as business owners and we've accounted for it in our financial projections. We feel strongly about this, only time will tell if this is a wise choice. 

As entrepreneurs, before problems arise, we must have solutions. Being creative has gotten us this far. We have done our research and feel like we are adapting the best business patterns from other tried and true BBQ restaurants. We hope for the most family friendly, bright and happy atmosphere that we can offer. Now, as David Carrington mentions, we must remember to run our business and not to let it run us! The best is yet to come!

Photo Credit: https://www.pexels.com/search/low%20hanging%20fruit/ 

 

7 Highly Effective People by Steven Covey, the first habit: Be Proactive is the most important step for me, especially right now as I start a restaurant with my husband. If I could push the rewind button to pinpoint the moment on January 11, 2024, I would replay this over and over when either of us doubt this decision! Kenny came home from his new job as CFO at a bank. The President of the bank asked him his age. Kenny replied, "I'm 48". The President then said, "I was 48 when I started this bank." In this moment, this very moment, Kenny expressed to me that he is tired of working for others when his passion to open a restaurant could happen!

This is where being proactive is key. We took his idea, not real serious at first but reached out to our realtor friend to keep an eye out. This started the ball rolling and then research trips were scheduled to Texas to taste the food at top BBQ places and see if Kenny's food is as good. It felt like the easiest fit!  Things kept moving forward! 

Being proactive is a powerful concept. If we can maintain this momentum and even during set backs, remember that we can learn from those moments, being proactive to keep moving forward, we can be more in control of our circumstances and not have the reactive mind that allows experiences to happen TO us. We are truly starting a path of exciting times! We will get out of this experience what we put in. Even if it's not complete financial success, this opportunity has helped us grow together and it has helped our children see that we can chase our dreams with the right education and knowledge to propel us to be able to achieve dreams. 

* Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/images/search/be%20proactive/ 

 

Wences Casaras points out that he is a natural entrepreneur. I am not! 

Does this disqualify me as an entrepreneur?

My mind doesn’t spin as I go into a business, trying to put together the pieces that make up the business. I haven’t ever wanted to learn how to run a business. There is a great need for people like me, one who likes to be detailed and focus on one task. Running the front end of an office is more my style. There is a lack of creativity within me that I am desperately trying to pull out.

One thing I can focus on as my husband and I open this restaurant that was really reinforced by Jan Newman’s video is that loyalty to God and family are natural to me. I love God, I love Jesus, and my husband, kids, and grandkids are my priorities! They know this! As we are hire employees, they will not only know this but become an extended part of my family!

I have learned that multi-tasking is not achievable. That term is used flippantly, "I can multi-task well."  It is not possible because our minds completely shift from one thing to another, although quickly, it does it fully. I am organized in my mind enough to recognize this. I must prioritize, not multi-task. Focus on the most important, keep my eyes and heart sharp, so that I can be the best version of myself.

In the book, Mastery, by Robert Greene, there were so many stories of prominent, well-known people and how they overcame all types of challenges. The common denominator for me was that they were all observant and self-aware. They were able to either take the criticism or ignore the negative comments and not only grow from them, but excel! I can open a business because I am great at a lot of things! The things I am not great at, I can observe and align myself with the right people to conquer any challenge!

Picture credit: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-writings-on-the-paper-760724/ 

 

The mission and vision of my life. The most important reason I do everything is for this growing and loving group that are fiercely protective of each other. I have been the entrepreneur of my life. I chose Kenny and we chose to build our family with Jesus as our guide, leader, and ultimate protector. Where we go in life has been carefully chosen but our path has had several detours.

The concept that we are all the hero in our journey sums up how we should view life. I am the key-player, and life is the journey and purpose. How will I now use this information to be the hero in my own journey?

Thinking of people in my life that are successful, the question needs to be on the back of my mind at all times, do they see that the term successful is well-rounded and that family and money are not on the same level. Having money can help but keeping and loving a family is the ultimate in life! The most successful person that I would love to be most like is my brother. From the outside he has not had many challenges, or does he just have a way about him where his view of a challenge is to learn and grow? He has made massive amounts of money and yet his jeans come from Target. He has a modest house that has been paid off and kept nice for 30 years. MOST IMPORTANTLY, his youngest was just married and sealed in the temple and ALL of his family was at this momentous event. His family is his priority, and having Jesus as his companion in his marriage, this is what I would view as the most successful person I know.

I mention Richard because I have aligned myself with great people. I have learned from those I don't want to be like. I have seen and felt that love that Richard exudes toward others. I watching him on his recent brush with death and cancer battle and the grace he expressed but the gratitude he showed toward Jesus and Heavenly Father for sparing his life and taking that second chance to bring others to them. 

My hero's journey must be, continue to the end with faith, love, gratitude, and lead a life that is humble and full of God's grace. 

(Richard, my big brother and hero)