How We Get There
Restaurant Reality - Wending Our Way to Abundance
This post has no particular purpose other than to continue the travelogue of our journey to ‘just right’. It is written for the enjoyment of those who take an interest in such things. Those of you who hope for usable information will need to wait for the messages (sent by Janet’s daughter, Devon) who has the job of actually being useful.
Reviews
Imagine if they had review sites for folks to comment on how you occur in the world. “Disorganized. Does not sort groceries effectively in the checkout line.” Or, “Unwilling to participate in parent meetings. Seems withdrawn, even arrogant. Too good for us?” Or, “Messy car, messy mind.” To what extent might you adjust your behavior by reading about the perceptions of strangers and semi-anonymous acquaintances?
My position on reviews riles the sensibilities of… well, of sensible people. But sensible people miss the point.
I take criticism seriously and, in fact, appreciate the perspective added by folks viewing our valley from a different spot on the mountain. People with whom I disagree add value when they are not simply seeking a target for their general unhappiness. In order to harvest the value from negative reviews I tend to engage in what I believe is a meaningful fashion. This is not always well received. Perhaps I’m too glib.
I sometimes take rave reviews with the same casual portion of salt.
“Our first time! Everything was perfect from the moment we arrived. We were immediately seated at a nice table and the server was so attentive. The food, the timing, the service, the ambiance, were all spot on.”
To which I respond:
“Glad you caught us on a good night!”
Now they don’t teach you that at Harvard Business School! But making sure we have more of those ‘good nights’ required looking inward.
The Turnaround
Despite my practice of stirring from the bottom, business has improved. My earlier laments describe our ride on a gyroscope through the pandemic and beyond. I felt like Foster Brooks stumbling from one mishap to another.
A few months ago, I called an all-staff meeting and announced to the team my irrefutable conviction that, in real terms, the recession had already begun and that we would be responding accordingly. There would be no silver bullets. This turnaround would occur one detail at a time. While I celebrated the fact the 23 humans in the room that day represented the best group of individuals we had ever assembled, I enunciated my mantra that 23 individuals could not produce the miracle of succeeding as a restaurant at this time, in this market. Success could only be effected by a single team.
I use the image of three people pulling hard on the yoke to move our wagon forward and one individual tugging on the wagon sideways, disproportionately robbing the momentum their teammates were striving to create. The soft ingredients in the experience we offer our guests are fragile by nature. Empathy, warmth, generosity, acknowledgment, are some of the experiential particulars that can easily be wiped out from within by folks tugging sideways on the wagon. Narcissists make terrible empaths.
Consciousness
When I wrote the piece a couple of newsletters ago titled “Esoteric Restaurateuring” I proffered the viability of using Consciousness as a marketing tool. For all of our labors to communicate., all the posts on social media, the shout-outs, press releases, club joining and donating, newsletters... For all of these efforts, I postulated, perhaps we should just use Consciousness to reach new customers. I so far have resisted, but have been sorely tempted, to put a sign in the window simply stating, “Telepathy Spoken Here.”
I received a few email responses to that article, mostly along the lines of rolling eyed emoticons and requests for introductions to my shroom supplier. But I’m telling you, the email worked! (Crazy you say? I own a restaurant; so it’s a given that Im crazy.)
Consciousness wants to grow. When we expand our consciousness, we add to the pot. Recognizing the need for a way to knit together the BT group soul meant that we needed to trim some frayed threads. By removing or redirecting the folks who were tugging sideways, the team was able to pull the wagon out of the ruts. The fundamental alignment of values, clarity of purpose and the enjoyment that comes from working together with people whose company you truly enjoy has sent a message to the universe. “Go to Bethany’s Table,” your angel whispers, “Your people are there!”
In Real Terms
All of this woo woo does not mean squat if one doesn’t do the right thing, act, put boots on ground. The thing I told my staff in the last meeting is that I believe economic conditions will get worse before they gets better. The recovery we have achieved is fragile at best. The gel needs to set and the economy won’t help. Nonetheless, we recognize that people choose us for the experience so we need to be creative and find new experiences. You will soon be hearing about the Saturday events. Michael is giving birth to “Second Saturday Wine Club. ”Janet and Michael are concocting a host of other events: bartending classes, paella making.
Janet and I believe that the folks who make possible the outcomes we produce need to make a living for their efforts. A business modeled for profitability by depriving the contributors of their fair share of those outcomes is not a business we want to own.
I have learned that in the business plan writing of a restaurant owner, I need to allow that my ‘customers’ are my employees. It is by them that all things are possible. When they thrive and are happy and fulfilled, all is well. This being said, the cost of labor is the greatest challenge we face. The best way to address this challenge is to increase sales. That trajectory is looking good. Maybe we’ll see you soon!
