My heart is in it

The other day I was interviewed by the local newspaper regarding my small business. "What is it like to be a small business owner in the community?"

My answers started off fairly typical, talking about staffing, taxes, market challenges etc. However, it quickly turned to anecdotal stories of life in the neighborhood.

I shared stories of successes and of the people we see regularly. I noted how important they are to the health and vibrancy of the business. I talked about the babies who have been born and who now join their parents for ice cream treats. I talked about how much I love seeing the kids grow and turn into little people with their own preferences and quirks.

I talked about the seniors who sip their coffees and the teens that bring their dates. It's just what goes on. And to me, it's much more important than the numbers. I really think what we do, in the diner, contributes to the neighborhood. And I think we contribute to the memories people share with their loved ones.

I'm not saying it's not hard. I'm not saying that working 7 days a week doesn't have its drawbacks. Not everything is hearts, flowers and rainbows. It's a business. But it's more, to me, than a job. It's raising my family and contributing to the lives of others too.

That's why I do it. I enjoy it. And they say, "if you're heart's in it, then it's not really work"... is it?

How do you do it?

I think that it is perceived that I travel a lot. And I think, by most standards I probably do. But here's the thing, I don't travel for work. My work is restricted to an 8 foot stretch of kitchen at the restaurant I own. If, for example, I put 12 hours in on the job I genuinely spend 8 hours of that pacing back and forth in the little kitchen area preparing 150 or more meals. The other four hours a day on the job are split between cleaning a dining room, organizing staff and rushing around town picking up supplies.  My work world is truly VERY narrow. And in order to work 10-12 hour days, I have to restrict any outside or personal activities.

I don't shop for leisure. I do not go out for lunch. I don't go to movies or concerts, except for maybe once or twice a year. I don't circulate in a typical manner. I don't go for drinks after work and it's extremely rare that I would go out for a sit down meal. Quite literally, I might eat dinner out with my family once every 2-3 months. (That's not to say that they don't do these things without me.)

I do my shopping on-line, or at 11pm at night. I am a regular at Shoppers' Drug Mart as they are open to midnight in my area. As far as I'm concerned, you can buy just about everything you need at SDM!

The other thing I have come to know as gospel, after owning a restaurant for several years, is that you can try to take a day off, or an evening off, but something typically comes up. Equipment or staff issues require immediate attention when you are open 7 days a week, 11 hours a day to the public. Your customer expects consistency, prompt service and reliability regardless of what issues are going on behind the scenes. Therefore, a "day off" is kind of like a four leaf clover.... you know they exist and you have seen them, but they are not always easy to find.

If I am within cell range, the work world of advertising reps, suppliers, regular customers, staff and people looking for sponsorship will find me. So, I have myself convinced that the only true way to get a holiday or a breather, is to leave town. So that's what I do whenever possible. That in reality is 2-4 times a year.

I have very capable staff and a support team of suppliers and repair folks. They can survive a few days without me. They make good decisions and I trust them. They key is to just "walk away" and tune out work for a few days at a time. I love my 3 day getaways!

If you can imagine spending $150 a week on leisure activities like movies or dining, or events and another $50 on liquor or treats, I simply take that and put it towards my jet-away getaways. Plus, the real "trick" or my key to travel, is my points. I'm talking about credit card miles, Aeroplan points and the like. They are like chocolate to me.... I crave them, stash them and devour them regularly.   I would rather use $200 worth of points for a discount weekend away, rather than try saving for 2 years and take a bigger vacation for free.

Plus, I hunt for travel bargains like a hyena on the range. I don't care if I pounce on a zebra or an antelope, or slow warthog. I just want a tasty little vacation. I keep my eye on a few destinations and when the right one hits the right price, I pounce. For goodness sake, I waited 5 years for the Turks and Caicos!! But I do know that if I'm really hungry for a break, I can always find Vegas or Phoenix at a bargain and that will tide me over until I can grab a feast.

That's just restaurant life. You miss out on some of the regular, ordinary (wonderful) things, but you do have other fantastic opportunities. I suppose for people who travel all the time for work purposes, they would equally value a quiet day at home or in their hometown. For me, in my pressure cooker of a windowless environment, I escape through travel. I love it. I love everything about it. I love the restaurant, the people, the independence, the self-reliance and I love the chance to jet-away and recharge. It's all good!

Good Day, eh?

Today was a good day at the restaurant. I needed a good day. I was starting to let exhaustion overcome me and take the love out of the job.

And then... the troops came marching in. One by one and two by two, the friendly faces were all around. Regular customers who are more than just that. They're not customers, clients or guests, they're friends. People I love seeing. I love cooking for them. I love serving their desserts. They came in droves today. (Ok. they came in Toyotas and Fords and Chevrolets, but they came in. ) And their visits gave me a lift. They gave me energy and the necessary reminder that my restaurant is valued, and I am valued.

Restaurant life isn't easy. It's 80 hours a week of cooking and prepping. It's hot and tiring being on your feet all day. It's always trying to please someone else. But I love it. And I believe I do it well.  And the reason I keep doing it and trying my best is for the people who genuinely care and make me smile in return.

Just the other day, a regular customer took a moment to pass on a compliment before he left. He got my attention and said, "Thanks Cathie, those chicken fingers were perfect. It's just what I needed."

Now really, chicken fingers aren't a big deal. We serve 1000's of them. They're pretty hard to screw up. But, I believe he was genuinely appreciative of the effort and the hot lunch and maybe it really was just what he needed that day. But the compliment, well timed and so appreciated made MY day.

Sometimes all you need is a pat on the back, and the day becomes a little easier to bear.  So a sincere thanks to all those who lifted me up today and gave me the pep talk I needed.