I began writing several years ago as a way to remember the story that was unfolding in the restaurant. In doing so, I discovered a pleasure in writing and now continue to express my thoughts on more than just food. I try to write like I am having a conversation and telling a story. My goal is to be understood. It doesn’t matter if you agree. I just want to make sure I’ve been clear in my thought.
What to do when the dream becomes a nightmare.
No one sets out to fail. The entrepreneurial dream is always to create a preferable future. The picture of that better future becomes so clearly etched in the mind, it...
We will miss you, Dustin
Tuesday, October 4, 2016 We discovered we lost a dear team member last night, Dustin Niemeyer. I wrote this to my staff to help them process the loss. Grief. It’s...
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Seasons change whether we like it or not. Winter brings its darkness along with its bone-deep cold. Summer begets its searing heat and humidity. But both of these seasons carry anticipated...
Act Your Age
It’s a tiny little thing, less than an eighth inch in diameter, orange in color, with a crease across the face of one side. It can easily be lost if...
August 02, 2005
My dad passed away 11 years ago today, and I still feel the loss of the man who had a huge part of shaping my life and my character. My first...
What are we learning?
No business plan survives its first customer. This is important business advice, regardless the business or industry in which you start your company. You study. You research. You plan. You...
In defense of lines and boxes
I’ve noticed a trend lately, most obviously in my local Barnes and Noble, but also in my home. It’s the practice of adult coloring. If you aren’t familiar, it’s not...
So, what’s it like opening a restaurant?
So how does it feel now that you’re open? Its a familiar question asked, to which I answer some, “you got a few minutes to listen?” As any entrepreneur can attest,...
Now Hiring Risk Takers
Of all the tasks on the pre-opening timeline, the most challenging is assembling our team. Finding great people and connecting them with a job that they find fulfilling and rewarding...
The Downbeat
How was your summer? It’s a benign question that easily comes up in conversation now that school has started back, as routines change and schedules are readjusted. Memories of travel,...