photo by Joel Silverman
Yesterday one of our restaurants flooded. Not because of bad weather, but, without warning, we suddenly encountered some kind of sewer issue. Things you don’t want to hear about backed up right into our dining room at the precise moment we were set to open!
I got the call from our CFO, Eric at the exact moment I was setting up my beach chair 300 miles away. Enter Rockstar #1.
Eric just happened to be making his rounds to all of the restaurants grabbing invoices and doing his regular “money” stuff when the catastrophe hit. He could have sidestepped the whole mess and continued on to the next store and no one would have noticed. Instead he pitched in. He had the brilliant idea of setting up the entire restaurant outside! He lead the team from dishwasher to chef to counter staff and everyone worked together to make it happen. An outdoor restaurant was up and running within 10 minutes!
I tell you this story because I just want to dispel the myth that entrepreneurs are some kind of "one person band" that make everything happen on their own. Not by a long shot! I (and every successful entrepreneur I know) surrounds themselves with what I like to call my “team of geniuses." These are the people who know how to do things better than you, but always seem to make you look good. I may be the person who visualized what Souper Jenny could be, but it is my incredible team that keep it running from day to day! When you empower your people to make their own decisions, the sky’s the limit on what’s possible! Like being able to head to the beach recharge, create new menus & events and get inspired.
I strive to create a culture where each employee treats our restaurant like it’s their own. Yesterday was a fantastic example of what I dream about. And better yet, I can usually highlight one of my rockstars for something that they do every day. But today, it was Eric Miller.
Eric, thank you for living and breathing our culture. It means everything to me.
Now's your turn. Do you have a team of geniuses? Who are they and how do you appreciate them? Please tell your own story in the comment section below!