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Running a Successful Restaurant Business

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Owning a successful restaurant is hard because of the competitive market. With so many restaurants opening, it can be hard to find your unique niche. Common wisdom has it that 90% of restaurants fail in the first year. But actually it isn’t quite that bad. The actual number is is about 26%. But another 19% fail in the second year and 14% more fail in the third year of business for a total of 59% failure rate in the first 3 years. So obviously there is more to running a successful restaurant than just knowing how to cook grandma’s famous baked beans. If you have a desire to succeed, you need to study the secrets of successful restaurateurs. [note: the proper spelling is without an “n”.] 

Location is Everything

Legendary marketer Gary Halbert used to ask his students this question, “If you and I both owned a hamburger stand and we were in a contest to see who could sell the most hamburgers, what advantages would you most like to have on your side to help you win?” The students’ answers vary. Some say “superior meat from which to make their burgers”. Others say “sesame seed buns”. Others mention “location”. Someone usually wants to be able to offer “the lowest prices”. But Halbert says the one advantage that trumps them all is “a starving crowd”.  Now some may say this is actually a function of location. But without keeping this factor in mind you might misjudge what makes a good location.

When it comes to choosing the perfect location, you have a few choices. For example, it’s always great to find a property near colleges because students love reasonably priced meals (and always seem to be hungry). On the other hand, if you want to run a high-end restaurant, you may want to think about the business quarter and try to attract people during their lunch break or business meetings. But be sure to keep Halbert’s advice in mind and find the location with the “starving crowd”.

Getting Started

Starting a restaurant can be a very expensive proposition. According to Restaurant Engine “the median cost to open a restaurant is $275,000 or $3,046 per seat. If owning the building is figured into the amount, the median cost is $425,000 or $3,734 per seat.” So if you are on a limited budget (and who isn’t?) you might want to start small. Unless you have a lot of restaurant experience and a Culinary Arts degree, consider getting a food truck and visiting events (this will put you in front of a starving crowd) and give you experience preparing food and dealing with customers. If this small venture succeeds you can consider looking for opportunities to expand into things like catering, etc. and then when you do open your restaurant you will be prepared and experienced.

[Read more…] about Running a Successful Restaurant Business

Need Employment? 4 Jobs that are Always Hiring

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Being unemployed for any amount of time can be stressful. Whether you have a degree in your pocket or are just starting out, however, you’ll still be able to find employment if you know where to look. There are certain industries that are known to hire new employees regularly, and some that are currently suffering from a shortage of applicants. By searching any of these four industries for open positions, you may end up landing a stable job that will pay your living needs and beyond for as long as you need.

Medical

You don’t have to be a doctor to find a good job in the healthcare field. Nurses and medical assistants are always in high demand, but you may need additional education to be hired. Working as phlebotomist, which involves drawing patients’ blood, is another possible option that doesn’t require a lot of additional schooling. You can also become a medical office manager or an office administrator and play an important role in scheduling appointments, answering patient questions and keeping medical records in order. No matter what your education level, you’ll be able to find a hospital or clinic that is hiring and happy to have you on their team.

Technology

Skilled workers in technology are needed constantly to help companies keep up with modern demands. Information technology (IT) experts are often in high demand for their ability to solve basic computer problems. If you are interested in fixing the “guts” of a computer you should look into getting an A+ certification.  On the other hand if the programming side is more your thing a Microsoft Certification will certainly help speed along your job search. You can also provide support through call centers in customer service, which is always hiring and rarely requires any prior experience. Even if you [Read more…] about Need Employment? 4 Jobs that are Always Hiring

Organize Your Home Office for Better Productivity

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The number of people working exclusively from home has increased steadily over the last few years with over 5% working from home in 2018 up from about 3% in 2000. But as many as 24% work from home occasionally according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Many of them have home offices and are therefore constantly on the lookout for tricks to help them become more productive. Having an organized office is essential to your productivity, so you need to follow a few simple rules in order to create a real home office.

Instead of working in a chaotic and cluttered space, create an office that will help your business grow and provide you with comfort and coziness of a proper corner office. Here are a few hacks to help you with the basics of a fully functional office.

Comfort is Key

No matter what type of business you do, you need comfortable furniture to be able to pull those long hours. Start with finding the perfect spot for setting up your desk and chair, and try working from there. Many people like utilizing corners and placing their table there, but professional designers recommend creating a focal point in the center of the room. That way, you’ll have plenty of space around your table to add everything you need. You can go for a big desk and dedicate some space for your laptop and paperwork. Apart from that, you can choose an L-shaped desk which will divide the space into two little corners giving you a sense of two tables and leaving you with plenty of room for all of your office supplies you need every day.

When it comes to finding a perfect chair, try finding one that’s comfortable and fits into your office. People have a tendency to buy huge office chairs that take too much space, so measure everything twice before making the purchase.

Add a Personal Touch

Although your basic instincts tell you to remove everything related to your personal life from your office, things aren’t as strict when it comes to personal belongings. Hang a few pictures, add some travel memorabilia, find great inspirational quotes and add a couple of artistic details. These will give you a feeling of a relaxed and comfortable space where you’ll be able to work.

In addition to that,  [Read more…] about Organize Your Home Office for Better Productivity

Eat Your Way Into the Job: 5 Dining Tips for a Lunch Interview

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A lunch interview might be a bit out of the ordinary for you, but it’s the way many employers are choosing to conduct job interviews. If you have been invited to a lunch interview, you might have some concerns about how to present yourself.  Some of these tips may sound exactly like what your mother told you growing up, But these are also great dining tips for a lunch interview.

Order an Appropriate Dish

You want to be mindful of what you order. If you order something that is too messy, such as a sloppy joe at a sandwich shop, spaghetti at Olive Garden, or ribs at a barbeque restaurant, you might end up with sauce on your shirt or worse in your lap. Also, should the interviewer be buying, you don’t want to order anything that’s too expensive, like a steak. A good strategy is to ask what the interviewer plans to get, and then make sure you order a dish of comparable value. And don’t order a humongous portion so you come across as greedy or gluttonous. Eat a light meal so you don’t feel weighted down or bloated. Remember this is an interview first and a meal second.

Use Your Napkin and Utensils Correctly

Doing things like putting your napkin in your lap and using forks, knives, and spoons when appropriate might be common sense. However, [Read more…] about Eat Your Way Into the Job: 5 Dining Tips for a Lunch Interview

How to Impress Your Interviewer After the Interview

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     The labor market has always been a competition. Employers strive to hire the best candidates for every position because 70% of the efficiency of a business depends on the quality of the employees. Here are some tricks that can help you to present the best impression to a potential employer and land the perfect job.

Choose the Right Career

There is no “right” age for starting a career. The perfect career requires not only education but also the right mindset, which, unfortunately, doesn’t come along with the diploma. When people come to an interview with only the salary in mind, there is a good chance that they won’t be the best employee. So companies have an incentive to not only search for competence but also for a good fit in the company culture.

Even if the first interview was successful, be prepared, because many positions require a second interview with your future direct manager. Some positions, especially creative ones, involve performing a test task. Some companies, especially large ones, watch the bidder literally from the moment you enter the door until the moment you leave. Secretaries can be asked to give their opinion of you while you waited.

The three major phases of a job application are:

  1. Pre-Interview-
    What you do to get to the interview
  2. The Interview-
    The actual interview itself what you say and do face-to-face
  3. Post Interview-
    What you do after the interview to help them remember your favorably.

How to Impress Your Interviewer After the Interview

“The Last Shall Be First” –

If at all possible try to [Read more…] about How to Impress Your Interviewer After the Interview

5 Types of Jobs That Are Perfect for When You Can’t Decide Which Degree to Pursue

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One of the biggest challenges that people have after they finish their education is picking a career or job to pursue. While some people know exactly what they want to do by the time they’re done with school, there are others that simply have no idea. For those that do not have an idea of what they want to do, there are several types of jobs to consider getting.

Sales

If you have recently finished school and do not know what type of job to get, one great thing to consider would be to go get a job in sales. Even if you do not know exactly what you want to sell, getting experience as a salesperson is always very beneficial. Ultimately, many of the people that have good careers are going to be in sales or relationship management in some capacity. If you start your career in sales, it could be a great first professional step.

Shipping and Transportation

Another great job to consider when you [Read more…] about 5 Types of Jobs That Are Perfect for When You Can’t Decide Which Degree to Pursue

How to Infuse Your Business with Staying Power

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Everyone starting a business hopes their business will succeed. But you need more than hope to start a successful business. According to the Small Business Association (SBA) 30% of new businesses fail during the first two years of being open, 50%  fail during the first five years and 66% fail during the first 10. One of the biggest causes of failure is being “undercapitalized” that means you don’t have enough money to live on while the company is getting started. Another is a lack of proper planning. Here are some steps that can greatly increase your chances of success.

Develop a Business Plan

There are a variety of resources available online to help you develop your business plan but it is essential that you do this before moving ahead to other steps. The Small Business Administration is a government agency that can help you get started. They offer assistance from retired business professionals at no cost to you.

They also offer a guide called “10 steps to start your business“.  The Guide includes information on how to:

  1. Conduct market research
  2. Write your business plan
  3. Fund your business
  4. Pick your business location
  5. Choose a business structure
  6. Choose your business name
  7. Register your business
  8. Get federal and state tax IDs
  9. Apply for licenses and permits
  10. Open a business bank account

https://youtu.be/F_qXLYuZJpE?t=1s

Be Extremely Frugal During the Early Years

In an effort to fight the problem of under capitalization you should budget and cut costs at every opportunity. Even companies that receive massive injections of capital from Venture Capitalists need to watch their pennies. Often growing too fast can strain a company and actually cause it to fail because processes and procedures have not had a chance to develop and so the company just throws money at the problem which then becomes a cash drain.

Take Advantage of Social Networking

Modern businesses are the ones that do the best nowadays. They’re the businesses that understand the digital world in vivid detail. If you want people to depend on your business time and time again, you need to have an A+ social media presence. People trust businesses that are communicative and responsive. They appreciate businesses that take the time to keep up with advancements and developments, too.

[Read more…] about How to Infuse Your Business with Staying Power

Start Your New Career Right

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There are more people entering the workforce every day. Wherever you are in the world, and regardless of what job you have, you want to make sure you impress your new boss when you are starting your career afresh. The anticipation and nerves that come with starting a new career can sometimes be overwhelming, and it can be difficult to know exactly how you can squash these feelings, so you can succeed. It’s important to remember that starting your career right is more than impressing new employers. These tips can help ensure you get off to a good start.

Know Your Company

There is a surprising number of people who enter a new role knowing little about the company they are now working for. From how lunch breaks work, to knowing what your employers expect from you on shift, it is wise to brush up on your knowledge of where you work before you start. Not only will this help you to feel better prepared for your new position, but it will show your employers how committed you are to your role and making a positive impact on their company.

Put Your Best Foot Forward

The old saying,”You only get one chance to make a good first impression” is very true not only for the interview but also in the first few weeks getting to know your co-workers. It will take a little time for them to size you up so be on your best behavior for the first few weeks. You don’t want them to get the idea that you are a slacker, or a gossip, so stick to your job and [Read more…] about Start Your New Career Right

Sports Management and Other Non-Athletic Sports Careers

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According to Forbes, the sports market in North America is expected to be worth more than $73.5 billion by 2019. While that number pales in comparison to the global tech market – at $3 trillion – or the U.S. real estate market – at $30 trillion – sports is growing at a noteworthy clip.

To those interested in sports entertainment, this isn’t much of a surprise. For years, sports teams and athletics enterprises have taken in massive profits thanks to rabid fans and active consumers. You might already own memorabilia from your favorite teams and athletes – but there is another way for you to get involved in this engaging and growing market: make it your career.

Just as growth in the health care sector often encourages more people to become doctors, nurses and medical technicians, the ongoing growth in sports should drive you toward a career in an industry you’ve always been passionate about. Here are a few careers in sports that don’t require top running speeds or impeccable hand-eye coordination:

Sports Reporter

Sports reporters cover sports events – it’s that simple. It isn’t important what media you use to comment on sports, nor does it matter what events you prefer to discuss; sports reporters might write for major newspapers or social media, they might be featured on television or host a radio show. This job is solely focused on spreading the news of and to the sports world. According to Payscale, the average salary for this career hovers around $35,000, but reporters with larger followings can earn much more. [Read more…] about Sports Management and Other Non-Athletic Sports Careers

School Counseling Through the Ages: How the Job Changes as Students Grow Up

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Most adults hardly remember their school counselors – if their schools offered any counseling services at all. In the past, school counselors did little more than proffer college brochures and chastise “problem” students. Yet, as educational institutions progressed, so did the school counseling position.

These days, school counselors take much more active roles in students’ academic and personal lives. However, how school counselors function – their daily and year-long responsibilities – vary depending on the age of their student populace. If you are on the verge of earning your master’s in school counseling online, you should consider which grade levels you are interested in serving and how that could affect your career.

Elementary School

Grades K Through 6 or 8 / Ages 4 Through 11 or 15

School CousnselorBecause younger children don’t often have academic concerns – on the level of “What courses should I take to prepare me for this career?” or “How will my college application benefit from this extracurricular activity?” – elementary school counselors often only see students when there are emotional or behavioral concerns from teachers and parents.

Usually, a counselor’s workload will depend largely on the socio-economic status of the district. Students coming from families of lower income tend to have more trouble at home, perhaps lacking essentials like electricity or regular access to food and clean water as well as experiencing drug and alcohol use, the incarceration of relatives, and noisy environments preventing study or even sleep. However, there are some issues that arise regardless of income, such as physical and sexual abuse, depression and anxiety, self-harm and peer pressure.

Counselors at this level tend to have more autonomy than counselors at more advanced educational institutions. You will likely be the only counselor serving a school, and you might serve several schools at once. Though you will answer to school administrators, like vice principals and principals, you will likely be able to schedule your own day.

Middle School/Junior High

Grades 6 or 7 Through 8 / Ages 11 Through 15

What is true of children at elementary schools is also true of middle school kids – with the added complexity of burgeoning hormones. Puberty begins for most modern adolescents between the ages of 10 and 14, so almost all students in these grade levels will begin experiencing physical and emotional changes that often translates to more trips to the school counselor. In addition to troubles seen at younger grade levels, social, romantic and sexual issues begin to appear as does experimentation with various substances. [Read more…] about School Counseling Through the Ages: How the Job Changes as Students Grow Up