559: Leslie Martin on Drive and Passion Creating Opportunity

 

In the summer of 2000, owner Leslie Martin took her passion for the artsy cafe and love of the service industry and started Bouldin Creek Cafe in a 700 square foot shack. 18 years later Bouldin Creek remains one of the most popular vegetarian restaurants in the country, employs 95 people, supports animal and human rights organizations, promotes local artists, and works hard to be as eco-friendly as possible.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

"Teamwork makes the dream work."

In this episode with Leslie Martin, we discuss: 

• How to be a server that is control of situations. 
• How accountability plays a role in consistency and employee retention. 
• Going beyond creating a brick and mortar restaurant, to creating relationships, and community that support the restaurant.  
• Just starting and learning as you go. 
• Keeping your ear to the ground for closing restaurant in order to be someones exit strategy.
• If you're driven, that may just be what it takes to win a future investor over. Don't let not having money or credit be what stands in the way of you taking a chance. Just go for it.  
• Checking your ego at the door and being open to feedback and suggestions. 

Today's sponsor:

EthicsSuite.com -provide a safe, secure, simple and anonymous communication channel between you and your employees to help you protect your hard-earned reputation and assets. Demonstrate to your team that you are committed to providing a workplace that operates with the highest ethical standards. Staying informed about important issues will help you resolve them internally before they spiral into larger, costly, or public problems.

Cashflowtool.com  A simple powerful and predictive cash flow companion for Qickbooks. Simple, because it requires no data entry, is always up to do and works on any device, anywhere. Powerful, because with it's built-in cash flow calendar, activitiy feed and anomaly detector, you instantly know all aspects of your cash flow with no surprises. Predictive, because you'll know your cash flow today and anticipate it tomorrow.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Acceptance.
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Too sensitive. 
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Ask, "What did you hate most about your current job?"
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Being too sensitive.  
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   1. To be equally accepting to all guest, whether they eat meat or not.  
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
   • Setting the Book: the Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business.
8. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • meeting with their staff. 
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
   • NoWait
10. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    1. Take time for yourself.
    2. Never take your business for granted
    3. You can learn from everybody. 

Contact info:

bouldincreekcafe.com

@bouldincreekcafeatx

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

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Huge thanks to Leslie Martin for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

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