Starting A Restaurant Is Like Having A Baby
Giving birth according to many women is one of the most difficult things they have ever done, but many do it more than once.
I chose not to have children, but I did start a restaurant and catering business, in fact, I created more than one, and it was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. It didn’t stop me from doing it again either.
You might say you can’t compare the pain unless you’ve opted for an epidural.
Let just say it’s a different kind of pain!
The way I look at it is they both take a lot of your energy, will keep you up at night make you shed blood, sweat, and tears until they’re all grown up and even then you will always feel responsible for them because they’ll always be your baby.
Of course, you’ve heard this many times there is no “get rich quick” industry even if you work hard!
Same applies for raising a child there is no quick way to being a good parent!
It takes time to grow a lucrative business and a well-adjusted human being.
You can’t just start a business or have a baby not knowing what has to be done before you open the doors or take the infant home.
Think about all the things you need to do before you find a location for your restaurant or you bring a baby home and place it in their very own crib.
It’s best that I stop with the baby analogy because it’s all about starting a new restaurant that I’m trying to help people with, I’m no midwife after all, but you can see what they have in common when it comes to making a huge commitment and life changing decision.
Many people dream of opening a restaurant.
Opening a new restaurant is an exciting opportunity.
The number of foodservice operations has exploded from 155,000 about 40 years ago to nearly one million today.
But there’s still room in the market for your restaurant.
That is the best news ever!
The population and changing lifestyles are driving the need in the foodservice industry.
People are busy and don’t have the time or the desire to cook.
More and more people are dining out, buying prepared food for home, or having it delivered.
They want the flavor of fresh meals without the hassle of cooking.
They want delicious, healthy meals without cleaning up the kitchen and washing dishes.
More and more consumers are demanding greater convenience when it comes to buying their meals.
There’s a certain demand for eating out and take out is continuing to grow. Just look at all the restaurants offering it and delegating parking spaces for pick-up orders.
Industry researchers and professionals all agree the future looks darn good for the foodservice industry overall.
But there are no guarantees in this business or any business for that matter.
Why do so many restaurants still fail during their first year?
The high failure rate in the startup world of the restaurant business can be attributed to many different factors, but often, it comes down to this recurring problem.
Not doing enough homework or knowing enough before starting a new restaurant.
Ok, I’ll agree perhaps not having enough money can sink a restaurant as well.
The truth is those who are starting off with more than enough funds also FAIL!
I believe it’s due to a lack of planning during the startup phase.
If you haven’t done your startup homework, you’re going to fail.
The more you understand what has to be done right from the beginning the better chance you have of making it and becoming successful.
Whether your dream is to open a diner, a pizzeria, a deli, a coffee house or busy breakfast and lunch restaurant, you have to be prepared and confident.
You have to be sure you have done everything to make your new restaurant bullet proof before you open the doors and let the public in.
To be successful, you need to know the exact steps necessary to take during your startup phase.
I will never forget how difficult it was to start my first deli and catering business.
I thought I knew everything! After all, I spent seven years working for others in different concepts and gained the title of chef after mastering kitchen skills and cooking several different types of cuisine. I Was Wrong!
I was taught at the school of hard knocks and let me say those knocks were more like hammers!
I survived and became successful despite some blunders along the way.
It made me stronger and smarter each time I started another business, and that’s what matters in the end.
My business site and blog are full of information and resources.
I’m sharing with you what I did to become a successful owner and how it enabled me to have a lucrative career in the food industry.
The biggest mistake you can ever make as an entrepreneur is to start a restaurant that your local target market doesn’t need or want.
Once you create something, you think people want you are already putting yourself and the business in jeopardy.
Do your homework, get out there and talk to people about what you intend to create. Be sure they want the kind of restaurant and cuisine you are going to open.
Once you gather enough evidence, you will spend fewer resources trying to convince people to come to your restaurant. You’ll know they will!
Start with what you want to serve as a cuisine, make sure people want it and focus on making it awesome.
I am currently working on an online course that takes you step by step on how to open a new restaurant.
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