When I found myself in business in 1973, there weren’t the resources available that exist today, one of the most important being incubator kitchens, wherein aspiring entrepreneurs hoping to start a food business can rent space in already-licensed facilities. These facilities also provide classes in business basics, as well as mentoring, advice, networking, and moral support while the aspirants are trying to figure out if they have something or not, without the need for substantial financial outlays.
I still have no idea how I managed to get my house licensed as a New York State Department of Agriculture Bakery Establishment. I imagine we took them by surprise because nobody had ever asked before; for starters, surely my water wasn’t hot enough! Yet, off we went, stumbling our way blindly forward. (There have always been lots of people illegally selling food to restaurants from unlicensed home kitchens, but I was brought up to always do the right thing.)
And here we are. Love and Quiches Desserts has grown up. With all our myriad departments, from accounting to operations to engineering, it is hard to tell us apart from any of the giants. Strategic planning, projections by month, quarter, year, and beyond, and countless metrics have become everyday stuff for us. I didn’t know all these things existed, but, of course, now all of this information is crucial to me and to our organization.
By far, the most important thing I have ever learned is that the purpose of business is the pursuit of profit, not glory. In simple terms, we need to always be taking in more than we are spending. It is the engine that keeps us going. Since we constantly review our financials, we implement changes when we see the need, and do not accept unprofitable business as we once did. It is very difficult, if ever, to catch up on low margin business, once accepted.
We are not stagnant. Our company mission provides critical direction, but if we see a need for improvements, we go for it. As a private company, our flexibility has always given us an edge. But today, we enlist the entire organization in that effort. Our employees are the most important component of our organization and we choose them very carefully. The strength of our team, and their teamwork, informs our success.
Innovation can emerge from anywhere within the organization, and our employees are empowered to improve our company systems and products. We tap into those abilities across the entire organization, salute good work, and understand that mistakes will be made, as long as they are recognized and corrected as quickly as possible. That never changes; mistakes will be made.
And this implies some risk. As leaders, we guide our employees to overcome the fear of change and fear of risk that might otherwise offer barriers to moving the organization forward. Just as I had to overcome all of these barriers without any help, the strength of our numbers helps to overcome these fears and keeps the dynamic going.
We are constantly watching the market, and react to changes in the marketplace by offering new products, new price points, new packaging. But one thing never changes; the quality of the products that we ship out the door. Our constant is to always improve-- to be the best.
Until next time...make someone happy —serve them dessert!
http://www.loveandquiches.com/
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