Please reply if you get this, that way I know if this is working or not. Even if you can't get into blogger and need to send me an email do so to let me know.
J
j
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Where you at?
Haven't heard from anyone. Where are you at, ninos?! I wanna hear some e-check-in's bitches.
:0
J
:0
J
Friday, September 2, 2011
Jesse's Check in
Hey Guys, I have a proposal that we attempt to do a brief Blog check in (complete with feedback, etc) on our off-weeks if possible.
Anyways here is mine.
I definitely have missed group this week, as much as anything to get some time to be heard and be present outside of my family life, which can be pretty relentless on top of my over the top work situation. So with that said, I leave for NYC with the fam tomorrow for 5 days, immediately before jumping in to catering full tilt boogies season. Perhaps not the best timing, but I"m a bit desperate for a break from the bullshit of work too. So.... hopefully it will be fun and I"ll find some way to rejuvenate amidst the craziness of the big apple.
I return on Wednesday, so I"ll miss you guys for another 2 weeks, which sucks, so I would greatly appreciate any reaching out/scheduling of things that is possible next week and the week after.
On the work front, we are about to get fucked up busy, which is good, and also stressfull. My highest priority this week has been hiring, and while I have one good hire in place, and my best offsite chef returned, last weekend nearly killed me and certainly took a huge toll on my spirit.
On another note, we did an all local menu last night, which was pretty awesome, and very high end so hopefully we'll have the chance to do that more. Venison burger sliders on housemade juniper rolls with Texas Grapefruit Aioli and local tomatoes anyone? :)
Region XIII is totally depressing as we just lost our subsidy for the cafe and our sales there have dropped about 50% (about 100-150k off last year) I'm starting to look deeply at whether operating this business out of this kitchen is what I really want to do for a long time. Our lease is up at the end of 2012 and so I will spend the next year plus, designing our business and seeing if the corporate/cafeteria model is worth pursuing when what i really love is cooking for events. A small company with a handful of great cooks and chefs, a badass marketing/admin, and good solid part time event staff and myself sure sounds appealing I have to admit after learning how to manage all this bullshit here.
On a positive note, our system has been radically simplified and I think we are operating a much more functional and profitable (or at least not losing) business at the cafe now. It will be tested in the next month. Pray for a good and cheap line cook and that hire #2 works out well.
Ian is leaving on his own terms (whew!) by September 25th. That will cause it's own challenges, but I will certainly exhale, and so I think will most other people.
I still have to figure out what the hell to do with Lori (could this be any more drawn out) and again, I'm in the position of not really being in a place to absorb her workload and she just keeps doing her sales thing. I am interviewing for a catering event manager, which would eventually take over some of her roles, so we'll see if I find anyone and how they fit into the fold.
Natalie is going down to part time, so I have to figure out how to get all of her tasks done as well, hiring another very part time person may be in the fold so that is an additional layer of stress as the admin stuff is the hardest, least pleasant, and in many ways, most important part of our business.
Other than that, my body seems to be holding up well, hitting the gym regularly has been really energizing. I have been drinking and smoking moderately which is pretty novel for me. Sort of hit a roll with the wedding and bachelor party and all. It's not more than 3 or 4 or so beers a week and the same with the smoke, but when you're baseline is nothing ever, it is interesting to notice, and I think seems to be some desperation for an escape from the confines of my life.
I will say after last nights event--which I was able to leave at 5pm--- something in me let go, so hopefully that trend continues. Honestly, the staffing at work is intensely stressful for me. I've been working 70hours plus regularly since early august, trying to make up for the lack of money in the company and then for being short staffed so once I get all staffed up, feel like I have a functional crew, and can start working more mildly normal hours, I think I will exhale deeply.
There is a fatigue in me that I haven't experienced before. A weariness of my will for the challenges of the business and I have to say, I'll stand by my statement that if we lose money during the back end of this year, I will probably begin looking at my not-best-case-scenario exit strategy from EC in earnest. The mind-set of letting go, is probably a good thing at this point. We are busy so we'll see....
On another note, Lauren and I qualified for a 280k mortgage, and she is in full on house hunting mode. Ah, female porn! I'm imagining we'll probably try and find someplace by the time our lease is up in April. I'm in no rush though, I think owning a house is mostly a liability when you are as handy as I am and have as much free time to cultivate a home as I do:)--- So I guess some part of the business must be working okay in order to qualify for a mortgage in these times.
I miss you guys and hope you are well and keeping your chin up amidst the flurry of our crazy culture.
Anyways here is mine.
I definitely have missed group this week, as much as anything to get some time to be heard and be present outside of my family life, which can be pretty relentless on top of my over the top work situation. So with that said, I leave for NYC with the fam tomorrow for 5 days, immediately before jumping in to catering full tilt boogies season. Perhaps not the best timing, but I"m a bit desperate for a break from the bullshit of work too. So.... hopefully it will be fun and I"ll find some way to rejuvenate amidst the craziness of the big apple.
I return on Wednesday, so I"ll miss you guys for another 2 weeks, which sucks, so I would greatly appreciate any reaching out/scheduling of things that is possible next week and the week after.
On the work front, we are about to get fucked up busy, which is good, and also stressfull. My highest priority this week has been hiring, and while I have one good hire in place, and my best offsite chef returned, last weekend nearly killed me and certainly took a huge toll on my spirit.
On another note, we did an all local menu last night, which was pretty awesome, and very high end so hopefully we'll have the chance to do that more. Venison burger sliders on housemade juniper rolls with Texas Grapefruit Aioli and local tomatoes anyone? :)
Region XIII is totally depressing as we just lost our subsidy for the cafe and our sales there have dropped about 50% (about 100-150k off last year) I'm starting to look deeply at whether operating this business out of this kitchen is what I really want to do for a long time. Our lease is up at the end of 2012 and so I will spend the next year plus, designing our business and seeing if the corporate/cafeteria model is worth pursuing when what i really love is cooking for events. A small company with a handful of great cooks and chefs, a badass marketing/admin, and good solid part time event staff and myself sure sounds appealing I have to admit after learning how to manage all this bullshit here.
On a positive note, our system has been radically simplified and I think we are operating a much more functional and profitable (or at least not losing) business at the cafe now. It will be tested in the next month. Pray for a good and cheap line cook and that hire #2 works out well.
Ian is leaving on his own terms (whew!) by September 25th. That will cause it's own challenges, but I will certainly exhale, and so I think will most other people.
I still have to figure out what the hell to do with Lori (could this be any more drawn out) and again, I'm in the position of not really being in a place to absorb her workload and she just keeps doing her sales thing. I am interviewing for a catering event manager, which would eventually take over some of her roles, so we'll see if I find anyone and how they fit into the fold.
Natalie is going down to part time, so I have to figure out how to get all of her tasks done as well, hiring another very part time person may be in the fold so that is an additional layer of stress as the admin stuff is the hardest, least pleasant, and in many ways, most important part of our business.
Other than that, my body seems to be holding up well, hitting the gym regularly has been really energizing. I have been drinking and smoking moderately which is pretty novel for me. Sort of hit a roll with the wedding and bachelor party and all. It's not more than 3 or 4 or so beers a week and the same with the smoke, but when you're baseline is nothing ever, it is interesting to notice, and I think seems to be some desperation for an escape from the confines of my life.
I will say after last nights event--which I was able to leave at 5pm--- something in me let go, so hopefully that trend continues. Honestly, the staffing at work is intensely stressful for me. I've been working 70hours plus regularly since early august, trying to make up for the lack of money in the company and then for being short staffed so once I get all staffed up, feel like I have a functional crew, and can start working more mildly normal hours, I think I will exhale deeply.
There is a fatigue in me that I haven't experienced before. A weariness of my will for the challenges of the business and I have to say, I'll stand by my statement that if we lose money during the back end of this year, I will probably begin looking at my not-best-case-scenario exit strategy from EC in earnest. The mind-set of letting go, is probably a good thing at this point. We are busy so we'll see....
On another note, Lauren and I qualified for a 280k mortgage, and she is in full on house hunting mode. Ah, female porn! I'm imagining we'll probably try and find someplace by the time our lease is up in April. I'm in no rush though, I think owning a house is mostly a liability when you are as handy as I am and have as much free time to cultivate a home as I do:)--- So I guess some part of the business must be working okay in order to qualify for a mortgage in these times.
I miss you guys and hope you are well and keeping your chin up amidst the flurry of our crazy culture.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
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