We had a good week @ the Cafe this week.....Some regulars & a lot of new faces!.....I pray this is the start of a 'new beginning' for this business & that it is turning the corner to profitability & longevity.....To those out there that have never run a business & in particular a food establishment, this may seem unrealistic that after 10 months, zero dollars have come out & much more have had to be induced to keep it afloat.....This is not a business for the dreamer or faint of heart, it takes a lot of hard work, experience & the will to succeed.....I came into this location with eyes wide open & never expected this to be easy.....I will say though that even I have found this Cafe to be an immense challenge & more difficult than even I anticipated....The location, the past history of many owners coming & going & a building that is 1/2 occupied & in much need of updating were all detours to be encountered...... The good news is that new owners have already made tremendous strides in improvements & with much more to come.....Now let me get back to why this business is still finding it's way up the ledger sheet.....I came in with limited funds, which is always a danger because when sales are not meeting expenses you are already behind each week & without 'big pockets' it can be an uphill battle & very stressful...Payroll, insurance, Internet, rent, advertising & fluctuating food costs are some but not all the immediate & continuing debts......Throw in that all the 'folks' who were on board when we first opened are no longer here......It was very stressful bringing in a new team & adding to that was the underlying feeling that everyone thought I was a tyrant & that they could somehow do things better.....In January when I believed that we were all moving forward, I went down with an ailment called spinal stenosis....I was in & out of the emergency room for 3 days & finally admitted to the hospital for 2....Ella Mae had to keep the business going by opening in the am & than closing in the pm after she had already put in a full day @ her 2 jobs!.....She also had to be my caregiver as I was incapacitated because of the acute pain.....If your still interested enough & still reading, let me tell you that one of the most important needs of operating your own business is the unconditional support of your spouse!....Ella Mae, even with all she has endured with some of our previous business ventures, was still there for me....So do not attempt taking the risks needed if you do not have the support of your 'partner in life'.....Now as I have always tried to do in this blog, I am speaking from my heart & my experiences.....I have apologized in past posts for my conduct & while some may see me as a 'crazed' Cafe owner & didn't like 'my ways', I am proud that this business & I are still standing......I opened the Cafe with the hope of supplementing our retirement which will consist of SS only.....Not looking for charity, but trying to make it a little more doable by using the skills I have.....Greed is not a word in my vocabulary, (which unfortunately seems to have a foothold in most enterprises today) I only work to make a living and try to make it easier for Ella Mae when she begins to wind down....I also am unwavering in my belief that God will always provide for our needs....I am ashamed that I have let worry infiltrate my thoughts for when I know God has me 'covered'......Thanks to all for allowing me to share & for the prayers & support......I pray God, that I will become a better steward of all you have given to me & to be wiser in all my encounters in the Cafe....& to always give you the praise, honor & glory......Amen....
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