Pizza Today - February 2022 - 28

storms, there are a handful of things
that can stack the deck in your favor.
Educate yourself. Learn from
the leaders in our industry.
I attended the International Pizza
Expo for three years prior to opening
Wholly Stromboli and one of
the most resounding messages that
has been key to our survival was the
idea that you should have at least six
months of operating capital in reserve
when the storm comes. You owe this
to yourself and your team. Knowing
that you have built a financially sound
business that can withstand the turbulent
times goes a long way toward
making sure that your team will stay
with you when the going gets tough.
If they know you are well funded and
have the operating capital to persevere,
they will worry less and focus on
taking care of the business and your
guests.
Often times operators run their
businesses from payroll to payroll,
praying there won't be any unplanned
expenses that send their bank account
into a tailspin. We decided to put our
cash sales directly into savings. It's a
small percentage of daily sales and
you'll have a nice cushion when you
have to close your doors unexpectedly
or your walk-in takes a crap.
Community support. If your
community isn't afraid to lose
you, you're not doing it right!
I'm not just talking about being
the coolest spot in town, I mean
really integrating yourself into your
community. Seek opportunities to
give back and don't be a sponge only
taking and never giving. A sponge can
only absorb so much before you have
to ring it out. So, give back regularly
and from the heart. It will come back
to you tenfold. People will remember
that you gave back even when things
were tough for you and your business.
Think of it like this: if you had a good
friend who was going through rough
times you would do what you could
28 / PIZZATODAY.COM / FEBRUARY 2022
Avoid gimmicks! Be creative
and think outside the box, but
stay true to your brand. Don't do
what everyone else is doing just to
try something. Think about what will
resonate with your guests and best
represent your brand, mission and
values.
There are many ways to run a restaurant.
Just because something works
for the guy down the street does not
guarantee it will work for you and you
run the risk of being just one of many
doing the same thing. I often say " do
what the other guys aren't doing and
do it well!'
Take care of yourself. You are
key in this equation. You need to be
strong mentally, and physically fit for
the challenge. You can better face the
challenges that lie ahead if you are not
running yourself ragged, taking time
to rest and properly nourishing your
body and mind.
We live a high stress life on a good
day. When the going gets tough you
will need to be at your best! Your
team needs a strong leader. The demands
on your mind and body are the
greatest in these times. If you show up
tired, whiny and dragging then your
team will follow suit. You must be the
guiding light in times when there may
not seem to be one at all. The time to
get right with your body and mind is
not when the poop hits the fan, but
rather now. So meditate, take time for
you, hit the gym or walk the dog.
Who's steering? Someone must
be at the helm! If you and your leadership
team are rowing the boat, then
who the hell is navigating? During
the pandemic many corporate chains
laid off their teams when the shutdowns
began, leaving only salaried
managers to answer phones, run carryout
orders and cook.
to help them; and if they were a pillar
in the community, people would rally
around them to help.
Wholly Stromboli took a different
approach. We did not lay off any of
our team members and our managers
stayed in place to help navigate the
uncharted territory. With so many
unknowns we had to be ready to
change course at a moment's notice.
Communication is key! Like it or
not social media can be one of the
most efficient ways to share your
message. Not only were we able to
keep our followers updated about the
ever-changing status of our business,
it endeared us to so many people that
hadn't ever been to Wholly Stromboli
before. This brought new guests
through the door at an unprecedented
rate. Tell your story, tell people why
things are changing and how it affects
you and your team. If your guests
understand why you had to 86 their
favorite dish it may make the pill less
bitter to swallow.
Last and most importantly,
know thy numbers! This pandemic
was an opportunity to re-evaluate our
businesses from a financial perspective.
This was a time to cut the fat!
Huge menus, and dishes that don't
sell no longer have a place in our
restaurants. Inefficient practices need
to go! Lean and mean is the name
of the game. Keeping your vendors
accountable is also vital; unapproved
substitutions, price hikes and outstanding
credits are problematic and
wreak havoc on your operations and
finances.
In reality, these practices are just
part of running a successful organization.
Putting solid operational,
marketing and financial practices in
place every day will help ensure that
our restaurants can survive the storm
WHEN it comes. n
MELISSA RICKMAN is co-founder
of Wholly Stromboli in Fort Lupton,
Colorado, and member of the World
Pizza Champions.
http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM
Pizza Today - February 2022

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