Pizza Today - May 2019 - 66

Mike's Monthly Tip
MIKE BAUSCH

someone go because they did something that was just stupid enough, but
I really didn't want to let them go and
in turn wanted to see them land on
their feet. A good relationship with
another restaurant owner allows me
that opportunity.
Upon my arrival at Marine
Corps OCS they gave us one
book. It was Sun Tzu's The Art of

Work with your
Competition, Not Against
After getting back from Pizza
Expo 2019 and seeing all walks of the
industry working together and learning from one another, something stayed
with me. The concept of having enemies
in this business is a very antiquated
notion. Working with your competition is significantly smarter than having
enemies. Genuinely working with your
competition has way more benefits than
an antagonistic relationship. Whether
it's locally or nationally, knowing people
in this industry and being on the same
page about pushing it forward is just a
smart move.
Now locally, you might not want
another pizza place to open up across
the street from you, and I get that. No
one wants to split their market share.
With that said, having businesses that
fill in the gaps for one another and create a "Scene" or "District" is a very large
6 6 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / M AY 2 0 1 9

win for your business. You want your
location to be a part of a "Scene." That's
the way you move the needle. If you
disagree, open in the middle of a desert
and see how much business you get with
the absence of competition. Being in
with your competition means that when
you have an issue with the city, or you
just need to bounce off ideas, you have
someone else in the game with you.
Vendor pricing, regulations and even
just having a resource that isn't someone
you pay are all reasons to get on board
with this.
Another massive pro in having a
good working relationship with other
restaurant owners in your community is
when you have to fire someone that you
really don't want to fire, they can now
hire them, and vice versa. This increases
your talent pool. I've been in the position multiple times where I had to let

War. That's a pretty hardcore book to
be given on day one. It says, "Know
they enemy, and know thyself." I
think we could take the word enemy
and modify it to competition, and it
makes more sense for today. After
all, we're not at war, this is cheese on
bread we're talking. Know thy competition means to know where they're
going. Know what you're going for as
well and not simply seeking to destroy
them, but rather complement them
and fill in the gaps they aren't filling,
so both of you survive and thrive.
If other businesses in your area
are closing, that doesn't typically
bode well for your perception to the
customer and the viability of your real
estate and location.
If you're just angry at the competition and want to blame them for anything that's not going right with you,
that's misplaced hostility and should
be dealt with in a more appropriate
manner. Hating on other restaurants
will not make your restaurant more
successful. One hundred percent,
absolute fact, you will never be more
successful because of the negativity
you spread about other restaurants.
The only way to win is being the best,
being proud of the product you put
out and letting go from there. ■
MIKE BAUSCH is

the owner of Andolini's
Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is a
frequent speaker at the International
Pizza Expo family of tradeshows.

http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM

Pizza Today - May 2019

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