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My parents bought a bakery when I was 13.
A Thread
A Thread
I spent most of my afternoons, evenings, and weekends there eating all the things and spending time with the fam.
As I grew up I began to realize something...
As I grew up I began to realize something...
This was my parent's passion. My dad baked, decorated cakes, and ran daily operations. My mom decorated cookies.
When I was of age I started working in the cafe and I learned some pretty invaluable lessons...
When I was of age I started working in the cafe and I learned some pretty invaluable lessons...
1. Owning your own business is HARD work and takes DEDICATION.
My dad woke up at 4am every morning to begin baking and stayed until 7 or 8 every night... for 10 years.
I saw his ups and downs, but he ALWAYS persisted.
My dad woke up at 4am every morning to begin baking and stayed until 7 or 8 every night... for 10 years.
I saw his ups and downs, but he ALWAYS persisted.
2. It takes a fucking village
Yes, he worked his ass off. But so did the people that worked there.
THAT is what made it thrive. He hired good people, and those people brought in other good people.
The bakery was the local hangout for that community
Yes, he worked his ass off. But so did the people that worked there.
THAT is what made it thrive. He hired good people, and those people brought in other good people.
The bakery was the local hangout for that community
3. The customer comes FIRST
I remember one day this woman came up to the counter asking to see the manager
My dad came out and this woman showed pictures of an "unbaked" pie crust on her phone from Thanksgiving. IT WAS FEBRUARY.
She asked for a refund on the pie...
I remember one day this woman came up to the counter asking to see the manager
My dad came out and this woman showed pictures of an "unbaked" pie crust on her phone from Thanksgiving. IT WAS FEBRUARY.
She asked for a refund on the pie...
I looked at the woman and I said "Are you serious?"
Before I even noticed, my dad was back at the counter with cash in hand to refund the customer. She thanked him and walked away. He said to me,
"You HAVE to keep the customers happy"
Before I even noticed, my dad was back at the counter with cash in hand to refund the customer. She thanked him and walked away. He said to me,
"You HAVE to keep the customers happy"
4. You MUST have fun
Working at that bakery with my dad were some of the best memories I will ever have.
Catering weddings, closing up shop, baking pies for the holidays, jamming out to music while prepping for the night bake.
Every single moment in that business was a thrill
Working at that bakery with my dad were some of the best memories I will ever have.
Catering weddings, closing up shop, baking pies for the holidays, jamming out to music while prepping for the night bake.
Every single moment in that business was a thrill
5. Failure will happen and you will learn
After 10 years & probably over 50k chocolate croissants eaten, my dad had to sell the bakery.
Due to unfortunate circumstances, he wasn't able to keep it afloat and couldn't secure enough capital to keep it going....
After 10 years & probably over 50k chocolate croissants eaten, my dad had to sell the bakery.
Due to unfortunate circumstances, he wasn't able to keep it afloat and couldn't secure enough capital to keep it going....
After he sold, we would always talk about what he would've done different, what he would've changed, where he went wrong.
I could tell he was hurt deep down by mistakes that were made.
I know he was so proud of what he built
But all good things come to an end
I could tell he was hurt deep down by mistakes that were made.
I know he was so proud of what he built
But all good things come to an end
And his end was selling the bakery. Others tried to mimic what he had, but they could never do it.
I'm here because I want to build a village, and have a community of greatness.
Failure will happen, and we will learn. But we will KEEP GOING
I'm here because I want to build a village, and have a community of greatness.
Failure will happen, and we will learn. But we will KEEP GOING
