How to open a successful restaurant

Whether it is a full-size buffet restaurant in the busiest section of town or an intimate bistro by the lake, new restauranteurs hope that their establishment will attract and hold a solid base of repeat customers. Many restaurants do in fact thrive, while others find themselves struggling to keep their doors open a year after their debut.

What qualities do all successful restaurants have in common that keep them thriving while others close up around them? Here are five considerations when opening a new restaurant in your area.

1. Location, location, location. Not just limited to real estate, this maxim applies to restaurants as well. You may have the best food, the best staff and the best prices, but if you are not located in a convenient area for potential customers, you will be out of business in a year. A new restauranteur's first instinct may be to lease the abandoned property of a former restaurant. This may work, if the traffic is heavy and the location is acceptable, but will work against you if the former restaurant went out of business for lack of customers. Research the history of any property you are considering for your new restaurant. You are not necessarily limited to buildings designed specifically for restaurant use. If the building codes allow it, consider putting in a restaurant near the court system or other high-traffic areas. You may have to do some heavy renovations at first, but the client base should make up for the initial investment. New restaurants stand a better chance of survival if you go to where the people are, instead of waiting for the people to come to you.

2. Advertise like you have never advertised before. A new restaurant is usually a highly-anticipated event in many smaller cities. Heighten this anticipation by promoting the restaurant even while you're still working on construction. Make sure you hang a banner announcing the arrival of a new and exciting restaurant. Generate positive word of mouth advertising through radio spots and print media. By the time you are ready to open the doors, you should have a crowd of hungry customers waiting. Restaurants typically enjoy a 'honeymoon' period where business is booming and new customers are pouring in. What you want to do is keep enough of those customers coming back for more. Within reason, promote your best dishes with 'two for one' deals or other heavy discounts. You want this first wave of customers to recommend your food to others who take a more conservative approach to choosing a restaurant. They will be your customer base once the honeymoon is over.

3. Never price yourself out of existence. Pricing your food can be a challenging process from start to finish. You must take into account any number of fixed or variable costs, including actual cost of the food, salaries, and advertising. You'll want to adjust for a healthy but reasonable profit on each dish, while keeping the prices low enough for the customer. This is a delicate balancing act to pull off, but you must remain proactive during the first few months after opening. If the customers seem to be avoiding your higher-ticket items altogether, you may have to lower prices in response. If your customers seem to be ordering one or two items in mass quantities, you may have priced them too low.

Get a feel for the going rate on certain standard items and charge accordingly. You'll still be closing your doors in a year if you continue to sell food at a loss, despite the number of customers who are taking advantage of your generosity.

4. Seek out and keep quality employees. From kitchen managers to dishwashers, maintain the best staff you can afford. Customers react much more positively if the staff is friendly and professional. In fact, customers can often sense tension among the staff even before management does, so it pays to keep interdepartmental relations cordial and professional. Any restaurant that runs continuous classified ads for new employees becomes suspect in a potential customer's mind. Whatever the current wage for restaurant employees happens to be, be willing to pay it. If customers seem to prefer a certain cook or an especially good hostess, do everything you can to keep them happy and satisfied with their jobs. Disgruntled employees will lead the way when it comes to negative word of mouth, so make every effort to retain key employees early.

5. Find the right theme and stick with it. You certainly don't want to open the fifth Mexican restaurant on the block or the twelth Italian bistro. You'll want to find a theme for your restaurant that is exciting and innovating, or at least different than the competition. Basically, a good restaurant environment seduces the customer into ordering higher-ticket specialty foods and also encourages return visits. But you must keep 'gimmicks' to a minimum if you want long-term success. Decorate the walls with theme-related items, such as antiques or movie posters. Select uniforms that match the theme and decor of the restaurant. Background music is essential, and offers you a chance to emphasize the theme even more. Find your strongest connection to the overall theme and exploit it in advertising. Are you more authentic than other ethnic restaurants? Are you more child-friendly than the other family restaurants? Do you have more entertainment than the other 'fun food' establishments? Instead of trying to promote your new restaurant as all things to everyone, concentrate on what makes you special- work on building a niche market of customers who prefer your style of food consistently.

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How to Be a Writer

Practice, Practice, Practice

1. Step 1
   Become a blog writer. Blog writing has quickly become a great way for new and experienced writers to keep doing what they love--writing! Also, some bloggers get sponsored and turn their hobby into a paid job.
   
2. Step 2
   Be a journal writer. Journal writing is a great way to practice organizing your thoughts without the added stress of trying to make up characters and events.
   
3. Step 3
   Be a email writer. Emails are opportunities to practice writing. Think about how your writing in emails expresses your personality. You can use similar styles when your write dialogue between characters.
   

Find Your Market

4. Step 1
   Decide what kind of writing you want to do.
   
5. Step 2
   Learn about what sells in your market. The best way to do this is by reading. If you are interested in mystery, pick up a couple of the most popular, recent mysteries. Figure out what makes a good mystery.
   
6. Step 3
   Figure out what kind of places would hire you and what kind of publishers would publish your work. The Writer's Market lists all of the publishers in America. It also gives tips on how to approach different publishers. If you want an office job, you can learn about different companies by looking on internet job boards.
   

Get in Through the Door

7. Step 1
   Introduce yourself to a couple publishers or companies. You can do this by asking someone you know to introduce you to an editor or by sending an email or letter.
   
8. Step 2
   Convince an editor that you and their company have the same goals. This only means that if a children's book publisher wants manuscripts that teach children right from wrong, you propose a book that discusses exactly what the publisher wants. This also means that you do not propose books or ideas the publisher does not want.
   
9. Step 3
   Consider getting an agent. This could help save you time on finding and courting the right market.
   

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Building a resume through volunteer opportunities and hobbies

Many people shy away from placing volunteer work and hobbies on a resume. While they probably think that the work they do is important, they may also feel that a potential employer will not. Many worry that employers will view placing these kinds of tasks on a resume as the sign of someone who lacks any real skills at all.

However, quite the opposite can be true. If an individual is performing volunteer work on a regular basis or has turned a hobby into a nearly full-time job, these tasks can actually help you land the job of your dreams. Knowing how to explain these duties on your resume will show prospective employers the true depth of your skills and talents.

Volunteer Work

Most people know that volunteering can be a great way to network. You meet people from different industries and fields that you might not usually meet. In addition, volunteering often exposes us to tasks and responsibilities that are different from our daily routine. It is these new tasks that are learned through volunteer opportunities that can expand a resume.

For example, someone who is an accountant but who also volunteers in a nursing home on a regular basis is expanding his resume and his range of potential employers at the same time. By simply putting on his resume that he volunteers 15 hours a week in the business office of a nursing home, he has opened the doors to jobs that otherwise might be closed.

This individual can explain his accounting experience on his resume, but he can also explain that he understands the intricacies and details of maintaining financial records in a medical facility—which are often much more scrutinized than in some other venues. This piece of information would probably open up job opportunities working in the financial sector of the medical industry simply because this person already has a basic understanding of the responsibilities involved. Many employers look favorably on a person with prior experience because they require less on-the-job training.

Hobbies

A hobby may seem a little more difficult to work into a resume. The idea of tinkering with old cars in the garage may not seem very important at all. However, the skills acquired from fixing up and showing old cars might be just what your next employer is looking for.

For example, if you regularly fix up and show antique cars, you learn the internal workings of the cars. You also learn how to work within financial and mechanical limits to get the cars running. Finally, you learn how to show the car to other car enthusiasts—especially if you have ever won any awards.

For a person working in mechanics or engineering, these skills can be invaluable. In addition, for a person working in marketing or public relations, the idea of knowing how to present your cars and actually win awards can certainly show you understand the nuances of grabbing people’s attention.

While restoring antique vehicles may bring enjoyment on the weekends, it could also help you land a job that you had never even thought about. The trick to using volunteer work or hobbies on your resume is to know how to explain them.

Writing the Resume

When placing volunteer work or a full-time hobby on your resume, include it in your work experience like any other job. Put the work in chronological order, listing your title (if any), along with your duties and responsibilities. Also, if you have received any awards because of your volunteer efforts or hobby, be sure to list those.

The real key to making your volunteering or hobby experience a part of your resume is to do just that: make it a part of your resume. Do not be ashamed of your volunteer work. The experience it gives you may just be what gets you the job of your dreams.

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Become a Chef - Learn How To Cook at Home

If you want to become a Chef and start a rewarding career in the culinary arts then the most important thing you can do for yourself is to start cooking. Don't wait until you land your first job before you start cooking. Of course, getting a job is an important factor in the development of any Chef, but you really need to start developing your skills if you want to make it in this industry.

Learning to cook at home means actual cooking and not making mac and cheese or throwing frozen pizza in the oven. You really need to get your hands dirty and start cooking things from scratch.

LEARN HOW TO SHOP

If you have the luxury of a local farmers market near you then make certain you go there regularly and check out the produce. Many times they will offer more variety than a supermarket. Not only that, but most of the produce offered at local farmers markets are grown on site, which means they are fresh, which is not always the case at a supermarket. When you visit your local market on a regular basis you will begin to learn more about the food and what's in season. While you visit the market be sure to get friendly with the owner and workers there. Ask questions and let them know more about you and your desire to learn to cook and become a Chef. More often then not, they will be happy to talk to you about the produce and other products they sell.

Next, visit your local butcher. These guys really know their meats. It is more personal than a supermarket and they are usually very happy to talk to their customers and share tips like what the best cuts of meat are, how to season and cook them, etc.

Visit your local fishmonger as well. These guys really know their fish. Do the same as you did at the butcher shop and ask questions, get friendly. They should also be very happy to share their knowledge with you.

YOUR EQUIPMENT

If you are going to learn how to cook at home, you are going to need the right cooking equipment. Now don't be mislead into believing that you need the top of the line everything and every gadget under the sun, in order to be a Chef. This is simply not the case, but you still need to invest some money into buying equipment.

For your cookware, get yourself a basic set including a fry pan, a sauce pan, a saute pan and a stock pot. You may also want something for grilling. A cast iron grill works quite nicely. The next thing you will want is a good set of knives. I wouldn't go cheap in this department. Knives are a Chef's best friend, so invest in a good set. If you buy a cheap set of knives, they will go dull very quickly and a dull knife can be dangerous. Two good brands of knives to look into are Cutco and J.A. Henckels. To be honest, I have not tried any other brands because I never had the need to. My J.A. Henckel knives are wonderful. I have had the same set for over 5 years now and they still perform wonderfully.

There are other things you will need like a colander for straining, a grater of some sort for cheese and zesting of fruits and tools for stirring, mixing and serving. There will certainly be other items you will need along the way. You will learn more about your cooking equipment and needs the more you spend time in the kitchen.

EXPERIMENT

Are you a picky eater? Not into certain types of foods? Are there certain foods that make you squeamish, that you would never consider putting in your mouth? Well if this is you then you will need to develop different taste buds if you want to be a successful Chef. Here in America, there are items that most Americans would rarely, if ever, consider ordering at a restaurant. Items like heart, kidneys, tongue and tripe to name a few. In other countries, these items are quite popular. So in order to understand how to cook with these items, you have to be willing to at least try them.

LEARNING RESOURCES

There are a ton of learning resources available to today's Chef. Everything from books to videos are within everyone's reach. Start out with a few good books on French Cuisine. French Cuisine is a good place to start because of its influence on other cuisines. Do not simply skim through these books until you find a recipe that interests you. You should read these books from start to finish, including the introduction, appendix and glossary. These parts of cook books, normally ignored by many home cooks, contain gems of information like tips and techniques, history and more. Once you have gone through French Cuisine, then move onto another popular cuisine like Italian. Try out as many different recipes as you can. This will give you a well rounded and rewarding learning experience.

COOK FOR FAMILY & FRIENDS

Once you have been cooking for a while, you will eventually want to cook for people right? It can get kind of lonely eating by yourself. Besides, cooking for friends and family is great practice and an excellent way to get feedback. Here is what you do. Find a few of your friends or family and let them know you would like to have a dinner party (try to scrounge up 10 bucks a head to help pay for the ingredients). Tell them it is your first time cooking for a group of people and that you would like their honest feedback.

Come up with your own menu of dishes that you would like to prepare, just like a restaurant. Start with an appetizer, a main course and dessert and then print it out for your guests. Don't go too crazy with the menu items, remember you are a beginner. Find one or two people to assist you with taking orders and helping out in the kitchen. Try to make this as close as possible to a real restaurant environment.

When your guests arrive and you take their orders, give yourself a time limit. Try to get the appetizers out within 20 minutes, then the dinner and desserts out in a timely manner. This kind of cooking under pressure with time limits, is exactly what you will experience in a real restaurant kitchen. When everything is over, make sure you sit with your guests and get their HONEST opinion on everything. You need to know what you did wrong and what you did right. Then work out any mistakes you may have made and try it again in a month or two.

By Ralph Serpe

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Stop Treating Your Business Like a Hobby!

Written by Sharon Michaels

I’ve learned from personal experience that you can grow a successful and profitable business part-time or full-time, but not “some-time.” To make it on your own, you must be mentally and financially committed to the success and profitability of your business. So, if your business is not as successful as you’d like it to be, ask yourself these questions: Am I serious about succeeding? Do I have the desire, passion and determination to grow and sustain a moneymaking business? Do I feel as if I am dabbling in my business? Do I have the mindset of a successful business owner? Am I treating my business as if it were a hobby? Study your answers carefully. Listen to what your instincts and emotions are telling you. Are you giving yourself permission to succeed? The key to success in business is to take yourself and your business seriously. Here are Nine C’s of Success for developing, growing and maintaining a successful business and an entrepreneurial mindset. The more you implement these Nine C’s—emotionally and physically—the more successful and profitable your business will become. 1. Be Consist. Working your business consistently means setting goals, developing a viable plan of action and working the plan regularly. Consistency in business equals reliability, and reliability is an essential element for establishing and maintaining customer loyalty. 2. Make a Commitment. The emotional, financial and physical commitment you make to yourself and your business can mean the difference between thriving and failing. Either you are committed or you are just playing. Commitment is an internal conviction that says, “I will not quit before payday.” 3. Cultivate Connections. It’s not what you know, but whom you know. In business your professional connections can save time, energy and money. Referrals from past customers/clients, fellow business owners, and even friends and family, can give your business the added exposure and revenue it needs to succeed. Cultivate your professional connections with loving care. And remember—it’s not just what your connections can do for you, but what you can do for them as well. 4. Concentrate! Focus your business-building energy on the things that are important to growing and maintaining a successful and profitable business. How you spend the important moneymaking hours of your day determines how successful and profitable your business becomes. Concentrate on keeping the important things important. 5. Radiate Confidence. Build confidence in your business and yourself. Self-confidence is a powerful success tool that can help you stretch and grow beyond your comfort zone. 6. Hone Your Craft. Learn the professional skills you’ll need to conduct business successfully. Make the time to learn about your industry, understand your target market and know your product better than anyone. Hone your business-building skills and knowledge until they become second nature to you. 7. Build Credibility. Without credibility your business reputation suffers. Here is a business-building rule of thumb: Do what you say you are going to do and do it on time. Integrity is vital to a successful business. Deliver on your promises and exceed your customer’s expectations! 8. Stay Current. Stay current with the trends in your industry and target market. Look, listen and analyze what is happening in your field, in the economy and in the lives of your target market. Stay on the cutting edge of what your customers need and want. 9. Nourish Your Customer/Client Base. Your client/customer base is twofold, consisting of both current and future clients. Current clients are “gold,” so treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve. Keep them informed and interested in doing business with you by sending out a newsletter or writing a blog. Most importantly, nothing creates loyalty like great customer service. Future clients hold the key to sustaining a successful moneymaking business. Your day-to-day activities must include time to prospect for new clients. Use the Nine “C’s” of Success as the basis for creating a business-building plan of action. Growing a successful business means knowing what you want and then having a practical and workable plan in place to make your personal and professional goals a reality. Treat your enterprise like the moneymaking business you want it to be—not like a some-time hobby. careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy