Sometimes when I look over my business experience in the past, I kind of wonder how I got here. I have no fancy MBA, I’ve never held a job for someone else for more than 1 and a half years, and my college degree is in Holistic Psychology with minors in Outdoor Leadership & Fine Art. In fact, when I started my first business, I had little experience to lean on other than working in a day care and being a waitress.
But today, my website is now one of the top 5000 US web sites on the internet.
I’m not the only entrepreneur on the planet that had humble beginnings. Lots of people can wait tables, but not everyone becomes a business owner. Was it the lessons we learned from our early work experience that contributed to our success as entrepreneurs? Perhaps - so I dug back into my memory in the hopes that I can beat that old cliche into your head again - if I can go from waitress to entrepreneur, you can, too!
People Skills Will Separate You from the Pack
I put this first on purpose. Building rapport is one of the most important skills you will ever use in business. It’s also one of the hardest things to teach. For most positions, I’ll hire someone who can make friends with anyone before I hire someone with a perfect resume. If you know how to work a table, I bet you are already one of the top earning servers. And you may want to consider a career move.
Initiative Can Make You a Lot of Money
The only way you make money waiting on tables is by getting the best shifts and taking on as many tables as you can handle. It’s the same with business - you may have romantic notions of working in your pajamas and taking naps in the afternoons, but in the end, only hard work brings in the bucks.
Don’t Allow Yourself to Get “Weeded”
Getting “Weeded” means having too many tables at once. You can’t take 6 orders or serve 6 meals at the same time - you’ve got to make sure the host(ess) staggers your seatings.
Yet many entrepreneurs really struggle with time management - working too much, taking on too many projects, or pursuing too many ideas (and not finishing any of them). Learning how to say “No” - to others as well as to yourself sometimes - is key to managing your workflow and productivity effectively.
If You Make a Mistake - Fix it & Get Over it
Nothing angers restaurant customers more than delivering their food order excessively late, or worse, incorrectly. Every entrepreneur makes mistakes - in fact, LOTS of them. The ones that succeed in business do two things. One :: make it right with the customer. Two :: don’t let it mess with your head: learn from it and move on - fast.
Learn the Art of the Upsell
We all know why servers suggest appetizers or another round of drinks - to increase the size of the bill (and their tip).
It’s critical to keep an eye on your expenses and cash flow in business, and you’ve got to have a profit motive. It may seem simplistic, but this actually one of the things I hear most from entrepreneurs. Quite often they have a hard time pricing their products or services to be both competitive and make a profit. Sometimes it’s the upsell that makes the difference between staying in business or going out of business.
You’re in a Service Business, Period.
The only waiters & waitresses that do well know to put their customers first. And it’s the same in every single business on the planet. You don’t go into business to make money and sell things. You go into business to add value and serve your customers. Though it’s a small change in words, the difference between the two is light years apart, and will make or break you.
This entry was posted on Monday, October 8th, 2007 at 8:50 am and is filed under Inspiration. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.41 Responses to “Rags to Riches :: Can Waiting Tables Teach You How to be an Entrepreneur?”
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October 8th, 2007 at 11:31 am
This is DEAD-ON! Excellent points - I wish more people realized that these skills (and this mindset) are essential no matter what business you’re in, or what job you do. Some would even say it doesn’t apply in our personal lives, but frankly, these skills do apply in daily life as well as business.
October 8th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Melonie - I totally agree that applying business lessons to our personal lives makes a huge difference - and vice versa!!
October 8th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
What Did You Learn in the Beginning?
I spent the summer of 1970 working in the Pittsburgh-DesMoines steel fabrication plant in Santa Clara, which was ironically right in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Having just read Wendy Piersall’s very sharp post Can Waiting on Tables Teach yo…
October 8th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
I am not in a service business. I am in a happiness business and the sale of my product makes an instant happiness.
To say that I am here to be a slave to my customers, as though I “serve” them is nothing short of insulting. They are here to buy my product and I am here to sell it.
The happiness in my customers eyes is enough to prove that I am a successful business and you are not.
From the Author:
October 8th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
I used to wait tables for four years. Your article is totally on point. Many people think that being a waiter/waitress is a degrading job. I say F**K them. You learn a lot by serving food and working tables. Period. An the money’s not bad either (at least here in NYC).
October 8th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
I would agree that it would help your customer and public skills, but it doesn’t exactly translate to business skils, things such as management, development and ingenuity.
October 8th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
All good points, but they could also be applied to virtually any job. It’s not a particular job that teaches you this, but your own motivation and willingness to learn. The problem most people have is taking the knowledge they have and actually putting it into practice.
October 8th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
I really enjoyed this post. I’ve done a lot of different jobs before starting a business, but I never stopped to think about how much I learned from some of them. The winning principles are on display whenever excellent service is being given.
October 8th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Great post wendy!
October 8th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
That last point is just so dead-on. So many people say they want to go into business for themselves so they ‘don’t have a boss’. Nothing could be further from the truth when you own your own business: every single paying client is your boss and your business exists only because you serve them, period.
October 8th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Hi Wendie,
Great article. Great points. I especially liked the 4th one. Resilience is one of the best qualities anywhere.
But are you satisfied being the one of the top “5000″ -US- websites? I think the minimum you need to achieve before “wondering how you got ‘there’ ” is to have your entry made in Wikipedia by a total stranger. From where I look you haven’t reached anywhere. You are just doing okay.
October 8th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Can Waiting Tables Teach You How to be an Entrepreneur?
No. But it can turn you into a misanthrope faster than anything else i know….
nothin’ like feeding time in the human zoo.
October 8th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
Inspiring article. In top-5,000 sites, huh?
October 8th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
I do not “give” value, I “sell” value. To give things away is not the way to a success.
This is like an old staff of mine who always wanted to be nice to everyone, she would do anything people asked. You could call her on the phone and ask her anything and she would help. I fired her for wasting time. I am not here to “serve” people, I am here to “sell” to CUSTOMERS.
I do nothing for people who are not customers and this is why I am a successful business. I am sorry for accusing you of not being a success but I do not understand how you can be with such a subservient business thinking.
From the Author:
October 8th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
Yes, I did miss your point about a profit motive, because I ignored your point about upselling. If you need to upsell, you have not packaged your goods correctly. I achieve what you think of as an “upsell” because I sell a package of goods. There is no need to upsell because they already have every product I sell in the one package.
Sometimes a customer can ask for a single component but I do not listen. If they are a customer they already have this component, and if they are not a customer I am not interested in what they say.
By ignoring the pests and selling to the best, this is how I am a success.
I teach this rhyme to all my staff.
October 8th, 2007 at 11:15 pm
Hi Alfosno! I love this website of yours! And what an uplifting message! NO! WE ARE NOT HERE TO BE YOUR SERVANTS! PAY US OR YOU GET NOTHING!! And oh, how I would have loved to have seen the look on that lazy woman’s face when you “helped” her on her way to finding another job
Keep up the good work!!
October 9th, 2007 at 12:33 am
Very good and inspiring post. Also I found the “If You Make a Mistake - Fix it & Get Over it” point as the most common case in entrepreneur failures. You have to be very fast and flexible and move on very fast.
October 9th, 2007 at 2:39 am
Good article. These articles gives inspiration and advices for young entrepreneurs who carries great hopes in their heart.
October 9th, 2007 at 4:36 am
like the artcile very much …
hope it hels me as i’m gonna go private in a few months …
thanks for sharing …
October 9th, 2007 at 5:11 am
[…] Can waiting tables teach you how to be an entrepreneur. […]
October 9th, 2007 at 5:33 am
Well Stated
October 9th, 2007 at 6:59 am
[…] out the full article here. Some food for thought […]
October 9th, 2007 at 7:03 am
Alfonso, by packaging everything together in one product you have essentially done the ‘upselling’ beforehand. Think about that for a minute. You built it into your system from the start, but not every business can work like that. Could Victoria’s Secret simply package every product into one massive box and say “buy all our underwear and fragrances at once, or none”? Or does it make more sense for them to ‘upsell’ you on items near the counter to add to your initial purchase? Just because one business’ methods and successful tactics work for you, doesn’t mean they are applicable everywhere or that it somehow reflects on a company’s success by not doing it as you have. A cut-throat attitude like yours can be commendable and needed in some businesses, but in others it wouldn’t fly. To take the example from this article, with your my-way-or-the-highway attitude you’d be destitute as a waiter. Congrats if it’s serving you well in your current endeavors however.
October 9th, 2007 at 8:19 am
I agree with this article. When I was VP of sales for a large technology company. Some of the best young sales professionals that I hired had former restaurant experience.
The writer of this article makes some really good points.
October 9th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
interesting points. but your just a good writer. i could probably write up an article about how being a pot head could teach you to be an entrepreneur. Its all about how you look at it, doesnt mean it will work for anybody else, just insight
October 9th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
I noticed, however, that there was absolutely no mention of when to recognize a customer is abusing you. There is, indeed, a fine line between “server” and “serve” but there is an even finer line between “server” and “servant” and many, many people don’t realize the difference.
I waited tables and bartended for a long time before settling into a 9-5 office gig. As important as it is to make sure that you are responding to your customer’s needs, what’s more important is your dignity. Something that I don’t feel you touched upon enough is, if you feel that a customer or client is abusive or disrespectful, it may be well worth your time to just let them go.
The aggravation isn’t always worth $2.38/hour plus a tip, or whatever the payment.
October 9th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
[…] Piersall, “Can Waiting Tables Teach You How to be an Entrepreneur?” (via Digg): Sometimes when I look over my business experience in the past, I kind of wonder how I […]
October 10th, 2007 at 1:12 am
I am happy to see that so many understand that we lead the customers to purchase, the customers do not lead us to sell. So many business think that customers know what they want. They know nothing until we show them. They want my product.
As for you, Jtheletter, do you not realise that Victoria Secret would be more profitable if they sold one product only instead of all this frivolity that they choose?
Victoria secret is an indulgence and not a business thinking to be followed, unless you think your business is a playground. I have no time for such stupid.
October 11th, 2007 at 11:14 am
I totally agree with this post. I am now marcom exec, and kept a shift on sundays in a bistro. Not the same money at all, but great for selling skills and customer service. + handling a rush is an art.
October 12th, 2007 at 11:49 am
[…] Here’s the post: http://inspired.entrepreneur.com/2007/10/08/rags-to-riches-can-waiting-tables-teach-you-how-to-be-an… […]
October 16th, 2007 at 6:49 am
what a great article Wendy! All great points that not only will lead to success in business but in daily life as well, adding value and putting others first!
October 19th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Thanks Melonie,
I just read your article, It’s great.
When we choose to inspire some one with any wisdom that would enable a body to strive for perfection in area’s of their life is commendable. We must always beaware every one like Mr. Alfonso, will not agree with ones concept, which is OK. We all are slaves to what ever we spent the majority of our time on, Being in bussiness, a mom, dad, cook waiter V.P. etc. We are also free to decide what we want to be a slave to and how to exicute it. We must not forget we are servants as well. When we step out of our own arena, others become these things to us. Slaves to do the bidding of who’s in charge, like the rhyme Mr. Alfonso staff had to learm and make it their own because that is what he decided. They were free to agree to his decision. and his servant if it’s exicuted on the customer. We are on this earth to serve and be serve in every sphere of life one way or another. How we choose to exicute this task speaks to the masses who we are as person. We learn two ways. Right and Wrong. Who am I to say what one consider right or wrong. My Motto is: Work what ever works for your Life Purpose! Thanks Melonie, You made my light shine again, I’m presently in the Re-Claim Purpose Department, Other’s maybe in their Claim Purpose Department for the first time. It should not be a concern as to the bounty of another person purse, as long as it serve ( there goes that word again)each individual purpose for their life. Congrad to everyone whom living their purpose life in the capacity they have chosen.
Lorraine
October 23rd, 2007 at 3:14 pm
Wendy,
Great post. I think so many people overlook the meak beginnings that entrepreneurs can have that really foster their growth and give them the skills to succeed. For you fellow female entrepreneurs currently in the difficult struggle to make it on your own, take a look at this great contest I found. It’s called “Make Your Dreams Come True with Mirassou.” They will be awarding one aspiring business woman $50,000 plus a team of highly professional consultants to help kick start your business. Visit http://www.mirassou.com/women_in_business/dreams.asp for more info and to enter. I work with them so just wanted to give you the inside scoop. Keep plugging along ladies, and don’t forget the everyday skills you learn, especially those people skills.
October 31st, 2007 at 7:13 pm
This is my story in a nutshell but I need help and advice!Jonah
I was waiting tables at the ever so popular restaurant Chili’s, trying to make tips in order to fund my album. Little did I know when applying for the job, that servers ONLY got paid minumum wage. However, I excepted the job when offered, and began my journey into the service industry. This fun but ever so emotional job, was a complete roller coaster ride which has had a surprise finish. While I was working at Chili’s I realized that the server community, felt a bitter sweet taste in their mouth. Being that the reality is, if we don’t make tips we don’t survive. So our livelihood really lives in the hands of our customers, which sometimes has a great ending, and sometimes not so great ending.
One day at work some of my co-workers were joking around with me, and they suggested that I write a song about being a waiter. After the laughs died down I felt up to the challenge, and started secretly writing a song about waiting tables while I was serving my customers. While serving my tables and listening to the general thought process of my fellow servers, I felt like my verses were coming to life and I wrote a song called “Tip Yo Waiter”. After sharing it with my co-workers and seeing their zeal to share it with all of their friends, the light bulb went off in my head. I quickly put it on my myspace and then made shirts that said “Tip yo Waiter”. My town made the song and the story into this incredible hype, and eventually I pitched the idea to corporate Chili’s about using the song. After much thought, corporate Chili’s decided to work with me in exchange for promoting my music. So my song was used for an online campaign ad. for one of Chili’s food items. The campaign was a success, and eventually Warner Brothers got ahold of the song through the campaign, and they wanted to jump on board. Warner called Chili’s and Chili’s then called me, informing me of the news that Warner Bros. wanted to do a NEW reality series on my life as a waiter, trying to make it as a music artist, so aptly given the title “Waiting to be Discovered”. (Livevideo.com/w2bd) j-jonah.com www.myspace.com/jonahandtimeless
November 6th, 2007 at 8:18 am
Yea Jonah!!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck and have fun!
November 12th, 2007 at 9:28 am
What a great post! I spent my early days waiting tables. That was in the early 90’s when the big chains were emerging and they were compelling to call ourselves “severs.” I though that tag sold ourselves short. I thought we could be more.
I referred to myself as an Experience Manager. It was not infrequent that I would ask my customers a few questions about themselves and their mood. Have an inquiry conversation with them. Then order their dinner for them, drinks and all. I would introduce tables to each other. I created a dining experience. And here’s the kicker, I only worked chain restaurants: Garfield’s, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse, etc. My largest tip at such a restaurant was $800 for a single table of 8. (I have always been proud of that!)
I viewed my job as a business. For my busienss, I was competing against all the other “servers” that customer had ever had. I created an unexpected experience. I now say that the fastest way for a server to lose their tip from me is to say, “My name is … I will be yourserver this evening.” That line tells me that this experience will be average and dull, which is not why I usually dine out. I want to be taken care of. I want to be viewed as a customer, not a patient.
We have become such a service economy that those serving now take the customer for granted. And the customers are becoming tired of it. They are begining to crave “different”. This opens a world of opportunity for entrepreneurs. In the emerging economy and culture, those that go above and beyond will be rewarded. I dine out often and seek out servers that create an experience for me. They are entrepreneurs. I reward them by coming back to their table repreatedly and tipping them well.
I often view GREAT wait staff as the best potential project managers.
November 15th, 2007 at 2:13 am
Excellent post. Really set me thinking especially since i am a recent entrepreneur….You sometimes get your hands on soo many things and fail to see whats truly adding value and separates with all the other mundane stuff…
Sandeep
November 24th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
Can you please use a different image for this article? My photographs are licensed for non-commercial use only and I did not grant permission for use on this or any other commercial blog. Thanks.
November 26th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Todd, as I stated in my two emails to you, when I found the photo on Flickr, it came up in a search for images that were specifically marked as available for commercial use. I removed the photo on 11/25 - thank you for letting me know.
Sorry for the confusion!
November 28th, 2007 at 11:01 am
I waited tables for five years before I settled into my “day” job. I think about my experiences and the things I learned while in the service industry almost every day. Every point that you made about the correlation has been in the back of my head since day one. This is a theory and idealization about work ethic and strategy, not specifics like this Alfonso character is getting into. Anybody who has never worked in hospitality could probably never understand what it means in terms of responsibility and work load. Of course, not everybody who HAS worked on that side of the bar understands these things either. It takes a motivated individual to analyze the effects of the industry on themselves and turn them into constructive ones. To conclude, I wanted to say that I have a friend who is very successful and told me recently that the first thing she looks for on a resume is hospitality experience. To her, it is a green light toward someone who is capable and able to manage themselves and their workload. I agree fully with your article!
January 24th, 2008 at 12:02 am
[…] is a good read: Rags to Riches. Too bad I decided a long long time ago that I wasn’t fit to work in the food industry (due […]