ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
place. Within the next two years we were involved in the opening of four
additional bars in Brooklyn and Manhattan.
In order to minimize my operational responsibilities, I made a conscious
decision to work towards delegating daily responsibilities by training
management staff. We eventually closed The Collins Bar and sold out of
The Brooklyn Ale House in 2007. We have now begun to pursue projects
of our own in and out of the bar and restaurant industry.
One of my pursuits was consulting for aspiring owners on the opening
and operating of new businesses. Over the years I had built up both
experience and a portfolio of contacts, so I began to formalize my
consulting services and charge for my time in the form of fees and/or
investment shares in new places. I am now involved in two additional
places located in Peekskill, New York and am in negotiations to become
involved in places in Boston, Washington DC, and Austin, Texas. In the
future I plan on continuing to consult and investigate potential investment
opportunities in small business and real estate.
Q: hat have been some of the highs and lows of working in the bar
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and restaurant industry?
I would have to say the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the
lows is dealing with the barriers put up by governmental agencies. There
are multi-layered permitting and licensing bureaus at the federal, state
and city levels that you must deal with just to get into business. There is a
feeling of helplessness when dealing with civil agencies with no motivation to expedite decisions and work with businesses to solve problems
quickly. My advice is to have a good accountant and great lawyer, and do
your due diligence.
Luckily the highs far outweigh the challenges. I would not change being
my own boss for anything. It was my goal when I entered business school
and I have enjoyed that responsibility immensely. I get a real satisfaction
out of creating a positive work environment for my employees by providing safe, profitable, and secure employment in a field that usually suffers
from a very high turnover.
One of the real positives of the bar and restaurant business is that it gives
you a chance to bring joy and a sense of community to your customers.
These businesses can become interwoven in the fabric of local neighborhoods, literally a part of its history. I have enjoyed immensely being a
curator of those experiences over the years in a city such as New York.
There's never a lack of stories of human behavior and that makes for an
interesting life!
Q:
What advice would you offer someone looking to enter this field?
A common mistake often made about this industry is that it is all fun.
Most of us have frequented a bar or restaurant in our life and we have
a certain familiarity that can be misleading. People often associate their
Hult provided me with skills that enabled me
to turn a vision into a real career that I am
still enjoying today.
Bryan Delaney
‘fun night out’ with how much ‘fun’ it must be to actually own a bar! We
feel that our love of cooking tuna casserole should easily translate into
a successful restaurant that will run as smoothly as our comfy home
kitchen. This is one of the reasons the failure rate in the industry is so
high. It’s a lot of work just like any other business, and requires skills,
expertise, and passion.
Q: hat’s the secret to your success? How have you and your venW
tures managed to stay competitive in such a fast-moving market
as New York?
Excellent locations and enduring, sustainable, and simple concepts.
Each establishment is unique in its own way in terms of where it is
located (all are corner locations) but there are similarities in terms of the
décor and feel of the places. The idea is to create a local connection
that attracts repeat customers and has staying power—literally to
become a ‘fixture’ in the neighborhood that is above trends and fads.
Most important however, has been the attention given to the hiring and
training of excellent staff. They can make or break your place despite
how good your food is or how nice your place looks. I continually train
staff, build loyalty by offering competitive pay and health insurance, and
communicate with them regarding the overall business to give them a
sense of belonging and understanding of their place in the operation.
Bryan Delaney’s business ventures
The Blind Tiger Ale House (1), New York, NY
The Spring Lounge, New York, NY
The Gate, Park Slope Brooklyn, NY
The Brooklyn Ale House (sold), Williamsburgh Brooklyn, NY
The Collins Bar (closed), New York, NY
The Tackle Box, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize (sold)
The Blind Tiger (2), New York, NY
El Zocallo Supermarket, Haines City, Florida
Birdsall House, Peekskill, New York
Gleason’s, Peekskill, New York
The Blacksmith, Austin, Texas (opening 03/2014)
AltPower Inc.
MGP Properties LLC
hult.edu/alumni
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