Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue II, 2014 | Page 16

MULTI-BR A N D 50

“Treat others as you want to be treated.
If that doesn’t work, treat them the way you would
want your children treated.”
PERSONAL
First job: I was a head cashier and assistant bookkeeper at a local supermarket during high school.
Formative influences/events/key accomplishments: Opened and
operated a very successful Curves franchise for 10 years. This allowed me to
be home when my kids were home from school and to offer something of
value to women.
Biggest mistake: Not moving to the town where my Curves franchise
was located. My husband traveled Monday through Friday and we had no
family support system in Texas. It would have made life a whole lot easier
for all of us.
Smartest mistake: Getting into the restaurant business. While our oldest
son Ryan attended college at Colorado State University, he worked for the
husband-and-wife team that founded The Egg & I. Initially, I wanted nothing
to do with the restaurant business, but I was finally convinced and Rob and
I purchased our first The Egg & I restaurant in July 2008. We minimized our
risk by having Ryan as the GM and operations specialist. Here we are six years
later, with Ryan and his wife now buying into the business with us, and we
just opened our third location.
Decision I wish I could do ove r: Again, I wish that we had moved to
the town where my Curves was located. It was a long commute, my children
were small, and my husband traveled. I will forever be indebted to the incredible staff I had at Curves. I could not have done it without them.
Work week: I wish I could say that it’s always a five-day work week, but
that’s just not possible right now. We opened Mama Fu’s in October 2013
with our partners, and then our family just opened our third Egg & I restaurant
on February 17. My 17-year-old will be home for only a little while longer, and
she still enjoys doing things together. I have to take advantage of this time
with her. I also believe that our bodies and our minds need rest in order to
perform at our best.
Typical day: There is no such thing in the restaurant business, especially
when you are opening new locations. Any day could include dealing with
emails, Facebook entries, potential client follow-ups, local store marketing,
networking and networking follow-ups, staff meetings, fundraisers, licenses,
bank meetings, chamber meetings, meeting with potential catering customers,
staff issues, meeting with the builder or a vendor, touching tables at the restaurants to receive feedback from our guests, decisions regarding advertising,
sponsorships, and, of course, always looking at the end-of-day sales reports.
It’s never boring.
Favorite fun activities: I love to read. I belong to a book club that forces
me to make the time. I also love getting together with my gal pals. I enjoy
power-walking outdoors, paddle boarding, theater, and travel.

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MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEE IS S UE II, 2014

Exercise/workout: I have gotten into doing the Bar Method, which uses
a ballerina bar to elongate and strengthen your muscles. I like that there is no
pounding involved. But if there were a Curves nearby, that is where you would
find me. It’s the best workout in the shortest amount of time.
Favorite tech toys: iPhone, iPad, iMac, Nook, Kindle—when they’re
behaving.
What are you reading? I just read Orphan Train, a novel by Christina Baker Kline. It’s a fascinating story based on historical facts and firsthand accounts
of Depression-era children, mainly from Ireland and Poland, who were sent to
cities in the Midwest and taken in as foster children or indentured servants.
Today there are more than 1 million descendants of the Orphan Trains. I had
no idea this was part of our country’s history.
Do you have a favorite quote? 1) Treat others as you want to be
treated. If that doesn’t work, treat them the way you would want your children treated. 2) Look to the left and then to the right and someone has bigger
problems than you do. 3) It is what it is.
Best advice you ever got: My mother told me that if I had to choose between spending quality time with my kids or worrying about having the house
look perfect, the house could wait. If I could wait to answer emails until the
kids were asleep, that’s when I should do it. In other words, our children are
our first priority and our time with them is precious. The best business advice
came from our son Ryan. I went to use a to-go cup early on and he pointed
out how much each cup and lid cost us. We then talked about the cost of using
a paper towel versus an expensive napkin, and how over time, it really does
add up. I’ve learned that you need to stop money from leaving your restaurant
in terms of waste.
What gets you out of bed in the morning? My kids, my faith, our
dog, and our businesses.
What’s your passion in business? I love meeting new people and helping people. I believe that we can all learn from one another. I love introducing
people to our concepts because we truly have fantastic food and service. I also
love training the staff on customer perception. It’s funny how long someone
may have worked in the restaurant industry and not ever been told why things
are done a certain way.
How do you balance life and work? Sometimes I balance things better than others. Most important, my kids always know that they come first.
For me it truly is a balance of family, faith, hard work, play time, exercise, eating right, down time, friendships, and giving back.
Last vacation: Last August in Aruba with our 17-year-old.
Person I’d most like to have lunch with: My mother. She passed
away suddenly last May and we were very close.