June 12, 2024 • 27 mins
Ever wondered how couples manage to mix love and business successfully? This week on the Barn Ninja Podcast, we promise to unravel the secrets behind blending romance and entrepreneurship. With our special guest, Jacqueline Westfall, co-owner of Drifters, we explore the humorous and candid moments of their journey from early dating jitters to harmonious business partners. Jacqueline shares how clear communication, shared goals, and complementary skills are vital in building a strong, cohesive team. Get ready to laugh and learn about the dynamic interplay of personal and professional lives in the restaurant industry.
Running a seasonal business is no small feat, and Jacqueline enlightens us on the relentless, year-round cycle that keeps her restaurant thriving. From closing up shop after a bustling season to gearing up for the next, the importance of strong staff relationships cannot be overstated. We highlight the creation of a family-like work environment, where the incredible retention rates and multi-year returns of staff members speak volumes. Jacqueline's insights into fostering a positive, fun atmosphere akin to a summer camp reveal why her team remains loyal and satisfied year after year.
Who thought taking out the trash could be fun? Jacqueline shares how turning mundane tasks into team-building events boosts morale and unity among staff. We discuss creative ways to document these joyful moments, showcasing the unique work culture at Drifters. Finally, we delve into the invaluable life skills gained in the hospitality industry, emphasizing the deep bonds and career growth opportunities it offers. Tune in to celebrate the often underappreciated professional success and camaraderie that defines the world of restaurants.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey Barnage Nation, welcome to the Barn Ninja
Podcast, where we talk abouteverything trials and
tribulations from life behindthe bar, tips and tricks to make
you a better ball tapper and abetter drinker.
Join your host, bill Foy, kaylaLowe and yours truly, mike
Gillespie.
Let's go have some fun.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
This is our life.
Yes, it's like when you hitthat point in a relationship
you've been together so long youjust know he's like.
You have no idea how manynights at your house when we
first started dating, how I wasjust in pain because I had to
fart so bad, but I was holdingit in as soon as I'd walk out of
your house, walk into my truck.
I was farting the whole way andI was like you know, I used to
(00:50):
watch you leave, like, so sad,like oh I'm gonna miss him so
much.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
And now I find out the whole time you're just
ripping it all the way.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I was like you just ruined that memory cut back in
time to him in the driveway like, yeah, the poop, the fart
shuffle, yeah, like well, thosememories just changed.
But it's just so funny becausewe have um, a lot of people are
just kind of shy about theirpoops, you know which like
understandable.
But we have this one girl onour staff where she is just the
most like wide open person.
You'll ever meet this one day.
I'm walking out the host standand just checking on staff as I
(01:12):
go, like hey, you doing, okay,you need anything.
Yeah, I just took the biggestshit and I feel so much better
now and just kept walking and Ijust was like it caught me so
off guard, but I I laughed aboutit with ryan after and I was
like I love the transparencythough, just like put it out
there and just we talk about thefamily that's how you know like
(01:32):
I can't think of uh therestaurant industry.
It's like you here, we just.
It's so funny, I feel likeevery season there's just like
very, very vivid moments whereyou're just like, yep, so now
we're on that family level, likeall discomfort is just gone we
are 100.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
There are no secrets and there not will be any secret
going to segue I'm followingyour lead here I like it.
This is what it is.
It's all about talking.
Jacqueline westfall, owner.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Hello drifters partnered up with ryan I'm
really more of his assistantactually.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Actually we can call it what it is he's your
assistant.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
No, never, never.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Well, I think that's something to be talked about is
that you guys are a team.
You also happen to be a couple,which everyone a lot of people
listening to this are going tobe like how do they do it?
How do they not kill each other?
Speaker 2 (02:18):
You wish I had a dollar for every time we heard
that.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Yeah, and I's.
I'm sure you just hear itconstantly Meanwhile in your
universe it's you guys worktogether, communicate, enjoy it,
build the staff like a family,love each other, love the staff.
That's really.
You've said it before, it's notrocket science.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
No, it's not, but it's definitely a lot, a lot of
hard work, especially for theyounger staff members.
It's like parenting, but it'slike you love them no matter
what, but sometimes you got todiscipline them, but it's for
their own good.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
I'm in the corner sometimes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
I mean for him and I, we're together all day, every
day.
But here it's.
We have different lanes, a lotof shared responsibility, but
it's also the common goal is thesame, even though we have those
separate lanes.
But I always tell people likehis strengths are my weaknesses
and vice versa.
So it's like that's why we work, because all the things I hate
doing he's great at and he'slike I'm on it.
And then all the things that hedoesn't like to do, I'm like I
(03:11):
live there.
It's good, I'm there.
I'm there right now, yeah, butit's a, it's a team, it's a team
for I would imagine those laneswere there.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
You didn't have like a powerpoint meeting where you
sat down with each other, you'rethere this lane.
On this lane, it's actually thestrengths and weaknesses and
capabilities to where whoever'sdoing this and doing that, the
other, just like you said, whichis so important to an operation
.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
It's not.
It's not even down to a scienceeither.
I mean we're still learning aswe go on, when you encounter
certain situations that youhaven't experienced in the past.
But I mean at this point, we'restill learning as we go on.
When you encounter certainsituations that you haven't
experienced in the past.
But I mean at this point we'rereally good at when something
happens, it's typically we know.
We can just look at each otherand be like you got this one.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
But yeah, it's, it's great and honestly it's, it's
funny, because we sit here and Ijoke I'm his assistant and he's
like, oh, she's boss lady.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
And it's the same thing.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
At the end of the day we talk all the time is that
for both of us, we couldn't doit without each other, just
because he's so good at what hedoes and I'm so good at what I
do, and that's what makes itwhat it is.
So, it's like if either sidewas missing, there'd be a
missing piece.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
The communication going on between you two
evolving.
Every little aspect of it isover communicate, over
communicate.
Seriously.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
We tell our staff the same thing too.
It doesn't matter overcommunicate.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Get, get it till you.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Hear heard about 15 times and then you know it got
through.
Yeah, and it is the absolutetruth.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
That's the restaurant industry, though Really it is
communicate with everyone.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
And you have.
Uh, like you were saying,you're always learning.
I can't think of some of mymentors.
You learn every year in thisrestaurant Something changes.
Oh yeah, it doesn't matter ifit's what COVID did, or what
food cost is now, or howstaffing has changed, or how
entertainment has changed, orall of a sudden you know wings
are at this price and we've gotto have that.
It is every year.
(05:01):
If you're not ready to behumble and know that the
universe and the food andbeverage.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
It's going to throw something at you.
It's throwing something it'sinevitable.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Yeah, and it could come about once an hour Keeps
you on your toes, though.
Yeah, yeah, no, I love it, it'dbe so boring.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
otherwise A hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
I can't.
I've never been whereeverything is crazy and wild and
you're just moving and runningand gunning and then later on in
the season, where it may haveslowed down a little bit, you're
always going to have somethingnew that's popped up or
something you have to manage ordeal with or just have fun with.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
There's a bunch of ways to go.
It's just the dynamic of thepeople that walk in and who's
working that day, and it alljust kind of meshes into that
perfect storm, if you want tocall it yeah, it's a good, it's
what it is tropical storm here,of course, yes, very tropical
our running joke with our staff.
Here is we.
We say we sweat together, westick together, literally and
(05:57):
figuratively.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
It's both here yeah, how many times over the years of
you hugged one of the otherstaff members.
You're just peeling off theother person.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
It's fun.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
It breaks barriers.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
It's a nice thing.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
You get to know your people.
You get to know your peopleclosely.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
It's one way to get to know them.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
You smell fantastic, oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
When you have a whole drawer in your office it's
labeled smell goods and it'sjust full of deodorant and
lotion and perfumes and justeverything under the sun.
It's like that's how you know.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Yeah, that's what, you know what to expect.
The years of living on thehouseboat when I've been
involved with differentoperations you know I always had
that you know like I can stepinto the bedroom and change and
deodorant up.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
It's part of the family.
There's just no barriers nobarriers.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
So you guys, have you just started in the last couple
of weeks spending everything up, or is it?
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Yeah, so we put out our promotional video on
Facebook on February 1st andwe've gotten some applications
and we are starting interviewsnext week, so it's coming quick.
It's amazing, it is yeah.
I mean last year was actuallythe first year that we even got
an application as early asFebruary, and I think it was
(07:15):
actually the first year that wehad our first interview in
February.
So the fact that that's now ournormal is kind of crazy to us,
yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
And it's where I've said for decades March is the
changing point and really by theend of the March, you see, you
see where you have to have yourhands on so much with all the
operations, and it's it'sFebruary now.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
It's February now.
It really is crazy, it's sofunny.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
And and one thing Ryan and I talk all the time is
like, even though we're aseasonal business, we just laugh
because people are like, whatdo you do in the off season?
And we're just like, what offseason?
Yeah, there isn't one for us,it's just like you have the
season and then after the seasonthere's like the month of
shutting down, closing the books, doing the end of the season
(08:00):
deep clean, and then really thenthe holidays smack you in the
face.
So you're kind of like constantfamily between Thanksgiving,
Christmas, New Year's, and thenthe New Year hits and you have
about three weeks of transitionand then you're back to
interviews and then right afterinterviews and hiring, then you
have training and then all thesetup cleanup to prepare for the
season, and then training andright back in end April and it
(08:23):
just flies order rock and yeah,I mean it is it's insane.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
We both know, setting here February, whatever it is,
that it's going to be April andMay, so fast yeah, it's
basically here, it's basicallyin our brains.
It's here yeah from what we'relooking at.
So do you have?
You know you have a returningstaff when you're closing down.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
I'm sure you have a general idea and then you begin
to verify yeah, yeah, so wetypically how we've done it the
last couple of years is we'llsend out pretty much a
preliminary email right afterthe first of the year and
basically just tell people hey,guys, starting to plan, because
I mean, like you said, now it'sFebruary for hiring.
So I mean we have to go intohiring with some kind of degree
(09:08):
of expectation on what we'llneed.
And so we've always told ourveterans you know, you've been
with us, you know how it workshere.
So we always want to kind ofhonor that loyalty that they've
had to us.
So in return we give them thefirst opportunity, so they get
their invite back and then theyhave the first priority.
If they get back to usimmediately and say, hey, I plan
on coming back, that's theirspot is secured.
(09:28):
But we basically we give themenough warning They'll be like
hey, if we don't hear from youby this day, then at that point
we can't hold a spot for youwhen we're going into hiring.
So I mean they know, they knowthe expectations.
But our staff has just beenreally great of kind of being
really honest with us, like Iwant to come back, but I might
only be available two days aweek or whatever it may be.
So we're really blessed.
I mean, we go in with a prettygood idea of what we're going to
(09:50):
have as of right now.
I think we have one or twooutliers, but that puts us at I
think it was 29 or 30 returnersthis season, which is great.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
For this area.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
It's amazing.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
For this area.
It's amazing for this area.
It's unheard of.
Yeah, and I'm not unheard of,but it speaks volumes.
It's your capability.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Yeah, I mean we we have great relationships with
the other business owners, butwe feel really blessed.
I mean we've heard thestruggles of other restaurants,
so the fact that we don't havethat in the same level like we
feel incredibly, incrediblyblessed.
It's not something we take forgranted at all, because it's
like you just never know andevery year it changes, because
you have your college kids goingdoing internships and then, you
(10:32):
know, eventually pursuing theircareer paths, and so you just
really never know what you'regoing to have.
So every year when we have asolid number like that, we're
just thankful.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
And I'm, and I'll say a few of those, if not more,
are probably multi-year returns.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Oh, yeah, I think this year a lot of them.
I would say the majority ofthat number is probably around
year three, three or four withus.
So it's been a lot.
Yeah, that's a great thing.
That's huge too, that is justso good.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
It helps you sleep a little better at night.
And again it really speaksvolumes for just how you've
created a family environmentthat is professionally run but
everyone wants to come back andhave some fun and the money
ain't bad, you know, everybodymake a little bit of coin and
enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
We tell them every year.
You know, like our goal forRyan and I, I mean we've always
said our priorities, our staff.
So as far as their experiencehere, I think I say it every
year in orientation Like we wantthis place for you to feel like
summer camp.
It's a place that you come, youmake money like that's all well
and good, but we want you towant to be here, we want you to
have fun with your friends here,we want this place to be a
(11:36):
family, we want you to look atit as a place that you can call
home, even long after you'veleft and gone into whatever
profession or degree you'repursuing.
And that's kind of been ourgoal and our mentality.
With it too, we're like,granted, we have standards.
So I mean summer camp, butthere's a line, yeah, but at the
same time too, I mean I, wejust tell everybody we don't
want you to show up and bemiserable.
(11:57):
We don't want that for anybody,whether you're a dishwasher or
a server or a bartender ormanager.
You know it's like we wanteverybody to show up and be
happy to be here, and nine timesout of 10, that really comes
down to who they're working with.
So building that familymentality has been really
crucial, because I remember whenI was working here, when this
was Waller's, that was one thingthat always stuck out to me,
(12:18):
because I remember we had, Imean, you know, the lake.
So it's a rainy day, you'reslow, it's very weather
dependent, right.
So I remember on one rainy daywe were just dead.
I think we maybe had one or twotables all day, but it was the
greatest day ever because I was,like, you know, worst case
scenario.
I'm basically getting paidhourly right now by just being
(12:38):
here and I get to hang out withmy friends all day.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Yeah, and even in the rain, sitting on the waterline
is a beautiful day.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
That's a good kind of culture to try to build of.
Okay, if we have a slow day, isour staff still going to have
fun being here, and that's kindof what we've tried to create.
So I mean, granted, it does getboring on rainy days Sometimes,
I'm not going to deny that butI think it's just at a point now
where there's such a family andthey enjoy being around each
other and that's what'simportant.
(13:05):
So it's like you're having abad day, you're around family
and friends that are going tohave your back.
So that's really what's kind ofbeen built over the years and
it's really beautiful to watch.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
It really is.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
The summer camp thing I love Because that is such a
as soon as you said it like I'vehad a lot of summer camp stuff
from the blind thing and allthat.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
You have like the mental image right Immediately.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
I was like well, I remember, and then you started
talking about the, um, the, therainy day, and I thought back to
the 4-h camp here at smithmount lake and, like rainy days
where the counselors had to comeup with stuff to entertain us,
that half the time was just.
It was a different change, butit was.
You know, you've learned to bethankful about that little stuff
because we've all sat in theslow bar in the rain yep, we've
(13:51):
all been there at some point.
People want to be making moremoney and everybody wants to be
more active, but at the end ofthe day, it's a beautiful
environment and that familymentality is so cool.
Really, I can't say enoughabout how I wish we could bottle
the energy you all have createdhere, because it is just such a
good vibe.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
It's the fact that we have good people.
I mean, like I said, ryan and Iconsider ourselves immensely
blessed.
Our team is I can't say enoughgood things.
Like blessed feels like anunderstatement to us.
They're just incredible people,and I think the other side of
it is they love people too, sowhen they have tables or guests,
it's like they want to fosterthat relationship with them too.
(14:31):
I think a lot of restaurants,you see like a divide between
the front of the house and backof the house and here we just
are like nope, that's not howit's going to be.
Everybody helps everybody.
You know there are nights offrustration where the servers
have had a long day and they'renot exactly excited about
helping in the dish pit.
But when they see theappreciation that they get from
the kitchen staff, they're like,oh, okay.
And then the next day whenthey're in the weeds or
(14:53):
something goes wrong at theirtable and that kitchen staff
that they helped the nightbefore is like, hey, we got your
back, I'm gonna fix it for you,right now.
And you just kind of see howthat overlap in that mutual
respect and like, hey, I'm goingto help you with the stuff that
you don't want to do and you'regoing to help me deal with the
stuff I don't want to deal with,and it's it's just that mutual
respect in it, like we weretalking about earlier.
(15:13):
It's all.
It's all back to that teamwork,family mentality and just
showing up for one another, notjust for yourself.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
The gratitude that you're into the night and you're
you know what's in the dish pityou know it's over there and
you know you haven's.
I think a lot of it is becauseyou train across the board you
know and everybody helps witheverything and that mentality is
perfect, but just the reliefthat you're going to feel on the
(15:39):
line when you look over, youknow one of the front of the
house.
people have just dropped in toknock out 12 dishes you know,
just to run at one time orwhatever it is, and you're like,
oh yeah, that that is.
That is a very, very, very coolpoint where you're like, oh my
gosh, I I rang in um the chickensandwich and I'm supposed to
ring in the burger we got you,we got you.
They're gonna fly it out thewindow as fast as they can yeah,
(16:02):
it's really cool to see.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Yeah, yeah, it's actually funny too, because our,
our trash runs at the end ofthe night, which is probably
like what you would assumeeveryone would dread.
It's kind of become this likegroup thing that you know we
have the trailer hooked onto thetruck with all the trash in the
trailer, and then it's likeeverybody's climbing on the
truck, climbing on the trailerto go run it down to the
dumpsters you're still going allthe way down?
Speaker 3 (16:23):
yeah, and it's become .
Speaker 2 (16:24):
It's become this whole group thing.
So it's like it's funny,because now it's like if people
miss the trash run, they're likelike oh man, which?
It's like you would never, ever, I never, would expect that to
ever be a thing.
But, it's just become thisthing.
That's created a lot ofmemories, because it's like you
know you're, you're doingsomething unpleasant, but at the
same time, like you're laughing, you're joking, chicken juice
spills on somebody and theystart gagging and everyone
(16:46):
starts laughing.
But you have a funny story totell, you know.
And so it's like I got chickenjuice and I can't even tell you
how many pictures that Ryan andI have of like group photos from
our trash runs.
It's insane.
And we could probably make awhole we could probably make a
whole collage of that.
But I mean, it's just like oneof those things you build that
camaraderie and it just carriesover to even the most unpleasant
(17:07):
of things, you know, and it's.
It's really cool Like we justwe're honestly.
You said so many kind words tous about that family that we've
built.
But even him and I look at eachother and we're just like man,
like how lucky are we that thisis what we have.
But it's, like I said, it's atestament really to the people
that are in that too, becauseyou know, ryan and I can start
that process but they kind oftake it and carry it and make it
(17:29):
into the full family that it is.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
When you, as operators, have made the trash
run a fun event.
I mean we're going to throw insome standing applause audio or
something, because that isamazing.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
I don't even think that I can take credit for that.
I think that that's just amiracle at the end of the day.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
I don't think that's.
The stars align yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
I don't think you can even logically explain that it
just happened.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
I'm not going to argue with that, but I do think
that credits do or credits notdo, but the staff has to be
having a pretty good time for itto be.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
They do Like I said.
They don't like each other.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
I've had to squish around with chicken juice in my
work.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
It's not pleasant, nobody likes it.
It's not good, nobody likes it.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
You know, as a guy who has been an owner or manager
of whatever levels, to whereyou know I'm carrying too bad.
I did it here, you know, and Iwould carry the trash down there
by myself, you know, when theside-by-side was broken and it
was lonely and it was an ickything to do at the end of the
day, but in my head I alwaysspend the happiness and run up
the thankful.
So I would always be like youknow hey, there are a lot of
(18:42):
people in the world that wishthey were on a 500 mile
shoreline lake doing garbage andto think about that and having
a buddy to do it with.
And then all of a sudden yougot your team crawling up on the
trash truck.
And that's beautiful.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
I love it yeah it's great too, because I mean it's
like when you look at thetrailer, at the end of the day
you see this mountain of trashbags, but it's like the bigger
the groups got, people startedto realize, oh, if we have a
group this big, I might have tothrow one or two trash bags at
most.
So it's really great and Ithink that again that we talked
about that earlier it's if youcan have your staff kind of buy
(19:09):
into that team mentality andthen once they buy into it and
really give it a chance, andthen they see how it benefits
them and how it really there'sso much fruit to come from it If
you really of fits them, andhow it really there's so much
fruit to come from it If youreally really commit to it.
It just plays out on its ownfrom there.
It's like at that point it justtakes on a life of its own, and
so that's kind of what I thinkhas happened.
So we're immensely blessed, Ican't say it enough.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
So blessed and that's a great thing.
Yeah, that in itself is ablessing.
Yeah, the uh I really lookforward to hearing other
operators talking, because I canhear them now out there going.
Are they saying that they havelike a little mani?
Speaker 2 (19:44):
party when they take the trash, because that's some
capable, capable stuff rightthere.
If they question it, Icompletely understand it and,
like I said, we got pictures.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Oh, we got photos I'm gonna show up like in my head
now.
I'm like I want to go on thetrash run with the staff this
year I'm gonna, oh, you should.
That would be really fun youknow it'd be fun, throw up a
camera.
You'd probably have fun justwatching.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Oh, I love it we should do that, we should put
like a gopro, just yeah, just doa little segment, and that
would really work well.
And I think your videomarketing do, let me tell you.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
I mean, I mean, you never know well you, let me show
them up front.
The resort uh guy in me is justthinking like you see, all
these great things about theindustry and the money and the
fun and the camaraderie and thesocial aspects and learning on
your feet and giggling, trashrun.
You know, it is just the worldneeds to see it.
Exactly the world needs.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
I know that's like a rare thing that you don't see
every day I've never in my life.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
It's like a modern day unicorn in this industry,
really, though I'm gonna liketext y'all later and be like oh,
I just remembered this time in2012.
Because in my head I'm like Idon't remember any.
I don't remember any time.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Oh, that is fantastic .
Speaker 3 (20:48):
How do we segue from giggling trash run?
Speaker 2 (20:50):
I don't know when do you go from there?
Speaker 3 (20:51):
Or do you go from there?
Speaker 2 (20:52):
That just sounds like the mic drop.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
It does sound like All right.
Well, we're not going to rollout on trash, but we will roll
out on the the blessed, thankfulfamily, caring, awesome
mentality.
That that is is what isdrifters and what you guys have
created, and just having a bunchof fun you want to say anything
to our team?
Um oh man there are people outthere.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
I, I, you know I feel like I'm probably not going to
say anything that Ryan didn'tsay last time.
I think that the one thing thathim and I talk all the time
about with this industry is thatthe things you learn in this
industry you can take into anywalk of life, it doesn't matter
what profession, and I think thebiggest thing in that is just
learning people, whether it'syour guests or your staff.
(21:38):
I mean, from the staff side,it's like you have to learn how
to work with people of alldifferent personality types and
and your guests too.
It's like you can approach onetable I mean you have one table
who, like they want you to bethat overly attentive server and
then you have another table.
That's like we just want to beleft alone, like we just want
you to interact with us onlywhen you need to.
Yep, don't want to, don't wantyou to interrupt our time, you
(22:00):
know, and so you learn that somuch.
I think that for me and I'vetold our staff this every year
one thing that for me that'salways been kind of the core of
my passion for the serviceindustry is that the restaurant
business has always been theonly industry I can think of
that.
You don't need education, youdon't need any previous
experience.
(22:21):
But if you have a great workethic and you're great with
people and you just give iteverything you have, you can
work your way all the way up tothe top, to where you're making
a six figure salary.
I mean.
I've seen bartenders do that andit's not unheard of, and it's
like I man so many years behindthe bar.
I can't tell you how many timesI've heard oh.
So many years behind the bar.
I can't tell you how many timesI've heard oh.
So what are you doing next?
(22:41):
And I'm just thinking.
Like you know, I did haveanother job on the side.
I was also a certified athletictrainer.
But at the same time I'm likewhy does there have to be a next
?
You know, if I, if you can dothis and hang out with great
people and talking to people andmaking money while you do it,
and so it's just like thepotential in the restaurant
(23:02):
industry is endless, and I guessone thing that Ryan and I have
always talked about was thatit's almost an industry that's
looked down upon or like anin-between industry.
It's not really viewed as likea professional occupation, you
know, and that's something thatwe're passionate about, because
we're like we have met some ofthe hardest working people that
we've ever known in thisindustry, and that there's
(23:24):
something to say there, you knowwork you into the ground.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
We run circles around a lot of the people in other
industries.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
And I think I'll tell you a really quick story.
Just a great example of thatOne of the first restaurants I
worked in I was a busser at thispoint in my restaurant journey,
but the head chef at thisrestaurant was just an
incredible cook.
I mean, he made me dinners thatwere just outrageous Everything
I ate was just delicious.
And so he wanted to go toculinary school.
(23:53):
He was really passionate aboutthat.
He was also Hispanic and sowhen he applied to culinary
school he actually got rejectedand they told him you know,
unfortunately your English isnot good enough to accept you at
this time.
So at the point when I startedworking at this restaurant, he
was basically working all daylong and then he was getting off
work at probably around 10, 11,and then going to night school
(24:16):
to better his English.
So he'd go to culinary school.
And that just left the biggestimpression on me because I was
like man if that's not thedefinition of drive and
determination, I don't know whatis.
But and it was just so funnybecause then during the day when
we would work, it was me andthis other server.
We would literally be in theback quizzing him on his English
in the middle of the day, butto me it's just such a beautiful
(24:37):
picture of how like we ralliedaround him and his goal as his
family, but also his drive anddetermination to achieve his
goal because he loved what hewas doing so much.
It just left the biggest impacton me and I I've told that
story too many times.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
I don't think you have.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
I think it's great, though it really is, and and
it's funny too, because I man, Ican say it.
You took me down a dangerouspath here, because I can say so
many things.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
No, please.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
But another thing that I've always said, too is I
think another thing about therestaurant industry that really
stands out is I think there's anAnthony Bourdain quote that
kind of like attests to this.
It's something like a group oflike motley misfits, something
like that.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
You know what?
I'm not even going to attemptit, but essentially, like I and
I've I've told Ryan all the timeis that every restaurant I
worked in, it's like if you tookeverybody lined them up, I
would look at this whole line ofpeople that are working with me
Like man.
If it wasn't for this place, Iprobably wouldn't hang out with
any of these people.
And it's like you have thisrestaurant that brings this
group of people together and youhave this deep bond like family
(25:40):
, and I've never seen thatanywhere in any other industry.
And it's just it's kind offunny how the restaurant
industry bonds people like that.
Yeah, but it's a beautifulthing though.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
And it is every walk of life, every walk of life,
every interest.
Yeah, you could think about,it's such, that's such a good
compare, why all of us, you know, standing there and it's like,
wow, you know, you wouldn'tthink enough.
I think that's why we're sooutgoing, as restaurant people,
we're so accepting andunderstanding, because we build
(26:12):
everything with each other.
And speaking back to where I'vebeen in the game a little bit
and it really, you know, I can'tcount the times oh, you know
what's your day job and what'sthis and what's that?
Oh gosh you know nothing fornothing.
Pretty successful fella hereand and I think, I hope,
actually I believe, and I knowthat we are changing that now.
You know, you guys, a millionpercent are.
(26:34):
I think what we're trying to dowith the podcast and what we're
all trying to do in theindustry is really the evolution
of what food and beverage haskind of become.
It's become more accepted.
People are always going to bejudgmental, but did, uh so did
the gentleman go to culinaryschool and graduate.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Yeah, I know he went to culinary school.
I honestly I'd moved awaybefore but I'm sure he did Just
knowing who he was.
If he listens to this, shoutout to Fausto Nice.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
He's great and reach out to us.
Billatbarninjacom, log it out,coming back on Love you all out
there, ninjas out.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Bar Ninja
Podcast.
Please be sure to subscribe tous on your favorite podcast
player and join the Bar NinjaNation that has over 7,000
bartenders in it.
By going to wwwbarninjacom, youcan enter your email.
Until next time, see you then.
Hey Barnage Nation, welcome to the Barn Ninja
Podcast, where we talk abouteverything trials and
tribulations from life behindthe bar, tips and tricks to make
you a better ball tapper and abetter drinker.
Join your host, bill Foy, kaylaLowe and yours truly, mike
Gillespie.
Let's go have some fun.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
This is our life.
Yes, it's like when you hitthat point in a relationship
you've been together so long youjust know he's like.
You have no idea how manynights at your house when we
first started dating, how I wasjust in pain because I had to
fart so bad, but I was holdingit in as soon as I'd walk out of
your house, walk into my truck.
I was farting the whole way andI was like you know, I used to
(00:50):
watch you leave, like, so sad,like oh I'm gonna miss him so
much.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
And now I find out the whole time you're just
ripping it all the way.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I was like you just ruined that memory cut back in
time to him in the driveway like, yeah, the poop, the fart
shuffle, yeah, like well, thosememories just changed.
But it's just so funny becausewe have um, a lot of people are
just kind of shy about theirpoops, you know which like
understandable.
But we have this one girl onour staff where she is just the
most like wide open person.
You'll ever meet this one day.
I'm walking out the host standand just checking on staff as I
(01:12):
go, like hey, you doing, okay,you need anything.
Yeah, I just took the biggestshit and I feel so much better
now and just kept walking and Ijust was like it caught me so
off guard, but I I laughed aboutit with ryan after and I was
like I love the transparencythough, just like put it out
there and just we talk about thefamily that's how you know like
(01:32):
I can't think of uh therestaurant industry.
It's like you here, we just.
It's so funny, I feel likeevery season there's just like
very, very vivid moments whereyou're just like, yep, so now
we're on that family level, likeall discomfort is just gone we
are 100.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
There are no secrets and there not will be any secret
going to segue I'm followingyour lead here I like it.
This is what it is.
It's all about talking.
Jacqueline westfall, owner.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Hello drifters partnered up with ryan I'm
really more of his assistantactually.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Actually we can call it what it is he's your
assistant.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
No, never, never.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Well, I think that's something to be talked about is
that you guys are a team.
You also happen to be a couple,which everyone a lot of people
listening to this are going tobe like how do they do it?
How do they not kill each other?
Speaker 2 (02:18):
You wish I had a dollar for every time we heard
that.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Yeah, and I's.
I'm sure you just hear itconstantly Meanwhile in your
universe it's you guys worktogether, communicate, enjoy it,
build the staff like a family,love each other, love the staff.
That's really.
You've said it before, it's notrocket science.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
No, it's not, but it's definitely a lot, a lot of
hard work, especially for theyounger staff members.
It's like parenting, but it'slike you love them no matter
what, but sometimes you got todiscipline them, but it's for
their own good.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
I'm in the corner sometimes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
I mean for him and I, we're together all day, every
day.
But here it's.
We have different lanes, a lotof shared responsibility, but
it's also the common goal is thesame, even though we have those
separate lanes.
But I always tell people likehis strengths are my weaknesses
and vice versa.
So it's like that's why we work, because all the things I hate
doing he's great at and he'slike I'm on it.
And then all the things that hedoesn't like to do, I'm like I
(03:11):
live there.
It's good, I'm there.
I'm there right now, yeah, butit's a, it's a team, it's a team
for I would imagine those laneswere there.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
You didn't have like a powerpoint meeting where you
sat down with each other, you'rethere this lane.
On this lane, it's actually thestrengths and weaknesses and
capabilities to where whoever'sdoing this and doing that, the
other, just like you said, whichis so important to an operation
.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
It's not.
It's not even down to a scienceeither.
I mean we're still learning aswe go on, when you encounter
certain situations that youhaven't experienced in the past.
But I mean at this point, we'restill learning as we go on.
When you encounter certainsituations that you haven't
experienced in the past.
But I mean at this point we'rereally good at when something
happens, it's typically we know.
We can just look at each otherand be like you got this one.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
But yeah, it's, it's great and honestly it's, it's
funny, because we sit here and Ijoke I'm his assistant and he's
like, oh, she's boss lady.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
And it's the same thing.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
At the end of the day we talk all the time is that
for both of us, we couldn't doit without each other, just
because he's so good at what hedoes and I'm so good at what I
do, and that's what makes itwhat it is.
So, it's like if either sidewas missing, there'd be a
missing piece.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
The communication going on between you two
evolving.
Every little aspect of it isover communicate, over
communicate.
Seriously.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
We tell our staff the same thing too.
It doesn't matter overcommunicate.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Get, get it till you.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Hear heard about 15 times and then you know it got
through.
Yeah, and it is the absolutetruth.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
That's the restaurant industry, though Really it is
communicate with everyone.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
And you have.
Uh, like you were saying,you're always learning.
I can't think of some of mymentors.
You learn every year in thisrestaurant Something changes.
Oh yeah, it doesn't matter ifit's what COVID did, or what
food cost is now, or howstaffing has changed, or how
entertainment has changed, orall of a sudden you know wings
are at this price and we've gotto have that.
It is every year.
(05:01):
If you're not ready to behumble and know that the
universe and the food andbeverage.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
It's going to throw something at you.
It's throwing something it'sinevitable.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Yeah, and it could come about once an hour Keeps
you on your toes, though.
Yeah, yeah, no, I love it, it'dbe so boring.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
otherwise A hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
I can't.
I've never been whereeverything is crazy and wild and
you're just moving and runningand gunning and then later on in
the season, where it may haveslowed down a little bit, you're
always going to have somethingnew that's popped up or
something you have to manage ordeal with or just have fun with.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
There's a bunch of ways to go.
It's just the dynamic of thepeople that walk in and who's
working that day, and it alljust kind of meshes into that
perfect storm, if you want tocall it yeah, it's a good, it's
what it is tropical storm here,of course, yes, very tropical
our running joke with our staff.
Here is we.
We say we sweat together, westick together, literally and
(05:57):
figuratively.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
It's both here yeah, how many times over the years of
you hugged one of the otherstaff members.
You're just peeling off theother person.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
It's fun.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
It breaks barriers.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
It's a nice thing.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
You get to know your people.
You get to know your peopleclosely.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
It's one way to get to know them.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
You smell fantastic, oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
When you have a whole drawer in your office it's
labeled smell goods and it'sjust full of deodorant and
lotion and perfumes and justeverything under the sun.
It's like that's how you know.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Yeah, that's what, you know what to expect.
The years of living on thehouseboat when I've been
involved with differentoperations you know I always had
that you know like I can stepinto the bedroom and change and
deodorant up.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
It's part of the family.
There's just no barriers nobarriers.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
So you guys, have you just started in the last couple
of weeks spending everything up, or is it?
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Yeah, so we put out our promotional video on
Facebook on February 1st andwe've gotten some applications
and we are starting interviewsnext week, so it's coming quick.
It's amazing, it is yeah.
I mean last year was actuallythe first year that we even got
an application as early asFebruary, and I think it was
(07:15):
actually the first year that wehad our first interview in
February.
So the fact that that's now ournormal is kind of crazy to us,
yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
And it's where I've said for decades March is the
changing point and really by theend of the March, you see, you
see where you have to have yourhands on so much with all the
operations, and it's it'sFebruary now.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
It's February now.
It really is crazy, it's sofunny.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
And and one thing Ryan and I talk all the time is
like, even though we're aseasonal business, we just laugh
because people are like, whatdo you do in the off season?
And we're just like, what offseason?
Yeah, there isn't one for us,it's just like you have the
season and then after the seasonthere's like the month of
shutting down, closing the books, doing the end of the season
(08:00):
deep clean, and then really thenthe holidays smack you in the
face.
So you're kind of like constantfamily between Thanksgiving,
Christmas, New Year's, and thenthe New Year hits and you have
about three weeks of transitionand then you're back to
interviews and then right afterinterviews and hiring, then you
have training and then all thesetup cleanup to prepare for the
season, and then training andright back in end April and it
(08:23):
just flies order rock and yeah,I mean it is it's insane.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
We both know, setting here February, whatever it is,
that it's going to be April andMay, so fast yeah, it's
basically here, it's basicallyin our brains.
It's here yeah from what we'relooking at.
So do you have?
You know you have a returningstaff when you're closing down.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
I'm sure you have a general idea and then you begin
to verify yeah, yeah, so wetypically how we've done it the
last couple of years is we'llsend out pretty much a
preliminary email right afterthe first of the year and
basically just tell people hey,guys, starting to plan, because
I mean, like you said, now it'sFebruary for hiring.
So I mean we have to go intohiring with some kind of degree
(09:08):
of expectation on what we'llneed.
And so we've always told ourveterans you know, you've been
with us, you know how it workshere.
So we always want to kind ofhonor that loyalty that they've
had to us.
So in return we give them thefirst opportunity, so they get
their invite back and then theyhave the first priority.
If they get back to usimmediately and say, hey, I plan
on coming back, that's theirspot is secured.
(09:28):
But we basically we give themenough warning They'll be like
hey, if we don't hear from youby this day, then at that point
we can't hold a spot for youwhen we're going into hiring.
So I mean they know, they knowthe expectations.
But our staff has just beenreally great of kind of being
really honest with us, like Iwant to come back, but I might
only be available two days aweek or whatever it may be.
So we're really blessed.
I mean, we go in with a prettygood idea of what we're going to
(09:50):
have as of right now.
I think we have one or twooutliers, but that puts us at I
think it was 29 or 30 returnersthis season, which is great.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
For this area.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
It's amazing.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
For this area.
It's amazing for this area.
It's unheard of.
Yeah, and I'm not unheard of,but it speaks volumes.
It's your capability.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Yeah, I mean we we have great relationships with
the other business owners, butwe feel really blessed.
I mean we've heard thestruggles of other restaurants,
so the fact that we don't havethat in the same level like we
feel incredibly, incrediblyblessed.
It's not something we take forgranted at all, because it's
like you just never know andevery year it changes, because
you have your college kids goingdoing internships and then, you
(10:32):
know, eventually pursuing theircareer paths, and so you just
really never know what you'regoing to have.
So every year when we have asolid number like that, we're
just thankful.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
And I'm, and I'll say a few of those, if not more,
are probably multi-year returns.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Oh, yeah, I think this year a lot of them.
I would say the majority ofthat number is probably around
year three, three or four withus.
So it's been a lot.
Yeah, that's a great thing.
That's huge too, that is justso good.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
It helps you sleep a little better at night.
And again it really speaksvolumes for just how you've
created a family environmentthat is professionally run but
everyone wants to come back andhave some fun and the money
ain't bad, you know, everybodymake a little bit of coin and
enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
We tell them every year.
You know, like our goal forRyan and I, I mean we've always
said our priorities, our staff.
So as far as their experiencehere, I think I say it every
year in orientation Like we wantthis place for you to feel like
summer camp.
It's a place that you come, youmake money like that's all well
and good, but we want you towant to be here, we want you to
have fun with your friends here,we want this place to be a
(11:36):
family, we want you to look atit as a place that you can call
home, even long after you'veleft and gone into whatever
profession or degree you'repursuing.
And that's kind of been ourgoal and our mentality.
With it too, we're like,granted, we have standards.
So I mean summer camp, butthere's a line, yeah, but at the
same time too, I mean I, wejust tell everybody we don't
want you to show up and bemiserable.
(11:57):
We don't want that for anybody,whether you're a dishwasher or
a server or a bartender ormanager.
You know it's like we wanteverybody to show up and be
happy to be here, and nine timesout of 10, that really comes
down to who they're working with.
So building that familymentality has been really
crucial, because I remember whenI was working here, when this
was Waller's, that was one thingthat always stuck out to me,
(12:18):
because I remember we had, Imean, you know, the lake.
So it's a rainy day, you'reslow, it's very weather
dependent, right.
So I remember on one rainy daywe were just dead.
I think we maybe had one or twotables all day, but it was the
greatest day ever because I was,like, you know, worst case
scenario.
I'm basically getting paidhourly right now by just being
(12:38):
here and I get to hang out withmy friends all day.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Yeah, and even in the rain, sitting on the waterline
is a beautiful day.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
That's a good kind of culture to try to build of.
Okay, if we have a slow day, isour staff still going to have
fun being here, and that's kindof what we've tried to create.
So I mean, granted, it does getboring on rainy days Sometimes,
I'm not going to deny that butI think it's just at a point now
where there's such a family andthey enjoy being around each
other and that's what'simportant.
(13:05):
So it's like you're having abad day, you're around family
and friends that are going tohave your back.
So that's really what's kind ofbeen built over the years and
it's really beautiful to watch.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
It really is.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
The summer camp thing I love Because that is such a
as soon as you said it like I'vehad a lot of summer camp stuff
from the blind thing and allthat.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
You have like the mental image right Immediately.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
I was like well, I remember, and then you started
talking about the, um, the, therainy day, and I thought back to
the 4-h camp here at smithmount lake and, like rainy days
where the counselors had to comeup with stuff to entertain us,
that half the time was just.
It was a different change, butit was.
You know, you've learned to bethankful about that little stuff
because we've all sat in theslow bar in the rain yep, we've
(13:51):
all been there at some point.
People want to be making moremoney and everybody wants to be
more active, but at the end ofthe day, it's a beautiful
environment and that familymentality is so cool.
Really, I can't say enoughabout how I wish we could bottle
the energy you all have createdhere, because it is just such a
good vibe.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
It's the fact that we have good people.
I mean, like I said, ryan and Iconsider ourselves immensely
blessed.
Our team is I can't say enoughgood things.
Like blessed feels like anunderstatement to us.
They're just incredible people,and I think the other side of
it is they love people too, sowhen they have tables or guests,
it's like they want to fosterthat relationship with them too.
(14:31):
I think a lot of restaurants,you see like a divide between
the front of the house and backof the house and here we just
are like nope, that's not howit's going to be.
Everybody helps everybody.
You know there are nights offrustration where the servers
have had a long day and they'renot exactly excited about
helping in the dish pit.
But when they see theappreciation that they get from
the kitchen staff, they're like,oh, okay.
And then the next day whenthey're in the weeds or
(14:53):
something goes wrong at theirtable and that kitchen staff
that they helped the nightbefore is like, hey, we got your
back, I'm gonna fix it for you,right now.
And you just kind of see howthat overlap in that mutual
respect and like, hey, I'm goingto help you with the stuff that
you don't want to do and you'regoing to help me deal with the
stuff I don't want to deal with,and it's it's just that mutual
respect in it, like we weretalking about earlier.
(15:13):
It's all.
It's all back to that teamwork,family mentality and just
showing up for one another, notjust for yourself.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
The gratitude that you're into the night and you're
you know what's in the dish pityou know it's over there and
you know you haven's.
I think a lot of it is becauseyou train across the board you
know and everybody helps witheverything and that mentality is
perfect, but just the reliefthat you're going to feel on the
(15:39):
line when you look over, youknow one of the front of the
house.
people have just dropped in toknock out 12 dishes you know,
just to run at one time orwhatever it is, and you're like,
oh yeah, that that is.
That is a very, very, very coolpoint where you're like, oh my
gosh, I I rang in um the chickensandwich and I'm supposed to
ring in the burger we got you,we got you.
They're gonna fly it out thewindow as fast as they can yeah,
(16:02):
it's really cool to see.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Yeah, yeah, it's actually funny too, because our,
our trash runs at the end ofthe night, which is probably
like what you would assumeeveryone would dread.
It's kind of become this likegroup thing that you know we
have the trailer hooked onto thetruck with all the trash in the
trailer, and then it's likeeverybody's climbing on the
truck, climbing on the trailerto go run it down to the
dumpsters you're still going allthe way down?
Speaker 3 (16:23):
yeah, and it's become .
Speaker 2 (16:24):
It's become this whole group thing.
So it's like it's funny,because now it's like if people
miss the trash run, they're likelike oh man, which?
It's like you would never, ever, I never, would expect that to
ever be a thing.
But, it's just become thisthing.
That's created a lot ofmemories, because it's like you
know you're, you're doingsomething unpleasant, but at the
same time, like you're laughing, you're joking, chicken juice
spills on somebody and theystart gagging and everyone
(16:46):
starts laughing.
But you have a funny story totell, you know.
And so it's like I got chickenjuice and I can't even tell you
how many pictures that Ryan andI have of like group photos from
our trash runs.
It's insane.
And we could probably make awhole we could probably make a
whole collage of that.
But I mean, it's just like oneof those things you build that
camaraderie and it just carriesover to even the most unpleasant
(17:07):
of things, you know, and it's.
It's really cool Like we justwe're honestly.
You said so many kind words tous about that family that we've
built.
But even him and I look at eachother and we're just like man,
like how lucky are we that thisis what we have.
But it's, like I said, it's atestament really to the people
that are in that too, becauseyou know, ryan and I can start
that process but they kind oftake it and carry it and make it
(17:29):
into the full family that it is.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
When you, as operators, have made the trash
run a fun event.
I mean we're going to throw insome standing applause audio or
something, because that isamazing.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
I don't even think that I can take credit for that.
I think that that's just amiracle at the end of the day.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
I don't think that's.
The stars align yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
I don't think you can even logically explain that it
just happened.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
I'm not going to argue with that, but I do think
that credits do or credits notdo, but the staff has to be
having a pretty good time for itto be.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
They do Like I said.
They don't like each other.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
I've had to squish around with chicken juice in my
work.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
It's not pleasant, nobody likes it.
It's not good, nobody likes it.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
You know, as a guy who has been an owner or manager
of whatever levels, to whereyou know I'm carrying too bad.
I did it here, you know, and Iwould carry the trash down there
by myself, you know, when theside-by-side was broken and it
was lonely and it was an ickything to do at the end of the
day, but in my head I alwaysspend the happiness and run up
the thankful.
So I would always be like youknow hey, there are a lot of
(18:42):
people in the world that wishthey were on a 500 mile
shoreline lake doing garbage andto think about that and having
a buddy to do it with.
And then all of a sudden yougot your team crawling up on the
trash truck.
And that's beautiful.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
I love it yeah it's great too, because I mean it's
like when you look at thetrailer, at the end of the day
you see this mountain of trashbags, but it's like the bigger
the groups got, people startedto realize, oh, if we have a
group this big, I might have tothrow one or two trash bags at
most.
So it's really great and Ithink that again that we talked
about that earlier it's if youcan have your staff kind of buy
(19:09):
into that team mentality andthen once they buy into it and
really give it a chance, andthen they see how it benefits
them and how it really there'sso much fruit to come from it If
you really of fits them, andhow it really there's so much
fruit to come from it If youreally really commit to it.
It just plays out on its ownfrom there.
It's like at that point it justtakes on a life of its own, and
so that's kind of what I thinkhas happened.
So we're immensely blessed, Ican't say it enough.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
So blessed and that's a great thing.
Yeah, that in itself is ablessing.
Yeah, the uh I really lookforward to hearing other
operators talking, because I canhear them now out there going.
Are they saying that they havelike a little mani?
Speaker 2 (19:44):
party when they take the trash, because that's some
capable, capable stuff rightthere.
If they question it, Icompletely understand it and,
like I said, we got pictures.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Oh, we got photos I'm gonna show up like in my head
now.
I'm like I want to go on thetrash run with the staff this
year I'm gonna, oh, you should.
That would be really fun youknow it'd be fun, throw up a
camera.
You'd probably have fun justwatching.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Oh, I love it we should do that, we should put
like a gopro, just yeah, just doa little segment, and that
would really work well.
And I think your videomarketing do, let me tell you.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
I mean, I mean, you never know well you, let me show
them up front.
The resort uh guy in me is justthinking like you see, all
these great things about theindustry and the money and the
fun and the camaraderie and thesocial aspects and learning on
your feet and giggling, trashrun.
You know, it is just the worldneeds to see it.
Exactly the world needs.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
I know that's like a rare thing that you don't see
every day I've never in my life.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
It's like a modern day unicorn in this industry,
really, though I'm gonna liketext y'all later and be like oh,
I just remembered this time in2012.
Because in my head I'm like Idon't remember any.
I don't remember any time.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Oh, that is fantastic .
Speaker 3 (20:48):
How do we segue from giggling trash run?
Speaker 2 (20:50):
I don't know when do you go from there?
Speaker 3 (20:51):
Or do you go from there?
Speaker 2 (20:52):
That just sounds like the mic drop.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
It does sound like All right.
Well, we're not going to rollout on trash, but we will roll
out on the the blessed, thankfulfamily, caring, awesome
mentality.
That that is is what isdrifters and what you guys have
created, and just having a bunchof fun you want to say anything
to our team?
Um oh man there are people outthere.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
I, I, you know I feel like I'm probably not going to
say anything that Ryan didn'tsay last time.
I think that the one thing thathim and I talk all the time
about with this industry is thatthe things you learn in this
industry you can take into anywalk of life, it doesn't matter
what profession, and I think thebiggest thing in that is just
learning people, whether it'syour guests or your staff.
(21:38):
I mean, from the staff side,it's like you have to learn how
to work with people of alldifferent personality types and
and your guests too.
It's like you can approach onetable I mean you have one table
who, like they want you to bethat overly attentive server and
then you have another table.
That's like we just want to beleft alone, like we just want
you to interact with us onlywhen you need to.
Yep, don't want to, don't wantyou to interrupt our time, you
(22:00):
know, and so you learn that somuch.
I think that for me and I'vetold our staff this every year
one thing that for me that'salways been kind of the core of
my passion for the serviceindustry is that the restaurant
business has always been theonly industry I can think of
that.
You don't need education, youdon't need any previous
experience.
(22:21):
But if you have a great workethic and you're great with
people and you just give iteverything you have, you can
work your way all the way up tothe top, to where you're making
a six figure salary.
I mean.
I've seen bartenders do that andit's not unheard of, and it's
like I man so many years behindthe bar.
I can't tell you how many timesI've heard oh.
So many years behind the bar.
I can't tell you how many timesI've heard oh.
So what are you doing next?
(22:41):
And I'm just thinking.
Like you know, I did haveanother job on the side.
I was also a certified athletictrainer.
But at the same time I'm likewhy does there have to be a next
?
You know, if I, if you can dothis and hang out with great
people and talking to people andmaking money while you do it,
and so it's just like thepotential in the restaurant
(23:02):
industry is endless, and I guessone thing that Ryan and I have
always talked about was thatit's almost an industry that's
looked down upon or like anin-between industry.
It's not really viewed as likea professional occupation, you
know, and that's something thatwe're passionate about, because
we're like we have met some ofthe hardest working people that
we've ever known in thisindustry, and that there's
(23:24):
something to say there, you knowwork you into the ground.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
We run circles around a lot of the people in other
industries.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
And I think I'll tell you a really quick story.
Just a great example of thatOne of the first restaurants I
worked in I was a busser at thispoint in my restaurant journey,
but the head chef at thisrestaurant was just an
incredible cook.
I mean, he made me dinners thatwere just outrageous Everything
I ate was just delicious.
And so he wanted to go toculinary school.
(23:53):
He was really passionate aboutthat.
He was also Hispanic and sowhen he applied to culinary
school he actually got rejectedand they told him you know,
unfortunately your English isnot good enough to accept you at
this time.
So at the point when I startedworking at this restaurant, he
was basically working all daylong and then he was getting off
work at probably around 10, 11,and then going to night school
(24:16):
to better his English.
So he'd go to culinary school.
And that just left the biggestimpression on me because I was
like man if that's not thedefinition of drive and
determination, I don't know whatis.
But and it was just so funnybecause then during the day when
we would work, it was me andthis other server.
We would literally be in theback quizzing him on his English
in the middle of the day, butto me it's just such a beautiful
(24:37):
picture of how like we ralliedaround him and his goal as his
family, but also his drive anddetermination to achieve his
goal because he loved what hewas doing so much.
It just left the biggest impacton me and I I've told that
story too many times.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
I don't think you have.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
I think it's great, though it really is, and and
it's funny too, because I man, Ican say it.
You took me down a dangerouspath here, because I can say so
many things.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
No, please.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
But another thing that I've always said, too is I
think another thing about therestaurant industry that really
stands out is I think there's anAnthony Bourdain quote that
kind of like attests to this.
It's something like a group oflike motley misfits, something
like that.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
You know what?
I'm not even going to attemptit, but essentially, like I and
I've I've told Ryan all the timeis that every restaurant I
worked in, it's like if you tookeverybody lined them up, I
would look at this whole line ofpeople that are working with me
Like man.
If it wasn't for this place, Iprobably wouldn't hang out with
any of these people.
And it's like you have thisrestaurant that brings this
group of people together and youhave this deep bond like family
(25:40):
, and I've never seen thatanywhere in any other industry.
And it's just it's kind offunny how the restaurant
industry bonds people like that.
Yeah, but it's a beautifulthing though.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
And it is every walk of life, every walk of life,
every interest.
Yeah, you could think about,it's such, that's such a good
compare, why all of us, you know, standing there and it's like,
wow, you know, you wouldn'tthink enough.
I think that's why we're sooutgoing, as restaurant people,
we're so accepting andunderstanding, because we build
(26:12):
everything with each other.
And speaking back to where I'vebeen in the game a little bit
and it really, you know, I can'tcount the times oh, you know
what's your day job and what'sthis and what's that?
Oh gosh you know nothing fornothing.
Pretty successful fella hereand and I think, I hope,
actually I believe, and I knowthat we are changing that now.
You know, you guys, a millionpercent are.
(26:34):
I think what we're trying to dowith the podcast and what we're
all trying to do in theindustry is really the evolution
of what food and beverage haskind of become.
It's become more accepted.
People are always going to bejudgmental, but did, uh so did
the gentleman go to culinaryschool and graduate.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Yeah, I know he went to culinary school.
I honestly I'd moved awaybefore but I'm sure he did Just
knowing who he was.
If he listens to this, shoutout to Fausto Nice.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
He's great and reach out to us.
Billatbarninjacom, log it out,coming back on Love you all out
there, ninjas out.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Bar Ninja
Podcast.
Please be sure to subscribe tous on your favorite podcast
player and join the Bar NinjaNation that has over 7,000
bartenders in it.
By going to wwwbarninjacom, youcan enter your email.
Until next time, see you then.
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