3 Books Every Restaurant (and Small Business) Owner Should Read

08 Jun, 2015 | Tags: , , , , , ,

Many of us are looking for successful individuals who have triumphed over failure and risen to success, and then written guidebooks to their success. Learning is a valuable skill business owners and entrepreneurs require to continue moving forward and up. The following are 3 books that have proven to be great reads for business owners.

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t 

By Jim Collins:

Jim Collins wrote “Good To Great” in 2001, and in the year 2015 it is still a very well known book among business and restaurant owners, as well as many other individuals in leadership positions. Collins wrote his book by way of many years of research. His book was written in hopes of helping leaders understand why their business grows and then stops, or for businesses that can’t seem to get off the ground. Many leaders talk about how this book changed the way they did business completely. Collins really pushes the reader to change the way they think business should work, and guides you into a new realm of business thinking.

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5 

By Timothy Ferriss:

Ferriss’s book, “The 4-Hour Workweek”, teaches the reader step-by-step how he went from making $40k per year working 80 hours a week to making $40k per month working 4 hours a week. The 4-Hour Workweek was on the number one seller list for 7 consecutive years. Many business owners love the book because of its many tangible daily goals that can be implemented immediately. You can also check out the blog (www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/) that Ferriss began two months before the release of this book, and to this day continues to frequently update.

Setting The Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business

By Danny Meyer:

Danny Meyer is CEO of the famous restaurant group, Union Square Hospitality, in New York. Meyer has been highly successful in opening several well-known restaurants in New York City, but his success has not come without some failures. In his book, “Setting The Table”, Meyer explains those failures as well as how he bounced back and what he learned during those times of failure. The approach Danny takes in writing his book is very personal and relatable for the reader. His focus in the book is his recognition of the power of hospitality as it relates to customer satisfaction. “Setting the Table” is a powerful book for any leader, but specifically business owners whose business relies on hospitality. 

Which other books have you found helpful in your time as a business owner? Share how those books changed the way you did every day business or changed your daily goals as an owner.

5 Things To Know Before You Install A Business Sign

29 May, 2015 | Tags: , , , ,

Business signs are the easiest way for your customers to spot you from the street; those bright beauties that help guide them from their car straight to your door. Many signs are recognizable from miles away to millions of individuals around the world. Consider the golden arches of McDonalds, or the bright orange square of Home Depot. Signs are iconic, and a well-planned sign is a strategy not only to bring customers to your door, but also to keep bringing them back when they see your beautiful logo against the sky. But those signs don’t magically appear; there are a lot of steps that go into designing, manufacturing, and installing a business sign. So before you try to design and install a sign on your own, here are a few tips from professionals that you might not consider otherwise:

Difficult to understand

This isn’t to be taken the wrong way, but unless you’ve created business signs before, you probably don’t know where to start in learning about your city codes and permit requirements. Signage professionals know all there is to know about codes and permits. You’ve got a business to run; don’t spend your precious time trying to figure out which permit paper means what. Let a signage pro help your business guide you quickly to the end of an otherwise long journey through paper.

Time consuming:

As a business owner, your most valuable quality is your precious time. Time means money, and every minute you spend learning codes and looking at permits, you unfortunately have to take time away from your business floor…and business profits. The process of business sign installation is extremely time-consuming, especially if you’re doing it for the first time. Choosing to find a professional to help you install your sign will protect your valuable time from being wasted, and make sure your time is being used wisely.

City approval and permits:

You’ve probably heard of building permits; a building can’t be built until the city has approved of the structure, the architecture, and the placement of the building. It’s important that you think of your business sign the same as you would a new building—because your city thinks of it very much alike. As is most everything in city approvals, completing your permit is typically not done in a hurried fashion. One of the benefits of working with signage professionals is they know all the right people to talk to. Another thing to know is most cities require a licensed sign contractor to even pull a sign permit. So even as a business owner who is willing to put in the time to install a sign, you may not be able to obtain a city permit as an unlicensed sign contractor.

Landlord approval:

Unless you own your business building, you’ll need to gain the approval of your landlord before you install a business sign. An important aspect of being a business owner is continuing to build respect and understanding with other business owners, and your landlord is definitely a business owner you do not want on your bad side. The overall long-term relationship with your landlord is fundamental to your business. One way you can build lasting rapport with your landlord is by communicating with your them about the sign, gaining their approval, and also letting them see as you bring on professionals to have the installation done “the right way”. A happy landlord makes for a happy tenant!

Finding the right business sign professionals:

If you’ve come to the conclusion that spending weeks learning codes and permits aren’t for you, then the next step is finding the right business sign professionals that will give you a full-service package and install a business sign you can be proud of. Try to find a sign business that will create and install a sign that will make you proud. Some things you will want from the business you choose are: attentiveness, sign design, permit and city code knowledge, manufacturing skills, and installation abilities. Your sign will be a very important aspect of your business, make sure to find and use the company that you feel most comfortable working with. You’ll want a business that does more than just take your order, you’ll want a business that serves as an advisor, guides you through the process, and has open communication about any snags along the way.

Think you’re ready to get that new business sign you’ve been dreaming of? Hopefully you’ve gained some helpful insight with the professional tips above. Good luck with the installation of your new business sign!

Brett Duncan helps companies clarify and simplify their messages, including in the area of building signage and channel letter signs.