First and Last Impressions

We took a drive yesterday to a small town about 90 minutes from our house. We went to visit friends and also to check out a tacos and margarita themed food truck invasion and festival. We are in the process of building our first food truck and it's important to check out the competition. Besides, who doesn't like tacos and Margaritas?

To say we were underwhelmed would be an understatement. We were disappointed and fairly disgusted.

There were a handful of trucks and some of the local restaurants set up tables. We picked up food from two of the places and were barely able to finish the food. $70 all told and for what? We had McDonald's on the way home.

The town we visited is new and rapidly growing. It's still a small town with very few restaurants. These restaurants are benefiting from having essentially zero competition. It shows because they make zero effort.

One of the trucks was a barbecue outfit with an attached smoker and a very professional outward appearance. The meat was smoked well but that was where the effort stopped. There was very little attention paid to the rice and beans that accompanied the tacos. Basmati rice, which makes no sense next to a taco, and black beans straight from the can. No seasoning, no effort beyond a can opener and something to keep them warmish.

There were only five items on the menu. I ordered two of those five items and they somehow got my order wrong.

We bought tacos from a stand set up in front of the Mexican restaurant in town. Literally no seasoning on any of the food unless you count an odd, flavorless heat on one of the tacos. We ordered a Margarita, which turned out to be little more than warm lemonade.

Another food truck was Mexican-themed and while I didn't try their food, a friend of mine did and had to stop for a potty break on the way home. Their truck was cute but there was no contact information on the outside of it and they kept their windows, which were covered in the same style of graphics that covered the truck, were closed. This does not inspire confidence.

Another food truck, one selling carnival foods, was plain disgusting. Their side door was open and you could see their supplies piled on the floor. Where's the health inspector when you need the bugger!

I am not simply insulting my would-be competitors here. If I wanted to hurt them, I would post their names and pictures here. I would slam them on Yelp! or other social media. Rather, what I'm trying to do, what I always try to do, is find the lesson in this.

The lesson is that your image, the impression you make, is very important. These small businesses, which are in a very competitive space, decided to phone it in. They made very little effort because they know they have very little to lose. They are the only game in town.

Competition is good for all of us, not just the consumer. I run my businesses as if I can lose everything at every moment. I treat every customer as a precious gem to be treasured. Don't get me wrong, I have fired customers on more than one occasion, but the majority of customers are worth keeping. And if they're worth keeping, they're worth doing your absolute best for.

That means seasoning the food. It means having forks and napkins (the Mexican restaurant told us we had to go to the restaurant to get these things - so much for street food) and salt and pepper and all the other things that make your customers' experience the best it can possibly be.

It means keeping your place clean and smiling at your guests. It means thanking them for choosing you. It means doing things well. It means giving a damn about the people you are there to serve.

We went to this event partially to have a good time, but we were also scoping out the competition. I will admit that I was a little concerned about what I would find, but I left with my confidence soaring. If your competitors look at your operation and feel you're not a threat, you have a problem. I want my competitors to stay up at night worrying about me, because they spend a lot more time in my mind than I would like.

Adolfo Jimenez is the co-owner The Cafeteria Company, HoneyBee Party Rental, and Bubba's Hangover Diner. He and his wife, Abby, invest in small businesses and serve as consultants and mentors to small businesses. Adolfo is the author of several blogs and over seventeen books, including The Successful Vendor.

How To Everything 2

Yesterday I ranted about productivity. I'll admit, I'm not as productive as I'd like to be. I would say I am among the most productive people I know personally. After many years in the corporate world and now as a business owner serving the world of academia, I can say most people waste time. I am among those people. The difference is I am aware of it.

A good deal of my workday is spent with customers. From making sales and taking orders, to collection calls and the occasional dispute. I am in the food service business, so I also spend some time everyday in the kitchen, actually cooking. I often run inventory. I have to place orders and receive them. I review invoices and I balance my checkbook. I even run payroll. These are useful and necessary activities that I could delegate, but I feel they are good ways for me to keep an eye on the business; a finger on the pulse, if you will.

I actually spend some of my down time (when there are no customers and no calls to make) stocking coolers and racks and even shopping. This also keeps me in touch with the business. I will often listen to audio books while I'm doing this kind of work as I'd rather engage my mind in learning while performing tasks that don't require too much thought on my part.

Audio books are a great time saver. You can get through books during time that would otherwise be wasted like when you're stocking coolers or walking your dogs or sitting in traffic. I probably get through just over one book per week. You can always buy audio books or you can download the Libby app to your phone, which works with your public library so it's free! I do some of both, but I will admit I love Libby.  And, it's not really free. My taxes help pay for the local libraries so I might as well get some of my money back in the form of self-improvement.

I tend to use audio books when it's a subject I want to learn about, not one I need to learn about. The reason is there will always be distractions. People will call or approach you with a question or some other thing. I have a short attention span (now known as ADD) so it's easy to lose my place even when listening. I'll often "rewind" and re-listen to the portions I missed.

I know this may seem obsessive or, at the very least, uber-nerdy, but I believe in learning and bettering myself. I also believe that time should be treated like the valuable, limited resource it is, so I find ways to not waste it. This is one of them.

Adolfo Jimenez is an entrepreneur, author, poet, and blogger. He lives in Hollywood, Florida. He has published ten books, which you can find here. Adolfo is the co-owner of The Cafeteria Company, a commissary outsourcing firm. He also co-owns Soup -n- Sam, Le Velo Macaron, and Starlight Catering.

The Un-Importance of Parking Spaces

 I'm pushing a flatbed cart along a parking lot. It's loaded, piled high with goodies for my business. This is my second such trip today but will not be the last one I make this week. I visit warehouse clubs several times a week to buy product for my business. I run school cafeterias as well as a couple of ghost kitchen concepts, a bakery, and a catering operation. This is in addition to the deliveries I have made once or twice a week.

I buy a lot of stuff.

I buy this stuff so I can sell it. I work a lot of hours. I am typically up before five and I am at work before 6:30. Oftentimes I store supplies in my garage at home. I have an upright refrigerator/freezer and a deep-freeze in my garage for this reason. Dry items and paper goods will often spend the night in my van. 

I wake up early because I walk my dogs and I like to take a little time in the morning to think about the day ahead. Nothing formal, just visualizing. Sometimes my thoughts wander. This lasts about ten minutes. After that, it's off to the races answering emails, checking electronic deposits, walking dogs, loading stuff, waking my wife and getting my kid up for school. I am busy from ten minutes after I wake up until I go to sleep.

This is why I don't wait or even look for a good parking space. It's a waste of my time. People will spend ten minutes looking for and waiting on a "good" parking spot when they could park just down the way and walk an extra two minutes.

This doesn't make sense to me. I don't have the patience or the time to wait for parking spaces. I spend so much of my day walking and carrying things that I don't need a gym. I could still stand to lose a couple of pounds. (Maybe a couple dozen but who's counting?)

I treat my time like the precious, limited commodity it is. I am not going to spend an extra moment of it waiting for a parking space. I don't have that kind of time or patience. I would be embarrassed to be the kind of person who does that.

If you are one of those people who searches and waits for the perfect parking space, examine your life. Think about how many hours you have in a day that are truly yours. Think of how many years you have left to live. Then think of how many of those you want to spend waiting for a parking space. Time waits for no one. No one should wait for a parking space.

Adolfo Jimenez is an entrepreneur, author, poet, and blogger. He lives in Hollywood, Florida. He has published ten books, which you can find here. Adolfo is the co-owner of The Cafeteria Company, a commissary outsourcing firm. He also co-owns Soup -n- Sam, Le Velo Macaron, and Starlight Catering.

The Every Day

So... how's your quarantine going?

Ready to go outside?

Oh... riots.

So... how are you passing the time? I hope you're not binge-watching bad TV shows that you've already watched. I hope you're taking at least a little time to improve yourself. Maybe you're reading a book. Maybe you're fixing up your house. Maybe you've taken up watercolors. Are you writing that book you've been dreaming about writing? Get to it.

The pandemic has pushed us out of our comfort zone by locking us in the most comfortable of places: our homes. Home is great when you have the opportunity to leave at will. Otherwise, it's a prison. Some great stories were written about prisons. Stories like Papillon, Escape from Alcatraz, The Count of Monte Cristo, and others. Any of those stories would help you appreciate how comfy your "prison" is.

I realize this is coming late. I've been a little caught up with other things and I have been ignoring this blog. I've been doing a lot of work for The Liberty Drip, which is a political blog I contribute to, I've also completed a novella, the completion of the Man In The Gray Sky trilogy scheduled to be released in the summer; and a new novel, which I hope to release in the fall.

I also took care of some home improvement projects including an above-ground pool and a nice area to enjoy my backyard. Just in time for the rainy season! Hooray!

So, don't let the lockdown get you down. Don't become a victim of your circumstances. Instead, make the most of the time you have and create something beautiful.

Keep doing what you do!

Adolfo Jimenez is an author, poet, and blogger. He lives in Hollywood, Florida. He has published eight books, which you can find here.

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Listening

I love books. Even before I realized I wanted to be a writer, I was always a reader. I have owned, lost, and donated thousands of books. I have borrowed and lent books. I have read books and I have listened to books. Books have made me laugh, made me cry, and pissed me off. Many have put me to sleep and many have kept me up.

I read every morning and every night. Sometimes, if my schedule permits, I read in between those times. I also listen to audio books. I don't spend hours on news, TV, radio, or print. I get the headlines, read a couple of stories that interest me, and I move on. I don't need or want that kind of negativity in my life!

I work from home so I no longer have a commute, unless you count the ten steps from my bedroom to my office. So, I listen to books while I walk my dog. I get through an extra book every week or two this way. I also listen in the shower, and when I'm alone doing things at home. Why waste the time when I can spend it absorbing some of the great art in the world?

But today, when I was walking Max, I felt an urge to shut off my book, remove my earbuds, and listen to the world. There was so much to hear. There were so many sounds of life happening all around me, not far from where I sleep at night. I heard stories and I heard voices and I felt life.

So don't be afraid to turn off the radio or the TV and just listen. The world has secrets to tell you.




Adolfo Jimenez is an author, poet, and blogger. He lives in Hollywood, Florida with his family.  He has published eight books, which you can find here. 

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The Business Part 3

This is the third part of a series on the business of writing. Click here to go to Part One.


Too many wannabe writers are in love with the idea of being known as a writer. They are not in love with the lonely drudgery of writing. Singers and actors get on stage and are cheered and adored, or jeered and booed. But at least they are known. When Andy Warhol promised those fifteen minutes of fame, he excluded most writers.

My point is that you have to write if you want to be a writer. You have to put out a page a day. I don't care if it's a good page. Ernest Hemingway said the first draft of anything is shit. He was right. Sometimes it's better quality shit than other times, but it's still shit.

So you sit down and write a page a day. You do this for 200 days. You have a first draft. Guess what? It's shit! Let it go for a while. Put it out of your mind. Think of other things. Get drunk. Get stoned. Get laid. Definitely get laid if possible.

After you've done other things and taken your mind off the work, come back to it with fresh eyes. It's time to write. Remember that words are cheap. A word means little by itself. It's when we put it in the right place with other words that it starts to mean something. What I mean to tell you is that you shouldn't be afraid to delete a word. Or a sentence. Or a paragraph. Or even an entire chapter. Don't be afraid to replace words or move them around. Ditto sentences and paragraphs. Nothing is  sacred. Don't be a little pussy. Just edit it.

So it's been a year since you started this book. You've done your first re-write. Are you ready to send it to the publisher? Hell no. Put it away. Get drunk. Get stoned. Get laid. The manuscript ain't going nowhere.

Come back to it a couple of weeks or even a month or two later. Rewrite it again. Be ruthless. Words mean nothing until they are put in the right order.

Adolfo Jimenez is an author, poet, and blogger. He lives in Hollywood, Florida. He has published eight books, which you can find here.

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Tough Choices

Being a writer is a lot like being a minor god. You are the god for the universe you are creating. Even if there is a god in your story, you tell him what to do.

Don't let that go to your head.

You're still just a schmuck like the rest of us.

I recently published a novella, The Man in the Gray Sky. I sold a few copies, gave a few copies away, and felt good about it over all.

Then I read it.

I withdrew it. With the perspective only time can give, I realized the book wasn't ready to be published. I was like a kid on his way to Disney, jumping out of the car before his dad parked the car. (Yes, this happened when I was a kid... many times, many places!)

It was tough to unpublish my book. It was like admitting defeat. Again, as I take a little time to think about it. It's not an admission of defeat. It's a momentary retreat to regroup and resume the attack.

This has given me a chance to rethink the book and the follow-up to it, which I just finished a week ago, and the direction of the series and the characters. There is no shame in pulling out. In this case, it's a very responsible thing to do. My readers will appreciate it - both of them.

The Only Easy Day

I woke up yesterday like I always do. Very early. I took my dog for a walk. I made breakfast. Answered emails. Took care of business. I did the things I do. And I felt miserable about it. I felt burnt out. I was depressed. Truth be told, I still am.  This happens to me. I am not above telling you that I have dealt with depression since I was in grade school. It comes and it goes. If just so happens I am going through one of those phases.

Not sure why. I don't know why some days are harder than others. I can't tell you why some days I feel ready to tackle the world and other days I feel like it's rolled over me.

We all feel that way sometimes.

On these days, you have to simply work harder. You can't pull the sheets over your head. You need to put your feet on the floor and get moving. This is what personal trainers will tell you about exercise, but it applies to the daily grind.

Anyone can do it when they're in the mood. What separates winners from runners up is what they do on the days when they don't feel up to it.

Navy Seals have a saying: The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday. It's how they tell themselves that there are no easy days. Every day is a challenge. If you're working hard toward a goal, it will require effort, sometimes more effort than you want to give. Give it anyway. That's the only time it matters.


Adolfo Jimenez is an executive coach, entrepreneur, consultant, book club nerd, and family man living in Hollywood, FL. He is the owner of Le Velo Macaron and other businesses.

You can find him on Instagram and LinkedIn

 

Know The Game You're Playing

What's your business? How's it going? Do you have customers? Lots of them? Want more customers? Of course you do. Who doesn't? The only enterprise that complains about more customers is the government and if that's who you work for, I have nothing for you. Unless you're looking for a way out of that life, in which case, we should talk.

I speak to business owners every day and I have never had one complain that they have too many customers. If one did, they look for ways to service and profit from those customers, not get rid of them.

Do you know what game you're playing? You're in the customer acquisition game. No matter the business you're in. You're playing to get more customers.

Do you know your customer acquisition cost?  Do you know how much each customer is worth?Do you know how to make your customers happy? Do you know how to make sure they don't leave? Do your employees know how to keep your customers happy? Do they care?

To make sure you have enough customers to grow your business and stay in business, you need to know who your customers are. where they are looking, what they are looking for, and how to get them in and keep them loyal to you.

If you can't answer those (and other) questions, you have no chance of making it long-term. You're just biding your time.


Adolfo Jimenez is an executive coach, entrepreneur, consultant, book club nerd, and family man living in Hollywood, FL. He is the owner of Le Velo Macaron and other businesses.

You can find him on Instagram and LinkedIn

A Roaming Eye

Last night was date night. After 18 years and with two teenage daughters in the house, full-time jobs, businesses, and other commitments, Abby and I have to make a real effort to find time to just be a couple. We went to Downtown Hollywood for dinner and as always, our conversation drifted to business.

This is not to say it wasn't a romantic evening. I'm a smooth dude! Drove with the top down (for about five minutes because it rained, but still) and all that jazz.

Each business we visited, one for dinner and another for dessert, filled our heads with ideas which led to conversations and a visit to yet another dessert spot for more discussion.

It was a nice date. I'm not some kind of stiff who only thinks about work. Well, maybe I am, but I know a few jokes and I give a mean foot massage! See, I have redeeming qualities as a husband!

As we walked and looked in store windows, I saw opportunities. I saw what makes America great. The American entrepreneur. I saw people willing to risk everything for a shot at the American Dream. I saw families working hard and working together toward a common goal.

I also saw a lot of mistakes being made. I saw lost opportunities. I saw those beautiful dreams eroding into bankruptcy. I saw people with good intentions and bad business plans. I saw businesses in 2018 being run like it was 1918. I saw half-hearted attempts at marketing and a whisper of social media, which would do more harm than good.

I love entrepreneurs. I really do. I want them to succeed, though I know many will fail. I would be lying if I didn't see opportunity in picking up the pieces of someone else's dream - at a steep discount.

It is the responsibility of the player to know the rules of the game. If you don't know the game you're playing, you will lose every time. Learn the business, sure, but learn all the things you have to do to get customers in the door. Otherwise, you just have an expensive, depressing hobby. And someone else will be paying you to work on their dream while yours fades away.

So while I only have eyes for my wife. Those eyes occasionally roam and see opportunities to learn, to help, to coach, and to profit.


Adolfo Jimenez is an executive coach, entrepreneur, consultant, book club nerd, and family man living in Hollywood, FL. He is the owner of Le Velo Macaron

You can find him on Instagram and LinkedIn

The Need To Manage

There is management. There is micromanagement. There is the laissez faire approach to management (my personal favorite - more on that below.) And there is what I think of as The Need To Manage.

The need to manage happens when you have a competent, experienced team, and there isn't much for managers to do in the way of coaching them. Of course, no one wants to feel unneeded, so the managers manage or micromanage or worse, mismanage, what needn't be managed at all.

I have found myself on the managed side of this equation and I can tell you it's demotivating. Don't tell me what I already know just because you have no value to add. If you are a manager looking for an opportunity to manage, build your own value. Make yourself better so you can make those you manage better.

Laissez Faire basically means hands off. It's a wonderful thing. If you hire well, train well, and support your staff effectively, you may enjoy the fruits of your labor, only getting up from your lawn chair when trouble arises.

Pretty boring, huh?

How about... hire the right people. Train the people to be their best. Guide them as necessary. Train yourself and increase your own value so you can train them and increase their value.

The Need To Manage is real. Don't fight it, but understand that the most important function of a manager is to add value to his team. You're success as a manager is measured in the success of your people. Their results, good or bad, are a reflection on you.

Work on you... so you can work on them.

Let me know how it goes.


Adolfo Jimenez is an executive coach, entrepreneur, book club nerd, and family man living in Hollywood, FL. He is the owner of www.levelomacaron.com 

You can find him at https://www.instagram.com/adolfo.jimenez/

The Secret Law of Attraction?

A lot has been said about the law of attraction. Most of what's been said is nonsense. The thought that thinking about something will make that something happen or appear is quite simply bullshit.

This is not to say you shouldn't think about your goals. Hell, you should obsess about them. How else will you achieve them? But don't expect things to happen because you think about them.

I have a friend who is a talented writer, filmmaker, editor, etc. He could be a Hollywood start director and producer. But he's lazy. He thinks about his dream career all the time. He's watched more movies and knows more about movies than anyone I know. He watches every TV show. He knows the bios of the directors and actors.

But he's waiting for Hollywood to magically appear on his doorstep. He will wait until the end of his days. That type of thing doesn't happen. Ever. Not even in the movies.

You can attract success and blessings by working hard toward them. Like attracts like. If you work hard, create and exploit opportunities and create successes, more successes will become available to you. Then, all you have to do is pick them up.

Think positive, but know your thoughts are just a map. You have to get off your butt or nothing will ever happen.



Adolfo Jimenez is an executive coach, entrepreneur, book club nerd, and family man living in Hollywood, FL. He is the owner of www.levelomacaron.com 

You can find him at https://www.instagram.com/adolfo.jimenez/

Who Are You?

Who are you?

Not your name. You.

When people see you, what do they see?

What is your brand?

These are questions everyone in the business world needs to answer. Whether you are an entrepreneur or you're selling cars or driving for Lyft or Uber, you need a brand.

I am a creature of habit. I go to a rotation of restaurants near my office for lunch. There are two in particular that I visit once a week. The waitresses know my name and they know what I like to eat. I'm not special. I'm sure they do this for every one of their regulars. They've branded themselves as being better than other servers. I'm sure their pay reflects this fact.

These ladies have branded themselves. Shouldn't you? What do you want to be known for? Do you want to be just another car salesman or do you want to be "My Guy down at the Chevy Dealership?" Do you want to be a dental hygienist or Britney, the amazing young lady at my dentist's office?

Decide who you want to be and resolve to become that person. Share your journey with the world and you are taking your first step toward branding yourself.

Let me know who you become.


Adolfo Jimenez is an executive coach, entrepreneur, book club nerd, and family man living in Hollywood, FL. He is the owner of www.levelomacaron.com 
You can find him at https://www.instagram.com/adolfo.jimenez/

Round Up The Posse

Jim Rohn said you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. That might be a scary thought. But it's also a thought that can open you up to all kinds of new possibilities.

I spend a lot of time with my wife. This is good because... well, she's my wife. Also, she and I are of the same mindset. We work hard. We share the same values. We encourage one another. What else do I need?

Now, throughout the course of my day I come in contact with scores of people. Some are my colleagues, some are my clients. I try to approach every interaction with the greatest amount of positivity I can. I try to learn from everyone I meet or spend time around. If this possibility doesn't exist, I coach them and try to add value to their lives. If that's not possible, I limit contact.

I have friends I care about deeply who want to go to lunch with me a couple of times a week. I limit it to once a month. There are two reasons for this. The first reason is that I often work through lunch. The second reason is that they will ruin my lunch with their complaining and I don't want to fill the second half of my day with negativity. Why poison my mind when I still have work to do and money to make?

Drive time is reserved for phone calls to family and to audiobooks. I see no point in listening to news. It only brings me down or pisses me off. I'd rather spend drive time listening to books and improving myself. I occasionally listen to some music when I feel the need to decompress. The folks at CNN and Fox ain't part of my posse!

The craziest thing I do is drive in silence. I'll do this once or twice a week. No music, no books, no calls. Just the sound of the engine and my thoughts. Try it sometime. It's therapeutic.

All of these things are better than being in the presence of people who bring me down. They also allow me to populate my posse with people who are successful like Gary Vaynerchuk or Jim Rohn or even George Washington.

Try any of these techniques and let me know how it goes.


Adolfo Jimenez is an executive coach, entrepreneur, book club nerd, and family man living in Hollywood, FL. He is the owner of www.levelomacaron.com 
You can find him at https://www.instagram.com/adolfo.jimenez/

In With the Good!

I wake up around 5:20 every morning whether I like it or not. I've always been an early riser. I can't help it. It's who I am. I do not bound out of bed the moment my eyes open.

This is an older car. It takes a little time to warm up.

Once my eyes are defogged and my mind is clear, I get to work. I usually post a thought for the day on my Instagram and my business Instagram before too long, I don't just post a random thought, I try to make this thought my guiding principle for the day. I look for an opportunity to share the thought, aside from posting it online. I put it into practice. I lead by example.

One of the advantages of starting my day this way is that I immediately point my thoughts in a useful, productive direction. If I started my day reading news, hearing about death and war and other joyless crap, my day would be miserable.

I speak from experience.

My name is Adolfo and I'm a bad-news-oholic. It's been seven years since my last news binge.

Start your day with a positive, constructive thought. Do it every day until it becomes habit.

Let me know how it goes.




Adolfo Jimenez is an executive coach, entrepreneur, book club nerd, and family man living in Hollywood, FL. He is the owner of www.levelomacaron.com 
You can find him at https://www.instagram.com/adolfo.jimenez/