Food and Beveridge Service

When I Worked There

May 1990 – December 1996

How I Got There

After moving to Seattle from California in 1990 I knew that I wanted to finish my degree, so I looked for a job that would allow me the flexibility to go to school and work. No surprise that I ended up tending bar and later waiting tables a several local taverns and restaurants.

What I Did There

I tended bar, cooked and served food, managed schedules and wine lists, and was responsible for everything that went on while I was working.

What I Learned There

It was while I was working in a bar that I first started to formally manage people. I was the shift manager at a bar that I helped open and I found that my previous experience of communication, planning, and problem solving was very useful. The staff presented performance and personality issues that had to be dealt with. Each night could bring customer service and behavior issues. Here again, keeping everyone working together and focused on the same goals was a common theme.

How it Applies to Today

I have a friend that does organizational consulting work. He has a favorite restaurant that he likes to take clients to because the kitchen, dish pit, and waiter's station are all visible from the dining room. He likes to educate his clients over lunch on one of the most inter-dependent organizations in existence; the lunch staff of a busy restaurant. If anyone there doesn't do their job well everyone (including the customer) will quickly suffer. One slow busser or dishwasher and service for everyone is impacted almost immediately. This understanding of inter-dependence, clear roles and responsibilities, and a unified vision of purpose impact how I run a team to this day. If we can't depend on one another we will not be successful — no matter what industry we work in.

Why I Left

I finished my BA in Liberal Studies at Antioch University in 1994. While I was going to school this thing called the Internet was starting to become a big deal. I took a course on how to build web sites and started freelancing a little. This led to some contract work on the side and I found that I was good at it and liked it a lot more than working in a restaurant, so I left to pursue it full time.