As many of you have heared, I lost my job at the Encore Cafe last week. It was a sudden shock, to say the least. I knew that since the cafe opened it was always hurting financially. It seems that a new cafe in Columbiana is just not what people are able to spend their hard earned money on. The past 2 months the daily take at the cafe went down to half of what it had been.
I understood that; we made drastic changes, but nothing seemed to do the trick. I knew it was hurting. Even though the head cheese never really gave me any indication of where things were, I knew we were hurting bad. I tried to do everything that I could to make things work. I developed recipes that were cheaper for the cafe but also gave some tasty scratch recipes, took care of jobs that would let people get out of there earlier on their shifts, any thing that I could think up, I did. I had a pretty strong suspicion.
My plans were to quit after this semester at college. To work through the semester and find something in the medical field to get my foot in the door since I will be graduating in May of 2010. I knew that I didn't have to put up with the place too much longer. My heart wasn't in it anymore. I never really had control over the place and it was slowly released from me over the past year anyways. Why was I there trying to make good of something that really didn't treat me right in the first place? Lots of promises were made, none of which happened. Ideas were thrown around only to be taken back at the last second. Trust was placed in me and things asked of me, but when I went to take care of them my toes (and trust) were stepped on.
I am glad to not be there anymore for the fact that I never had a worse boss, I never had so much mistrust placed in me. I was never lied to this much for something so simple as coffee, salads, and sandwiches. My faith in people, in friends, was shattered...I lost friends, I gained friends, it was the most trying year of work that I ever had. I have never been hurt so bad and I will never get hurt like that again.
In fact I will never do it again.
18 comments:
Laura,
Thanks for sharing your heart. I am sorry that you had to go through all of that. We love you guys and are praying for you!!!!
Paul
Laura: I'm so sorry to hear about your job (and your whole year, really). I'll be curious in six months or so to know how you feel after you've had time to process everything a little bit more. If you think there are lessons that you can take away and apply in a new setting.
We're praying for you.
Buddy.....
I love you, and I love every piece of you that was placed in that cafe that made it what it was up until the day we left it. You were the most amazing boss I have ever had the pleasure of working for. So please don't let their decisions ever take away what YOU created and accomplished for that place. Just because your hard work wasn't recognized by a select two doesn't mean it went unnoticed; I'm pretty positive all of Columbiana and the Cafe's regulars will miss you and your smiles tremendously. Anyways, I love you and for what its worth I couldn't be more proud of you.
Love,
One of your number one fans.
I agree with Megan. You're pretty much the coolest boss ever. Columbiana just lost the best dang Cafe manager ever!
You've always been an awesome friend and I hope you find a job that fits your passions. I can't wait to see where life takes you.
I can't say a whole lot on this blog, but sometime we will have a sit down. I just want to say that I can REALLY relate! Love you!
Ohhh I'm sure word will get around that they screwed you, Carma's an old wench. It's sad when friendships are ruined and tossed aside because of money... GREED SUCKS!
My dear Laura, I am so sorry. Dwight and I have been so proud of you this whole time. When you shared the conception of the Cafe and your intense involvement we were awed. We were proud and concerned of all you were being asked to spend of yourself. We have spent alot of time praying for you and Sam this past year.
We continue to pray for both of you as you grow and recover from the rough road you have traveled. I am sure God has great things in store you for you.
PS, it sucks when 'friends' aren't but there are plenty of good friends to be had.
Laura, I can't tell you how many times Ken and I have gone through similar things, feeling similar feelings. God has a way of taking what seems like ashes and resurrecting new life from it. Don't lose heart. Good things are coming your way. "He's not a tame Lion....but he's Good!" I'm praying for you.
I stumbled across this blog and couldn't help but notice that you're assuming no responsibility for that cafe's failures. You've probably never managed before, so it could come as a surprise to you, but the day-to-day manager is THE MOST responsible for a restaurant's success or failures. It's a managers job to MANAGE the expenditures, employees and to make the establishment money.
I guess in short, maybe instead of everyone feeling sorry for this poor girl or guy (i forget), maybe you should realize she did a really poor job and cost this owner more money than he cared to lose. If you want to consider yourself a professional, you need to accept responsibility for your failures. Being "nice" isn't be a good boss. Being responsible is. By you posters enabling her, you're only setting this person up for future failures as she won't learn from her screw ups.
I read she was going to be a nurse or something? So, if she screws up someone's meds or something, is that going to be the moment she learns some responsibility? Maybe she should accept it now and it'll help her when it really matters.
Take care, all.
ThatGuy, nice attempt at some good points. Unfortunately, since you don't know Laura (or maybe you do and this is a poorly masked passive aggressive way to make contact) you base these points on assumptions. And turns out your assumptions are quite wrong which makes what could have been valid points look like drival.
What point did you assume wrong? Laura worked for a restaurant for over ten years and six of those years were spent as the manager. And it wasn't a rinky-dink place either; in fact it was/is one of the most successful restaurants in the state of Ohio. It serves 10,000 customers a week and profits millions.
I'll stop there for two reasons. One, since you based your comment on an incorrect assumption, the rest of your argument holds little weight or worth. And two, Laura can defend herself and may be disregarding your foolishness by not justifying it with a response.
Sorry, man. I figured, since she couldn't accept any responsibility, that she hadn't managed before. That only makes it more sad, "Sam". You're right, I don't know Laura, that's true. I also don't know any of the CEOs of these failing banks that murdered the economy, but still feel comfortable in saying they deserve the biggest chunk of blame. See, they directly looked after the company while the investor's sat at home with little involvement.
I worked in restaurants for about 10 years myself and I know that the shareholder's weren't the cause of our successes or failures. The managers were. But, keep in mind, these were professionals working in an enormous casual dining chain. I saw the GM get on them if their numbers were faultering and they responded or they were removed from their duties. That's how management works. You take the paycheck, you assume the responsibility. My boss is kind of a jerk, but if I do my work, he leaves me alone because he's smart enough to not fix what's not broken. Maybe the owner of your cafe was smart enough to fix what was broken, namely the mismanagement of his investment.
Listen, I'm here to help, not hurt. Feeling sorry for yourself will never further you in life. Enabling someone to blame others won't help them either. If you are this person's friend, you wouldn't enable her. You can best improve yourself by learning from failure.
Nice use of logic, btw. I thank you, "Sam".
Helping me is validate my point is appreciated. Now go help your friend.
You may respond to my comments if you like "Sam". I won't be visiting this post again. It's too sad and I just can't support feeling sorry for one's self. I used to do that too...when I was 12.
You all take care and take advantage of the wisdom I have freely given.
One of the weakest attempts at a debate I've seen in a while. And maybe you're still "12" because walking away without waiting to hear a response is about as childish, not to mention cowardly, as it gets. I'd love to respond, but it seems our poser won't be back for discussion.
"ThatGuy"'s new name should be "ThatDouche". I mean what the hell?... Seriously? I'll tell you one of my favorite things in life is when a person comes into a situation not knowing anything about it and makes a feeble attempt at offering some advice. It would would be one thing if you knew even one part of what happened in the situation, or any of the people that took part in it. I actually worked at this cafe for Laura and she had nothing to do with what happened there. She made all of the strides that were made available to make that place work. So to "stumble" onto a person's blog and try to make a point is idiotic and childish. Apparently someone didn't get enough attention as a child. So there you go "Guy", people are talking about you. Happy?
I have to wonder if "Thatguy" showed interest in this blog only because they were somehow involved in the cafe. Its interesting that whoever it was just got on blogger to say all of the things that they didn't want to say to my face...interesting indeed. If thats the case, I guess cowardly ways will never change. Its sad really.
Hey Laura,
I just noticed that "That Douche" as Brad so aptly put it, opened up an account just to post on your blog. Of course they didn't just stumble on it. It really was just same lame way of taking a jab at you. I'm sorry that person did that. It sucks to have someone have such anger towards you. You don't deserve it. You rock. I miss you. I miss my Ohio friends. When it's time to regulate, someone give me a call and I'll fly back.
Peace out sista.
-Dave
It is interesting to find no real blog for "ThatGuy", just a newly created blog. What an immature, and insecure person. Many times it is the best course of action to just keep your mouth, or blog comments, shut.
Sorry, Laura, that someone has tired to hurt you and cut you down. I am glad to know that you won't let that happen, but with God's help, you will be a stronger person in the end. Love you.
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