What pays off when you’re starting your business?
For John Stein, CEO and founder of Baker’s Crust and The Neighborhood Harvest, it’s doing your research, getting granular and learning quickly from failure. When he started his restaurant Baker’s Crust, he met with farmers to learn about wheat. His partner even traveled to California to learn to make pizza from a Neapolitan-certified chef before adding them to their menu. And John was physically at the restaurant to ensure the dining experience was top-notch. John doesn’t do anything half ass.
But then you grow. And if you don’t evolve and innovate, the skills that got you started could be the same ones that get in the way.
John learned to stop micromanaging and let his staff shine. He started a new business to leverage the relationships he had already built. He closed an underperforming restaurant to redirect efforts to a fresh (riskier) idea.
- why it’s critical to understand margins + profit & loss statements
- the advantage of being a hands-on learner
- why his #1 hiring criteria being philosophy and “getting it” – not skills or talent
- responding to your market
- how to pivot a business
- why investing in your community matters
Learn more about Baker’s Crust and the Neighborhood Harvest:
- Baker’s Crust on Facebook
- Instagram: @BakersCrust
- The Neighborhood Harvest on Facebook
- Instagram: @TheNeighborhoodHarvest
Special Offer:
If you’re in the Hampton Roads area, John was kind enough to offer a discount on your first order at The Neighborhood Harvest. For 25% off use the coupon code “pod25” at checkout. What’s better than some fresh greens for the summer cookout? Claim your offer here.
About John Stein:
John Stein is a lifelong entrepreneur and Virginia Beach local. From snow cone carts on the boardwalk to the restaurant Baker’s Crust, which has grown to 7 locations across Virginia and counting, he never stops innovating. His new business, The Neighborhood Harvest, a farm to table produce delivery service is proof of that. When he’s not thinking outside the box, he loves to travel and spend time with his girlfriend and children. When we asked him how he stays so seemingly calm and collected while running multiple businesses – he credited his running buddies, staying active is his secret stress reliever.