So my current job is sucking the life out of me I make 25-30 sales calls per day and get rejected face to face 95% of the time. It makes it hard to face the next stop and the next inevitable rejection. I was not cut out for sales. I know that and I knew it when I took the job BUT I had hoped I could make a go of it, that age and maturity would allow me to handle it better than the last time I did sales (1992) but no, I really can't force the motivation needed to really succeed at this horrible job. I dread every day, I don't put anywhere near my all into it and despite pep talks every day that I give myself I sometimes find myself sitting in the car just wanting to cry rather than go into the next rejection site.
So I had an epiphany yesterday. There is a very successful roadside restaurant/ice cream stand about 4 miles from my home. The people who own this rent it out as their business is the apple orchard and country store right next to it and they don't want to run a restaurant too. One of their son's built and opened this years ago but then lost interest and so for the past 4 years it has been rented to two different individuals. The first ran a great business there BUT had personality conflicts with the owners and eventually they just couldn't manage it anymore and parted ways. Then last summer they rented it to some carny folk. They thought it would be okay and at first it was BUT they ended up having major issues with food quality and cleanliness and they threw these people out.
So it sits empty and normally this place is open from April - October. I wondered if they had anyone to run it this summer and so today I went in and inquired. They do not. They were so burned by the last two renters that they were planning to just let it sit empty this summer. That would be a huge shame. These people have known me since I was in diapers. They know my parents. They know what kind of people we are (clean, hard working, honest) and I think that I may be able to talk them into renting it to me.
If they do I could quit my soul sucking job in April and instead be in charge of my own destiny for the first time. It would allow me to dip my foot into the world of restaurant ownership and see if this is something I really would want to do (I've dreamed of it for years) and I think it could be hugely profitable. This place is on a major thoroughfare to Cooperstown and gets tons of summer traffic. It also had a ton of local business that would come back if I advertise new management (and I will).
I would keep the menu simple - burgers, dogs, fried stuff (chicken, fish, fries, other snacks) maybe some salads and wraps. And ice cream - fantastically fattening and delicious ice cream!
I will be talking to the manager this week (talked to her dad who is semi retired today) and hopefully we can come to some sort of arrangement. I am very hopeful. I am envisioning hiring my youth group kids to work for me and what a great place we could have there. I'm liking the idea of maybe only working April to October but if needed during the off season I could find a job somewhere else waiting tables or working in a store. I have health insurance from the VA and don't need benefits so that is covered.
I'm feeling hopeful for the first time since October, it's good.
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