516: Tricks to Living with Your Business Partner with Elke Marsh

Elke Marsh has known the restaurant industry since the very beginning of her existence. It all started as an infant when she would be carried in a basket to the family's Dallas, TX restaurant. Today, and for the past 14 years, she's following in her families foot steps as the Chef/Owner of Elke's Market Cafe, which has been named best "Neighborhood Restaurant" by D Magazine.

Show notes… Favorite Success Quote or Mantra.

"Success is painful."

"Living your dream is actually a thrilling nightmare."

In this episode with Elke Marsh, we discuss: 

• How growing up in the restaurant business has crafted who Elke is today. 
• The impact of getting to know and love your guest. 
  • People want to be known, seen, and heard. 
• How the youth of today struggle with social experience, because they're too consumed by technology.  
• Developing a leadership style that doesn't belittle or degrade anyone. 
• What happens when you open a restaurant and let other people run it. 
• How there is a lack of pride in today's work force. 
• Starting small and scaling your business over time, and how it keeps you fresh and interesting. 
• Educating your staff on the value of wasted food, and providing incentives such as profit sharing to motivate your staff to pay attention to the bottom line. 
• The impact corporations over saturating the market are having on the independent market. 
• While challenging at time, the benefits of working with special needs employees.  
• The fruits of generosity bares. 
• Learning to be patient with yourself. 
• How Elke and her husband, Tim keep their home partnership separate from their work partnership. 

 

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Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Willingness to work hard.
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Working too hard. 
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   •  Do they make eye contact?
   • How is their hand shake? 
   • Are they willing to learn? 
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Employment. 
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Be friendly. 
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Know your customers name. 
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
   1. The Art of the Deal
8. Share an online resource or tool.
   1. Restaurant Industry.
   2. Gift.
   3. Food packaging.
9. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
   1. Love with passion.
   2. Give to others. 
   3. Never stop trying to have happiness.  

Contact Info

eatthat105@sbcglobal.net

 

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

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Huge thanks to Elke Marsh for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

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