What do December, January, February and July have in common? Aside from hosting major American holidays – Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day and Independence Day respectively – according to Careerbuilder.com these popular winter and summer months are also when employees call in sick. As an employer or hiring manager, you’ve probably heard one or several… Read more »
Featured Article: The Hidden Side of Secret Menus
Can you keep a secret? You can try but let’s face it, sooner or later most secrets get leaked. This is precisely the point of the latest craze that has swept over the food industry – hidden offerings. This trend has been adopted by many operators across the country, bringing an array of benefits and… Read more »
Customer Q&A: Boardwalk Empire
It’s officially summertime – the warmest of the four seasons and synonymous with celebrations, vacations, frozen desserts and trips to the beach. With a location directly on the Indian River only one mile away from the Atlantic Ocean, Uncle Carlo’s Gelato is intent on continuously providing its coastal patrons with sweet waves of irresistible gelato… Read more »
Tree Talk: HR Corner: The Benefits of Offering Part-time Employment
Summer is here, bringing with it the busy season for frozen dessert professionals. Now may be the time to consider expanding your workforce to cover the pending demands summertime temperatures bring. Sure, it may sound cliché, but the saying is true: the key to a successful business is an exceptional team – and that includes… Read more »
Top Ten: Mistakes Dessert Businesses are Making
10. Don’t let the dessert be the low point of a dining experience. So many restaurants fail to recognize that a bad dessert can kill the experience, that’s why having a pastry chef or securing top-notch desserts to serve is so critical. 9. In pastry competitions, mise en place and cleanliness are just as important… Read more »
Turn the Off Season ON
The first step to understanding how to deal with your own off-season is trying to determine what people want when they don’t want what you are selling. I bet you veteran business owners can recognize the last day of your busy season. Or more accurately, you can probably pinpoint the first day of your slow… Read more »
Effective Websites for Business Owners
A Guide to Getting Started In the ever-changing digital age, Internet presence has become a major MUST in business visibility. But, let’s face it, we don’t always know where to begin with the complicated ins-and-outs of building a company website, let alone optimizing its visibility and usability. The following are basic steps toward launching an… Read more »
Reevaluate Your Business: PART 4: Building Local Press Relationships & Media Buys
The previous three articles in this series explored trouble areas in every business including location problems, involving customers to give them a sense of value, and utilizing social media to promote your business in the digital world. Last, but not least, we look at how to incorporate press and advertising: which outlets are relevant, how… Read more »
HR Corner: The Start of a New Year = Employee Evaluation Time
The New Year brings the anticipation of change, growth and maybe even a little more wisdom. What better time than the new year to evaluate your current employees’ performances? It’s customary for businesses to conduct performance evaluations in January, as the new year always starts with setting new goals, strategic planning and budgets. While supervisors… Read more »
Reevaluate Your Business: Part 3: Involving Your Customers
A FOUR-PART SERIES Last time, we looked at how integrating your business within the community better facilitated bonds between your business and your customers by allowing your business to become a source of local support. The next step in the process of reevaluating your business is getting your customers more involved. When people feel as… Read more »
A Quick Guide to Inventory Management
Standard Inventory Management Terms First, it is important to understand frequently used inventory terminology and definitions: Cycle Count: A periodic count of all supplies and inventories. Reorder Point (ROP): The inventory level at which a new order should be placed. Economic Order Quantity (EOQ): The quantity to order once the reorder point is reached. Minimum… Read more »
Reevaluate Your Business: Part 2: Commiting to Your Community
A FOUR-PART SERIES Part 2: Commiting to Your Community After taking an assessment of your business, its physical location and gaining an understanding of what steps can be taken to improve your business, let’s look at how community involvement can strengthen your ties to the people that comprise your customer base. Deciding How to Get… Read more »
Reevaluate Your Business: Part 1: Problems with Location
A Four-Part Series Part 1: Problems with Location The New Year is a time for reflection, and while we think of it only on a personal level, it is the perfect time to evaluate and improve your business too. As business slows in the winter months, take the opportunity to determine what is working for… Read more »
Customer Q&A: Four Businesses. One Common Goal.
America has proven to be a melting pot of different nationalities, cultures and backgrounds, resulting in an assortment of diverse flavors, spices and exotic taste experiences across the nation. Some of the most delightful and pleasing food experiences herald from the family of European specialty desserts made up of gelato, sorbetto, fine chocolates and sophisticated… Read more »
HR Corner – Easy Steps to Interviewing Potential Hires
The job interview is a large factor and powerful force in the employee selection and hiring process. A job interview is the only tool employers can use to get to know candidates and is a necessary step in finding the right candidates to fill open positions. It can be intimating sitting on the other side… Read more »
CARPE DIEM: How to Seize Business All Hours of the Day and Increase Sales
Americans are hungry all day. It’s hard not to notice the abundance of dining options available for every meal; one could easily find a place to eat at any hour, day or night. And it’s not just meals – we love to snack too! Our ravenous appetites have not gone unnoticed by the restaurant industry,… Read more »
What Keeps the Business Wheels Turning at Successful Gelaterias?
We all have a favorite “hang out spot” or eatery that successfully draws us back again and again. It could be for the superior service, the excellent fare, the welcoming atmosphere or all of the above. In the case of these three dedicated gelateria owners and loyal PreGel customers, ensuring that their clientele enjoys a… Read more »
Turning Your Passion into a Reality
Part 6 – Prepare to Open Your Business Time to reap the benefits of this long-awaited journey As our series comes to an end, it can only mean one thing for your business – it’s time to open your doors! If you have missed any of the series’ articles, let’s quickly review the steps that… Read more »
Growing Your Business – A Look at Expansion Options
You have a unique product, offer a great service and consider yourself successful – but you want to grow. You want to increase profits. Perhaps adding new products to your line or services to your repertoire are things you’ve considered. But what about taking your growth to the next level? Opening a second location and… Read more »
Turning Your Passion into a Reality
PART 3 – Product Line Development. A six-part series on the necessities of starting a business. As we continue with our six-part series on building your business, we know at this point from Part 1’s business plan development that you should have an idea of what you are going to sell and what the competitive… Read more »