Last note of the year

Well, it's been quite a year. Tomorrow I will reflect on the year past and look at the year ahead. I have a prime rib on the grill, a nice bottle of wine opened and Sherry and I are waiting for a few friends. Tonight we will learn how to play 'Apples to Apples'. Colette plays it and she says it is soooo much fun.

Also want to give our new Tamales some props. The grilled pineapple is outstanding. Fresh pineapple, grilled and seasoned is then wrapped in a mango coconut masa. Sweet tamales at their best. come in and try one.

On Friday we will have our smoked BBQ Pork tamale. It's the new year. See you in 09. Thanks for a great year. Todd

The Great Tomato Experiment

As I think about corn, I can't help but think about Tomatoes. Both are indigenous to the America's. The original American (North, Central and South) foods. I love a good home grown, true vine ripen tomato. I won't eat anything from the stores. They were picked green and gassed. they have no flavor. But these tomatoes, these luscious tomatoes are to die for.
Growing tomatoes in Tucson is a challenge. when the temperatures go above 95 the plants stop producing fruit. They don't like the heat. Every other year I have planted Tomatoes I gave up on them after about July. This year I did something different. First, I planted them very early, the first week in March. By mid May we had Tomatoes galore. That lasted until the end of June. No more tomatoes. The plants looked thin, weak, hot and tired by mid July. They stayed that way until the beginning of September. then the plants took off. They grew and grew. Flowers and fruit. Beautiful little plum and cherry tomatoes. A few nice slicers.
So, the plants are now 9 months old. Here's a video of the plants on Thursday (Christmas day) before we had the freeze (and when you look at this video understand that this is only 6 tomato plants):



Now the freeze took out some of the outer leafs, but the fruit and leafs that were protected are still quite alive. So we have covered them for the last two nights to see how they will hold up. Here's a picture of the plants covered:



I'll keep you updated on how they turn out and how old they grow to be.

Flavorbank.com Spice Market

This afternoom, My friend Jennifer needed someone to watch her
incredibly wonderful spice shoppe. So here I am after 12 hour days
selling spices! It's truly a delight coming in here. The aroma of the
spices tickles your palate and intriges your imagination. If Dr.
Suess came in here he might write something like this:
Oh the things I could cook with these spices that are twice as nices
as any puckery pepper placed on my tingly, chingly tongue...
Stop in and see Jennifer. Tell her Todd sent you.

Fort Worth

They came all the way from Fort Worth to try our Tamales (I'm sure they had holiday relatives here), they said our Tamales were the best they have ever had, and they say that Fort Worth has some good ones!

Pictures, Pictures

Here are some cooking pictures. (btw, this is the forth time I've tried to post this, I'm using safari and not all to happy with it right now), First, I wrote a paragraph, the second time a few sentences, now a little blurb. Oh well. Making Spinach and Mushroom:

Lori's birthday

Celebrate!!!!!

Corn Artist

I've given myself the nickname, or title, of Corn Artist. Don't know why, it just sounds right, cool. You can follow me on twitter, @cornartist. Come see what creation a corn artist can make. Todd

OMG Arizona

I'm experimenting with the hottest of hot tamales. Habeneros, serreno
and thai chilis with a hint of apples and BBQ. This one is for pros
only!!! If you've ever complained that something was too hot, stay
away from the OMG!!!

Kirby, Sherry and Cierra

Serving Tamales and staying warm

At The Street Fair

Selling Tamales at Street Fair. It's cold windy and rainy today. But
we're selling Hot Tamales

Street Fair Feet

We have a booth at the Street Fair. If you're on Facebook you can see some pictures taken by Michele. It's been crazy busy. Everyone is doing great. And we're on our feet all day. Lot's of energy and tired feet. We've had a lot of customers stop by, lot's of friends and we've discovered new customers. This is the price of building a new business. We don't just set up our booth and wait for people to walk up and give us 3 bucks for a Tamal, we talk to all of them. We tell them our story. We show them our menu, we talk about our philosophy. Simplify, sustain and celebrate. this is the real work. Selling Tamales. We love it. Our feet are tired. Our hearts are warm.

Nora the Tamale Cart

Putting on the new sign!

Second Wind

Cuts and Burns

I started in the restaurant business when I was 14. I bussed tables at a restaurant, 'The Original Mexican Cafe' on 3rd & Broadway in Denver. The year was 1972. A taco plate was $4.95 (or somewhere in that area). I remember one night going into the attic to find some plates and I ran across some old menus. From 1942. The offerings really hadn't changed. Only the prices. The Taco plate in 1942 was 75 cents. I worked Friday and Saturday night. From 6pm to 3:30am. I rode my bicycle home. It was a most peaceful ride.
My next job was cooking chicken at 'Chicken Unlimited'. At 15 years old, I still had to ride my bike. The difference between this job and busing tables was the hot grease. When I was busing tables I may have gotten my butt pinched by a drunk, but when I was cooking chicken, I got my hand fried just like the bird. I was young and didn't listen. Three Hundred and Sixty Five degree oil burns. Burns. I had just taken a batch of birds out of the grease dip and went to wipe the rim of the fryer. In my total carelessness, my hand slipped and took a little swim in the hot oil. You know what I said. Screamed, actually. But I toughed it out. It wasn't that bad. A couple of little blisters formed and the pain was pretty much gone by the end of the night. Then I had to ride my bike home. No gloves. The blisters decided to pop on the handle bars. The pain returned. I decided right there and then if I was to stay in this job/business, I had to handle the burns. And for all those years I did. Many burns, many cuts. A few stitches. Some burn cream. After many years I learned how not to cut or burn myself. Live and Learn. That I did. When I finally realized what could happen and that I could prevent it by being careful, well, I became careful. My first 8 years in the restaurant business, many cuts, many burns. My second 8 years. Almost none.
What does any of this have to do with the Tamale Shoppe? Well, yesterday I got my first cut and first burn at the Shoppe. They were both small. Minor. But today they hurt. And all those memories came back. But in those memories, those burns and cuts didn't hurt. Why did they hurt now? Am I becoming a wimp? Maybe they just hurt. I'll be fine tomorrow. They'll be healed and I'll be fine. But I will remember to be careful. I will remember that I was once young and 'wild'. Now I'm a bit more (a lot more) cautious. At least when it comes to hot equipment and knives. But I'll never be careful about my passions. This is one of them.

4th Ave. Street Fair

As you all know we opened two weeks ago and things have been getting busier and busier everyday. We are very pleased with how things have gone so far. Thank you all for your support and for coming in and having some of our wonderful Tamales.
We are going to have a booth at the 4th Ave. Street Fair next weekend. The Fair is the 12th, 13th and 14th. If you're at the fair, come find us and say hi. We'll be on 4th ave and 5th street, behind the beer garden, so I know some of you will see us :)
Because of the Street Fair, our hours at the Shoppe will be as follows:
Friday, December 12th, 11am - 2pm
Saturday, December 13th, Closed
Sunday, December 14th, Closed
Have a great week and see you soon at the shoppe, the street fair or just bumping into you in our journeys.
Todd

Small Business of The Month

The Tucson Tamale Company was named small business of the month on Facebook:
Check it out!

Heather Mansfield (Springfield, MO) wrote
at 2:41pm on December 2nd, 2008
Made you the Small Business of the Month!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Small-Businesses/21783573187

The Press Let the Story Leak, Part 3

Today we got another article in the Daily Star about the business. http://www.azstarnet.com/altsn/food_inside/food/270029
It was published online yesterday morning and did the comments fly!
Why did I guy like me start a Tamale business? First, I love food. I love just about every kind of food imaginable. I have always sought out new, different, interesting, tasteful, exciting, comforting, you name it, I’ll try it. I do have a few favorites. I really love Sushi. And Italian. And Mexican. And Spanish. And a really good Cheeseburger. Okay, I have quite a few favorites. And I really really love Tamales. Lerua’s makes a great green corn tamal. I will still go there to get some.
I have made tamales at home for years. I loved making tamales I couldn’t find at a restaurant. My green chili pork is wonderful. I’ve been making the green chili pork since my early restaurant days in Denver. I experimented with others. I have some great recipes. I love to cook. I’m great at coxing incredible flavor out of a few ingredients. Simplify, Sustain and Celebrate, became my mission.
When I sat down earlier this year to reassess what I was doing for a living (a minor mid life crisis), I couldn’t get away from the fact that my passion in life is food. And that I wanted to make my tamales available to anyone who wanted to try them. So I put my heart, soul and pocketbook into this venture called the Tucson Tamale Company.
Every Tamal we make we make it with pride, love and joy. We hand roll each one. We fill them with three times the meat or filling you’ll find in other Tamales. We buy great cuts of meat (top round, pork lion). We use porcini and morels and shitake and oyster mushrooms in our vegan tamales. We use a heart healthy blend instead of lard in our masa. We focus on making each and every Tamal an experience. An experience that will change the way you think of tamales. We include one (or two if you want) of our delicious salsa’s with each order of Tamales.
This is a journey of love, passion, dreams, business acumen and mostly of food joy. Simplify, Sustain and Celebrate. Todd

The Press Let The Story Leak, Part 2

Well, we got our first review. The reviewer was in on the first day we opened. Of course his visit was unannounced and unbeknownst to us. I'll keep you in suspense a little longer, you' have to read the review for yourself to see what he thought of his Tamale experience.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/taste/104142.php
(I'm very pleased, oh, that is a clue to his comments...)

Have a Plan, Stick to Your Plan and Let Your Plan Ground You

Twice this week I was reminded of the importance and the reason you make a plan. First, I think it’s important to understand two things. #1, you make and write your business plan before you start the business. You’re approaching it from your intellect. Your emotions are easy to keep in check. You know what you should do and what will enable success. You write the plan with your head. #2, you execute on the plan after you open the business. Once the doors are open your passion and emotions can take over. There’s the excitement of opening. The fear, the anxiety, nerves, mistakes. You start to execute with your heart. The pace is much different after you open up. Things seem to move at light speed. This is where the plan is most valuable.

First event. Wednesday was a terrific day. Busy as we could handle. Our 5th day in business and things were looking good. We had just found out the day before that we are getting reviewed in one of the major dailies. Who could ask for more? Maybe we should stay open a little later to catch the dinner business. A friend emails and says they’ll be in for dinner on Saturday. I look at the schedule. We don’t have the help to cover all of those hours. On Friday, by 5 in the evening, we’re tired. If we’re going to serve dinner, then we need a second shift. It gets confusing. People want to come in and sit down for dinner. What to do? The answer is in the plan.

We are a take-out Shoppe. Not a restaurant. We sell great Tamales. Great Salsas. You can come in for a hot lunch. You can always sit at a table when we’re open. But at the end of the day, we’re a take-out Shoppe. Tamales are a food you take home, put in the frig and then heat them up when your ready for dinner. We also want to be the place to go not just for prepared Tamales, but for Tamale supplies. Want prepared Masa? Want some corn husks? Want a Tamale Steamer? We want to sell those things. We’re not yet, but we will be. Sure, there’s going to be some business we lose because we’re not open after 6. But we are what we are. We have to focus on the basics. Great Tamales. Great Salsas. Take-out. Hot Lunches.

Second event. Couple comes in Friday about 5:30. You could sense it wasn’t what they expected. They wanted a sit down dinner. So I thought. I explained the menu and how it works. It’s take-out. You heat it up when you get home. I felt they ordered a couple of Tamales just to be polite. I served them with happiness but after they left I had an empty feeling. They didn’t like how we were set up. They expected something different. I went home and was it weighed heavy on my mind. How do we take care of them? How do we meet their needs? The questions lingered until Saturday evening. They came back in at 5pm. He was so excited. He had the Tamales when he got home and absolutely loved them. He wanted more. He had to have more. They order 6 this time. I went home happy and remembered the plan.

What does the plan have to do with this event? Well, I clearly pointed out in the plan that when people were first presented with the concept their reception was lukewarm at best. It was only after they tried the Tamales did they do summersaults. So, I should have listened to my own words. When new customers come in, they may be a bit chilly to the offering, but get them a taste and watch out!

My lesson is this, I wrote the plan for a reason. To guide us as we build our business. You will get emotional, you can’t help it. Your heart is always alive when you have passion. What is heartless passion? It’s a dull dreary corporate existence. Owning and running your own business can’t only be an intellectual exercise. It has to start with passion. True passion leads to emotion times. Emotional times should bring you back to your plan. Stay grounded with your plan while your heart is in the clouds. And, Of course, change your plan when needed, but do it outside of the normal operation. Have a group of advisors. More about that in another post. Another time.

Kirby, Part 2

I wanted to say more about Kirby. The other day when I posted I was tired (having woke up at 3:30am) and in a hurry to get to the Shoppe. Kirby is with us full time as a leader for the Tucson Tamale Company. He's a partner in the business. He and I have worked together for years and have a great rapport. Yin and Yang. We bring different and complementary strengths to the table.
The first time we really worked together was about 7 years ago. He was with the Quicken group and was asked to lead one of the new support teams. I had been the implementation manager and done all of the hiring for the new team. When Kirby took over, I told him we interviewed all the applicants and hired the best 21 for the team. He was pleased. After the second day of training class, he found me and asked, "you did say you hired the best 21 for the job, right?" "That I did, the top 21 applicants got hired." "Todd, most of them are great but there's a few..." He paused and then asked me, "Todd, how many applied for the job?" "21", I replied. We've gotten along great ever since.
Kirby is critical to the business. We are working through the details of who does what, etc. Kirby is great at building processes. As a new business you don't really have any defined processes and that's the way it is. You have to see what is actually going to happen before you build processes that may or may not work. So business happens and you handle it. You have to, it's your livelihood. But some businesses never establish processes and they get bogged down and tired. Kirby will bring freshness to the team and help us all get a handle on what we are doing from a process perspective.
He's also great to chat with. He has more sports analogies then an ex-coach motivational speaker. He's a current coach motivational speaker. So, if sports bore, beware. His nickame is 'Coach'. Welcome Kirby.

Our First Customer(s)

Here's a picture of our first customers. I know, I should have posted it last weekend, but the blog wasn't uploading correctly. I've had this problem before with the MAC and Blogger, but everyone tells me it's user eror. Oh well. So, here's the pic:

That's Carol on the Left. She was the first customer. Next to her, in front, is Pete. He was supposed to be the first customer. He called in his order and was going to arrive at 11am to pick it up. He did arrive on time. But Carol had shown up at 10:50 and we just couldn't turn down a few more bucks. So we let them share being the first customer.
Also in the pic (from left to right) Carol, Todd, Pete, RJ, Mattie, Tom, Kirby and Sherry. Tiffany couldn't be with us on this day, but picture her standing next to Sherry:)
Tonight my feet are tired and my heart is warm. We've got a long month in front of us.

Phone Number and Address

Since our website is not yet operational (it will be by tonight), here's our address and phone number:
Tucson Tamale Company
2545 E. Broadway
Tucson, AZ 85716
520-305-4760

Kirby

For those of you who know Kirby, it's now official, he's with us full time. Stop by and say hi. He's my right hand. As they used to call us at Intuit "Tir-by' (a blend of Todd and Kirby, sounds like we're married).

The Clock says 3:45am

Well, it doesn't actually talk. The digital display let me know it was way to early to be awake. I took a drink of water and put my arm around Sherry to return to my dreams. Nothing doing. The thoughts started. And they wouldn't stop. Tamales. What do I need to order? A million little thoughts about the business. You want to go back to sleep for a bit, but they come fast and furious. You think about the customers you saw the day before. What will Karen write in the paper? Did I spend enough time with my friend Robert when he came in? Was Mr. Monday going to write something about us? What do I need to add to the grilled tomato salsa? Can we keep up production?
I roll back over and see that's it's now 4:30. Just a little more sleep, I promise myself. I tell my mind not to forget these great insights and just let me sleep for 1 more hour. It agrees but doesn't comply. The clock ticks (not really, it's digital, remember?) Then after another 45 minutes I decide that one more hour of sleep isn't in the cards. I get up and make my coffee. Check the news online. Call Tucson Food Service to place an order.
I still have so many questions about the business. I want to know how we are going to pack Mike's order for 7 dozen Tamale tomorrow. I know we have the bags, but how can he carry 7 dozen? (I just walked into the kitchen to pour more coffee, looked out the back door at the beautiful morning then walked back here without my coffee, so, back to the kitchen). I wonder, have any of the employees thought about that? That's when I realize what is keeping me up. I have to get everyone to think like a small business. We are just getting started. We have to focus on the small things that make the experience great. We have to have great food and great service. That's our only goal right now. This morning when I get in, we'll have another meeting to talk about the small things that are so important.
I was pissed at myself last night. I brought home a couple of tamales for dinner and started with the green chili pork. It was fantastic. Then I warmed up the chicken tomatillo. It was not what I wanted it to be. I had roasted and then diced some chicken for it. I had been shredding chicken before. The dices were too big and that made for a drier then I want Tamale. I wasn't pissed that I screwed up (I've done that before), I was pissed because that morning before we opened, I tried every Tamale on the steam table to make sure the quality was what we wanted. But I forgot to try the Chicken Tamale. And that was the one that wasn't up to snuff. Live and learn. A new batch of Chicken Tamale will be coming out today.

I wanted to say more this Weekend

I have all kinds of great, interesting, insightful, fun, painful, silly, stupid, playful and happy things to share about the business but the hours just didn't materialize this weekend for me to do so.

Work all day Saturday, then Sherry and I went to see her mom. Got home at 9pm and took a dip in the hot tub then off to bed.

Today we were going to take a leisurely morning and read the paper. Things happened and I was off to the store at 8am and have gone non-stop since. At least all the old checks have been shredded:)

We're closing at 3pm on Mondays, so I'll get a chance to write more about the opening soon. Life is a beautiful thing. Can't imagine being in any other place right now.

It's Time to Cry

Tears of joy. Tears from a long journey. Tears from family heartache. Tears from not being able to spend time with remote family. Tears from seeing your dream realized. Tears from seeing all the love and support you have. I'll go jump in the hot tub with Sherry and share my tears there.

Our first day and it was great. We sold out of many Tamales. People raved. We met new customers. We could have sold more if we had more. We learned a lot. I tired right now so the words aren't coming like they were earlier. So, I'm going to sign off and on Sunday I'll do a nice long recap.

for all of you wanted, wishing, hoping to start your own venture, my words are these: You'll never be totally prepared. You never be underwhelmed. You'll never be alone. You'll never be happier. If all these things aren't a part of your experience, you need to find out why. Because when you find your passion, it's a beautiful world.

Friday's the Day

Tomorrow at 11 a.m. we open the doors for real. Someone will walk in at 11:01, probably Pete Purves because he ordered 2 dozen thanksgiving tamales to be picked up at 11am. We'll celebrate and give him kisses for being our first customer. Euphoria will be intense but brief, then another customer will walk in, then another and another. Before you know it, we will be busy. We will be in business. No more theory. No more excitement over ideas. We will be a real business. Cash will be in the till. Credit cards will need to be processed. Yes, we will have income to (finally:) offset the spending.

There have been a few distinct phases to starting a business, the first phase is the idea. It's exciting and scary. It really could be something. Or it could be totally wrong. But something is there. Butterflies fly. You want to know more. The pursuit starts in earnest.

Phase two. Let me look into this. Is this real? Where's the beef? I still feel giddy but now there's work to do. I've got to investigate. Do some research. What am I not seeing? Why could this not work? Why should I be scared? Nothing comes to mind. The research says to continue. So you do.

Phase Three. You commit. This is it. You're in now. Business plan is in the works. Lawyers are being consulted. You search for a location. You tell all your friends. You get them excited about what's about to happen. And that commitment scares and excites you.

Phase Four. You spend a shitload of money. Because that's what it takes to get the business going. You go through Realtors, leasing agents, lawyers, inspectors, government folks, you name it, you have so many hoops to jump through to make this happen. It means so much to you now, you can be blinded to certain pitfalls. But they always show up. In due time. They show up. You deal with them. You are faced, at many points, with the decision to proceed or go back. Reset or press on. Spend more or cut your losses. And the bitch is only your gut really knows.
That's what makes a successful business. Someone with the gut to keep going. Someone with the foresight to know when to change direction. Have courage. You can make it. Perseverance. It's yours to be had.

Phase five. Starts tomorrow. See you then. Todd

Friends and Family day

Wow. It was great to see everyone today. More than I had expected. The feedback was great. I wasn't surprised by people's reaction to the Tamales, I've spend considerable time making sure they tasted phenomenal. I was a little surprised buy people's reaction to the layout of the shoppe. They thought it was very open and inviting and intimate. I could have guessed the open and inviting, the intimate comments where a suprise. Then someone said that it was because people want to belong. They want to be a part of a community. Of course we do. Then they said that our Shoppe brings our customers close to our production. I just like being able to work and see our customers. I'm so excited.
I had wanted to get a lot more photos but the battery was low and then crapped out on me. I'll get more later.

Sign is up!

It's About Time

On Wednesday we will have our friends and family tasting. Stop by anytime between 11 - 7pm to sample some of our tamales. We will then open for business on Friday, November 21st. It's been a journey getting here and it feels good to finally be ready.
Yesterday was Harold's funeral. Probably 200 people showed up to say their farewells. He will be missed. As was Harold's nature he was always looking for things you needed. If you needed a wrench, he had it. As Sherry said, it may have taken an hour or so to find it, but he had it. A couple of weeks ago he wanted to do something for the Tamale Shoppe. There wasn't anything I could think of that we still needed until Harold said, "what about a microwave, do you need a microwave?" Indeed we did. So the brand new microwave on our counter is from Harold. Bless you Harold. Rest in peace.

First Day of Cooking

I got to put a knife to some veggies. It's okay, they were prepared. It felt so good to slice and chop and toss them in the kettle. Cathartic. I'm slower (as a cook) then I was in my 20's. But I was wild and unrefined back then. I could sling hash faster than, well, anyone. I was a speed demon. Back in my early 20's I worked with my old Friend, Gary. He had the nickname 'Chrome Wheels' because he was velvety smooth as he moved down the line. He could put out some plates and each one was perfect. He nicknamed me, 'Mag Wheels' because I was faster then he, but not as perfect. I used to sacrifice a little perfection for speed.
Not anymore. It's okay to pace yourself. It was also very peaceful for me to just cook. Even though my feet are sore.... I love doing this. Watch the video, it's short, about a minute.

Friends and Family Tasting Postponed

This morning Sherry's dad, Harold, passed. As we need some time to take care of him, we have postponed our tasting and our opening. As soon as we know the new dates for the tasting and opening we will let you know. Thanks for understanding and your support.

Todd & Sherry

Free

Free, that always gets your attention. So what is free? A taste of our tamales (and the sides). This Friday. From 11 - 3. Stop by and enjoy some of our tantalizing tamales. If fun, it's interactive and best of all, it's FREE!!! 2545 E. Broadway. 520-305-4760

Positive Dance

RJ, Tom and Tiffany share their excitement with the 'positive' dance. Don't ask me how they came up wth it or why... we're always positive :)

Also, this Friday (11-14-08) we are having a free tasting for our family and friends. Stop by between 11-3 to try our yummy Tamales.
Thanks, Todd

Hallelujah!!!!

It’s been a while and I have great news! We now have all of our permits, licenses and inspections successfully signed off on. We had to have the gas line replaced and now we can cook with gas! BTW, this post will have many !’s in it. Sorry, can’t help it. I’m very excited. Ready to cry. It’s been a very emotional week, between the Tamale Shoppe and moving my father-in-law to home Hospice care on Tuesday so I have to have a little release.
I’ll be posting lots more now that we’re getting ready to open. Look for us to open the middle of next week.

Looking good

Signed and sealed. Ready to open next week.

Waiting

This is one of the hardest times any new business owner faces. We're 95% ready to open. Employees have been hired. They're guaranteed hours so the paychecks must go out. Customers are coming up to the door. They are calling me. Everything you could hope for except a functioning shoppe. One more gas line to connect. One more inspection (if all goes well) if it doesn't maybe two or three more. And it's going to be another week. Not much work for anyone to do until we get the gas turned back on.
Tiffany is helping my friend, Jennifer, with things at the Flavorbank. Tom is spending time with an out of town guest. Matte is working on her business plan for her walking Yoga business. I'm able to spend time with my sister, Lisa. So it's all good, but impatience persists.
You have to keep your spirits up. This is your dream. It can't, won't be stopped. there's too much here.
If you're in the throws of opening your business, these are the trying times. you can't give up. You have to know the big picture.
You have to be the one that believes. You have to give hope to others. You have to stay positive. You have to carry the weight. That's why you're in business. That's why you'll succeed. That's why others look up to you.
These are the days that you will look back on and smile.

Opening Day

We had planned on being open this week, but as with all well laid plans... We've had a couple of small delays that should be taken care of this week. I would love to say we'll be open next Tuesday, Election day. Wouldn't that be a great day to open!!! The place is looking great. Well, suffice to say, I'll keep everyone up to date on our opening. We've had people coming to the shop because the saw the article in the newspaper. We're collecting their names and will be calling all of them when we do open to let them know. Thanks for all your support.

Todd

Incommunicado

Yes, it's been a few days, 4 to be exact. Too many days have past between posts. I need to get my twitter set up so I can do quick remote posts. Anyway, Things have been very busy. I'm going to make this post short and a tease. I have a lot to go over, a lot to say, a lot you need to hear about. But right now I can't reveal any of it. Give me a couple of weeks and the whole story will start to come out. It's fun, but today a bit sensitive. Tomorrow it will be a knee slapping story. You'll be there when all is written.

We're not open yet, waiting on a few more things to be in place. But very soon.

We now have 3 official employees. As you saw earlier, Tiffany is Employee #4. Tom is on board (he rightfully chastised me for not speaking more about our team) as #5 and Matte is #6.

I'm excited about all 3. They bring so much to the team. Tiffany will be my right hand in the kitchen. Tom is a wizard with the details and will keep us from veering off course. Matte brings a great palate and spiritual balance to the team. I will share more about all of them later this week. Needless to say, I'm surround by great people. These 3. My family (Colette and Cole came down and painted on Friday) and my Friends. I get so much support from so many people. Thank you all.

Write it down, part two

Marion asked if my blog was part of writing it down. As I thought about that I realized that 'writing it down' was the habit that has helped me write the blog and visa-versa. So it's a self perpetuating cycle. I write things down and then I write my blog, I write things, blog, write, blog....
And on it goes
BTW, as I was preparing some groceries tonight, the knife went crazy and took a little nick out of my finger, so I'm typing with one hand. Makes for shorter posts. Good news for some :)

Write it down

The toughest lesson I've had to learn is to write things down. Years ago I wouldn't write anything down. Not goals, not tasks, not phone numbers. Of course I was young and I had this incredible ability to remember things. What I didn't realize was that the only reason I could remember so much is because there was so little in my brain at the time :)
Then I got serious about 'time management', which I learned over the years that it should more appropriately be called 'life management'. Because when used properly and to the fullest extent, it is a phenomenal tool for keeping your life in order.
Which brings me to today's post. The first thing I did when I decided to start the Tucson Tamale Company was to write down my goals. Then I wrote the business plan. And I wrote. And I wrote. It was an incredibly clarifying process. Write it down. Then when I started executing on getting the first TTC (TTC will be the first official acronym of our company) open I took out my uber goal list and started to translate that into goals for opening the first shop. Then into monthly goals. Then into daily tasks.
So, what are the results? Back in July when I would tell people that I planed on being open by the end of September, they thought I was nuts. Now, granted, we're going to open about a month after that, but still we have moved quite quickly.
The list of things we have accomplished is looooonnnnnggggg. But we have gotten it all done. There are still a few more odds and ends to tie up but we're on target.
When I think about how harried things could be this week I breath a sigh of relief that the only butterflies are those of excitement. So, we can talk forever about time management, life management, organization, etc. But that's one of the problems, talking about it. Do it. Write it down and then do it. It works.

The Press Let the Story Leak...

Well, today we got our first write up in the Arizona Daily Star (http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/biz-topheadlines/263195.php). First, a couple of corrections, Sherry's name is spelled wrong and she was surprised to learn that she has 'plans' to leave Intuit once the business gets going. We have talked about, talking about, her joining the business way down the road (in a couple 2-4 years) but for the current future she loves her job at Intuit.
We got our phone number on Friday but no phone yet, so I'll post the number after we get a phone:) Busy, busy week in front of us. I'll get some pictures up later this week, keep an eye out. Todd

Home Depot

I'm going to talk about my recent experience at Home Depot. It is relevant to the Tucson Tamale Company. I want all of my current and future employees to read this and take it in.
Thursday I went to Home Depot on East Broadway (right by the 'In and Out' Burger), yeah, you know where it is. Anyway, I walk in the front door and I'm greeted by someone, friendly as can be, asking me if I need any help. Is there anything she can help me find? No, I tell her, I pretty much know where things are. After all this time of shopping there and never having anyone offer to help you find things, you learn to help yourself. I marched down the front aisle toward the tool area. Not 25 feet from the first woman, another asked me if I needed any help. Very friendly. It actually caught me by surprise. I've never had that kind of service at this store (or any home Depot for that matter).

I do remember years ago getting good service at Home depot, but that was long ago.

I continued my march to the tool area and just like in the movies, a group of ten, maybe twelve executives turned the corner and walked past me. How did I know they were executives? Well, they were all white males in their mid 30's to 40's. They all had on perfectly pressed and incredibly bright Home Depot smocks (meaning they hadn't ever gotten them dirty, I'm sure none of them could have answered a question about an impact hammer) and they all turned the corner in unison. As I shopped I had the best service I have ever had at a Home Depot. If someone from Home Depot is reading this right now, they might be smiling. Don't. You'll soon see why. As I started to check out the cashier was all smiles and asked all the right questions, "did you find everything?", "would you like to use your Home Depot charge today?" Notice it was one question about my needs and one question about their needs...
I said to the cashier, "the executives must be in the store" His expression soured, in a long sad voice he said, 'yeah'. So much for real enthusiasm.
As I was driving back to my shoppe I contemplated what I just experienced. First, I've seen the routine many a times. The executives are in town and everything is different. You spend a lot of time 'preparing' for the execs. Whether its PowerPoint's or getting everyone to smile, the only motivation is, "THE BIG WIGS ARE HEADED THIS WAY" Like they would actually fire everyone if things weren't perfect?
I was really bothered by what I saw. On so many levels, in so many ways. Let me detail them:
First, you, Home Depot have shown me what great levels of customer service you're capable of and out of all my visits to your stores the ONLY time you have achieved it is when the execs are in town. So now I'll be even more frustrated with your service because of what I saw. You can be your own worst enemy.
Then I imagined the execs flying back to wherever, patting themselves on the back about what a great store they have in their area. They don't want to know the reality. They love the show as much as the manager who put it on.
Everyone giving themselves kudos, the execs, the store managers for this 'perfect performance' while the employees, the ones who do the real work are left sad faced when I mention 'executives'. I hope someone from Home Depot reads this and sees what the real problem is. If they don't they can call me:) Todd, 520-465-7314...
Now to my point about the Tucson Tamale Company. Every store, at all times will run to perfection. How can this be? Doesn't Home Depot want the same thing? Of course they do. So how can we ensure it when they live on smoke screens?
#1 - We're not going to big for 'bigs' sake. We will grow responsibly. This, by the way, is the new way of doing business in the 21st century. Business is changing and we're going to be on the forefront of the thought and execution leadership.
#2 - Every employee will see this blog post and a video (or personal visit) from me, talking about their responsibility to call out imperfection when it happens. Now, lots of arguments can be made at this point about the how, why would they, you'll be like every other business, etc. I know every system has gaps. What I also know is that it is my personal and business goal to make sure we don't run a business full of smoke screens. I will make our business different.

Routine

I used to despise routine. It meant you were boring. Old. Not Fun. Routine was the anti-excitement. And excitement was everything. Then somewhere along the way...
Today I arrived at the still unopened Tamale Shoppe and unlocked the front door, walked to the electric panel and flipped on the lights, then I went through the patio and unlocked the back gate. Then to the dumpsters and unlocked them (another time I'll tell you why the dumpsters are locked). There was something incredibly comforting as I unlocked the dumpsters. I realized it was routine. This was the third day in a row I had followed this 'routine', unlock the front door, flip on the lights, unlock the back gate and then unlock the dumpsters.
It felt really good. This thing called routine that I have rebelled against since youth was now a friend. As I flung the lid open on the recycling dumpster I contemplated why this routine was so comforting.
I thought of coming home at night and feeding your dog. Brushing your hair in the morning. Turning on the night lights. Some is necessary (feeding the dog) some is optional (putting on the night lights) but they all comfort us. I'm not sure what it is about routine that works, but it does.
Now, I'm still one to go after the excitement, the adventure, I'll never be complacent, but I've realized that routine and complacency are two different things. One of them, I like.

Your Baby

You know when you watch your baby/child and get filled with joy and wonderment? Starting your own business will never be quite like that. But it's close.

Guest Post by April

Hello, there. This is April (aka Employee #3). Todd asked me if I would write a blog entry. My first reaction was "No!" Then I thought a bit. I'm a Gemini, I'm wordy. Gift of gab and all. Why the heck not.
I have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed these last few weeks working with Todd and the Tamale shop. First, Todd is fun to be around and just as fun to work for. He is by far my favorite boss. So, when he called and asked if I would help out while I was off, I said sure. Now while he is fun, great to work for etc. there are times I'd just as soon throttle him on the head. Good naturally, of course. Anyone who knows him probably feels the same way.
When I first visited the shop, I was surprised at how dirty it was, especially considering there was an open, active restaurant days/weeks before. ICK. Everything was out of the frig, thank goodness. But they had left dirty dishes in stagnant water in the sink.
My second day Todd says "Hey, do you want to do those dishes in the sink.?" He laughed when he said it. Smug ol' Fart. "No, I do not WANT to do those dishes." Honest answer. He rephrased "WILL you do the dishes?" "Sure." Remember, Everyone, it's all in how you ask.
I've called and talked to I don't know how many places for information, estimates etc. So much so that both my cordless phones died on me on one day. Not an experience I wish to repeat. Not even I voluntarily gab that much. And I've acquired a wealth of information about stuff that I'll probably never use again, replacing some useful piece that I'm sure to need. For example, the company logo is a 7,000 stitch count and you should use Pique shirts instead of jersey as the embroidery comes out cleaner. I can't begin to image what that's replaced in my head. Yet it's been worth it and a complete blast.
Thanks, Tucson Tamale Company, for letting me be a part of the start up. I'll miss it. And I can't wait for those damn tamales.

Introductory Video

This is the intro video that is on the Tucson Tamale Company page on Facebook

If you know what this picture is then you know where I had lunch today. About very other month I have to go have a Sonoran Dog at El Guero Canelo. Positively sinful. A light fluffy bun (really it's a pouch because the don't cut the sides) filled with beans then a dog wrapped in bacon and grilled is placed on the beans. Add grilled onions, tomatoes, mayo, mustard and jalapeno sauce. It's not everyday food, but boy is it yummy.

The Most Important Decision You Make

As a business owner we have many decisions we need to make. The most important one is the people we chose to hire. While every decision is reversible, this one can do you the most good and to most harm.
There's volumes that can written about the how to think through the process, establishing job responsibilities, understanding how the team fits together, knowing what skills are needed on the tactical and strategic level, experience, exuberance, etc. To often I have seen people hired because the are nice or a friend, etc. You have to spend a lot of time understanding the teams needs and finding the right fit.
Without going into the 'hiring' manual (that will be written at some point, maybe on my soon to be small business help network) I do want to give the most important tip here.
Always, always, always get more than one input when hiring. Always, always, always have outside eyes helping you think through your needs, your teams needs, long term vs. short term.
I am lucky/grateful and blessed to have strong people willing to sit down and consul and coach me. Kirby and Jennifer are 2 such people. Their help yesterday was tremendous. I can't say enough about the 3 hours they spend with me and some potential employees. Celebrate the great people you surround yourself with. They should always be a wiser and more objective than you :)

Making Tamales

I've been so busy getting the Shoppe ready that I haven't made Tamales in about three weeks. Today I had to. I'm trying a new recipe. Country Tamales and eggs. You guessed it, I'm stuffing the Tamale with country pork sausage and cheese. Steam those baby's then let 'em cool. Grill the Tamale and top it a fried egg (any style) and some country gravy. It will delight all you biscuit and gravy fans.
But here's what happened this morning. As I pulled out the corn husks, I had a physical reaction. Connectedness, visceral, whatever you want to call it, it was the place I love to be. Cooking, making Tamales. I know I'm going to be running a big business but that doesn't stop my passion when I pick up a husk, create some taste bud popping goodness to stuff it with and then enjoy. This is what life is.

Saturday Morning Ride

Finally the cool mornings are back. I didn't ride my bike much in the summer because even at dawn it's 90 degrees. The cool mornings are back with us. It was about 70 this morning and I rode for 7 miles. A nice way to start the weekend. Keeping the body and soul in shape...

Friday Night Lights

Normally refers to High School Football. Tonight, for me, it’s the crescent moon. I’m sitting here, outside, eating my absolutely delicious homemade pizza, listening to Van Morrison, smelling my jalapenos smoke into chipotles and thinking about the crescent moon that was here an hour ago, and now has disappeared. (This, btw, is going to be backwards entry, starting with where I’m at right now and reflecting back on the week). The pizza I concocted is herb dough with a basil tomato sauce. Top that with some mozzarella, a nice chicken sausage, crimini mushrooms and some fresh sliced jalapenos (which I just picked from my garden). A glass of Sangiovese, the crickets’ chirping and my laptop. What’s out of place here? The laptop of course, but Sherry’s in CA so instead of lively, witty, banter with her, I chose to share this moment and this past week with all who care to spend 5 minutes reading. I had gathered all of my pizza ingredients and headed to the outdoor kitchen. Grabbed the IPod docking station and was set for a quiet, relaxing, pizza making, pizza eating introspection. I put my ‘mise en place’ on the counter and started to wash the ‘shrooms. I looked to the Southwest and there at the base of the night sky was the most relaxing crescent moon I have ever seen. And yes, it looked like many I have seen, but this one is fresher, newer, this one is today. (Steve Forbert’s ‘song for Katrina’ just came on and of course I think about Sherry…). Back to the moon, as I looked up at the sliver of a moon I thought about this week, this first full week of ‘redecorating’ the very first Tucson Tamale Shoppe.
This afternoon I was sweeping up some dust, taking out the trash and greeting the floor cleaning as the other crew was leaving. This is it. This is what it is like to start a successful business. Step by step. Attention to detail. Attention to the many people that need information, have questions, applying for a job, want to sell you something. I must have spoke with 75 people this week. Thursday night Sherry called and asked me how it was going, I was truly, happily, exhausted and told her that I just couldn’t bring myself to try and remember the details of the week. Suffice to say it has been a great week.
Through all this busyness I was able to take care of many other things, Paseo Estrella (the neighborhood in which we live and I’m on the Board) issues, talking to friends about their businesses, making sure that I get daddy/daughter day tomorrow (Saturday) with Colette and Cole.
Starting a business is time consuming (so is a job), mentally challenging (so is a job) physically demanding (so is a job) and incredibly reward (a job should be). So far I’ve spend money and have no income, that’s understandable since I’m not open yet, but it still can get a bit freaky, like it was on Thursday. More expenses, more than I had planned. Anxiety rising. Got home and went back over my budget. Good news. Good news that I already knew, but had to look at the spreadsheet, I built a buffer and I was still under that buffer. You haven’t heard self talk until you go over budget and under buffer. It’s one hell of a self conversation. “Damn it!, you’re over budget!!!” “That’s right, remember why we added the buffer??! Don’t be so dense!” “Who’s being dense here? I have a budget to stick to!” “ And I have a atmosphere that I must create for OUR successful business, that’s why I built in a buffer!” and after a few hours it goes away.
The crescent moon, a little glimpse of the extraordinary beauty that’s to come. That’s what this week has been for our dream. A little glimpse of the beauty that’s to come.

Sign in the Window

I put the 'sign' in the door window so all applicants would know it its us!!! The 'sign' is our logo printed on a standard 8" x 11" piece of paper. I've had almost 40 phone calls this past week people responding to our employment ad. I told everyone to come down betwen 2 ad 5 pm on Wednesday. I thought for sure we would be inundated with applicants. 4 people showed up. I was a bit disappointed at the low turnout then I realized that we have had a good group of applicants (some othes have already interviewed) and that we are going to get a great group of people to help make the Tucson Tamale Company a success.

Is This Really a Good Time to Start a Business?

The Markets plunged today, worst drop ever. Not this year or this century, EVER. Credit is tight to non existent. Home values are crashing. We should all be afraid, be very afraid. Bullshit. Not that things aren’t tough, but that’s no reason to think this is bad time to open a business. Conventional thinking would have you believe it’s the wrong time. I think it’s the right time.

I had 5 different people today ask me if I was a bit scared to open a business right now, times are tough out there; maybe it’s not such a good time. A salesperson from a food purveyor showed up and said that it’s not so good right now, slowest two weeks she’d ever seen. Slow, not dead. My reply to everyone that asked or questioned my sanity was the same, ‘I think this is the perfect time to open a new business!’ I’m excited about my prospects. Now, I’m not wearing rose colored glasses. I see what’s happening out there. You can’t ignore, but you can understand and embrace it. That’s right, embrace it. First of all, it is what it is. Little ole Todd can’t fix the credit market, can’t fix congress and I only get one vote for President. But it is what it is. So work with what it offers you.

Why does this crazy man think this is a good time to start a business? First, a number of businesses were started and grew during the great depression. So this tells me that it’s not impossible to be successful, it just may take a little more work. Listen, I started throwing newspapers in Mr. Pritchett’s bushes when I was 12 years old and haven’t turned down a challenge yet because it was ‘too hard’ or required a little more work. If there’s a worm around, I’ll find it. Even when I decide to sleep in (another story, but at my age sleeping in just doesn’t happen any more). Ok, point number one, it is absolutely possible to start a successful business when times are bad.

Second, it’s much easier to get people to work with you. When I needed some painting done about 3 years ago, I called a painter and he was booked for 6 months! Imagine, his good fortune was my long impatient wait. 6 months to roll some latex on a board. Today things can get done much more quickly. Professionals aren’t cheaper, after all, their services are still valuable and worth what you pay, the savings is in the expeditiousness of the work getting done timely. Everyone’s available to take your call, “sure I can stop by tomorrow”. Now a few folks are still busy, as they should be. But all in all, it’s much easier to find great people to work with.

Much less competition. When everyone is opening a business there’s simply more competition, not that a great business won’t thrive during any climate, it just that less competition means getting your customers attention the first time is easier. And less expensive.

No matter when you open a business, the fundamentals of success are the same: Have a great product. Have great service. Make it easy, pleasurable and satisfying for your customers to do business with you. That takes care of your sales. Then you make sure your processes are cost effective. Always know where you stand financially. And last, have a plan for all the above. That’s it. Business really is that simple.

Oh wait I did forget one thing. You have to put effort into it. Especially into the sales part of things. You can’t just unlock your doors every morning and expert the throngs to inundate you, you need to go knock on doors. Talk to strangers. Be willing to risk. Get out there and let people know about you and your business. If you do this, you can make it in any environment.

My last thought is this. Starting a business when times are tough actually make you a better company. Why? Because you have to laser focused on what you do and that focus makes you a great business. Then, maintain that focus in good times and you have a world class business.

So, I’m excited about starting a business in this time, in this place with these people supporting me. The Tucson Tamale Company will be successful because we will never forget what it takes to be successful.

Monday Morning

And I'm energized and excited. I love Monday morning, a new week, new people, new issues:) Have a lot going on this week getting everything ready. Have a task list the size of an elephant's truck. There are so many little things that need to get done to focus on the couple of really big things. Some people say the devil is in the details, I prefer to say the perfection is in the details. Do it, do it right, do it proud.
I went to the store last night to get a hunk or raw beef for dinner (yes, I cooked it, I'm a medium well guys these days) and when I was checking out the cashier just looked like things had fallen apart in her world. "How's it going," I asked, "I'm at work, what do think" she replied in a sullen, pissed off kind of way. She sure wasn't excited about what she does. "How are you" she asked, "I'm doing great!", "of course you are you're not working.." "I do great even when I am working, I love what I do" was my reply. You could see the look on her face was one of disbelief and curiosity. Fortunately she went the curious way, "Really, what do you do?" I told her about Tamales and she got excited , wanted to come try some. I told her she would have to wait until the end of the month. I know how lucky I am to love what I do. I also know that I create that luck. She could have been excited about something, seeing new people, who knows, but she chose to be depressed and pissed off about her work. I understand that's easy to do, but if you're going to be there, you have a reason. Even if it's just the paycheck, there are things that paycheck does that make you happy, go to that place. Shit, I just said to go to your happy place. Damn, Dr. Phil would love me. Anyway, you get the point.

"Can I see your license and insurance card please?"

Yes, yes, you guessed it. This morning about 11 am I had to go to the apartments to get some yard tools. On the way back I was heading east on 6th when a U of A police pulled in behind me and flashed the bright reds. I pulled over and he walked up to the truck, "Can I see your license and insurance card please?" I quickly produced them and passed them out the window. "You were going 45 and the speed limit here is 30, in a hurry to get somewhere?" "No, I was just heading back to the Shoppe." "Do you have a good reason you were in such a hurry?" "No", I said, "I just had my head up my ass". He chuckled and walked back to his car. After inputting all my data into the bad guy catching computer, where I obviously don't have any red flags, he came back to the truck and handed me my license back, "Slow down Mr. Martin, OK?" "You know I will" No ticket. That's always a big relief. So the moral of the story is this, 'If you have your head up your ass, admit it, and people are nicer to you'.

Then after I got back to the Shoppe, guess who up? Mr. Pete Purves. We got some sandwiches and had a nice chat. He's doing well.

Yeah!!

I made an offer on Thursday to our first potential employee, she has accepted!!! Yea, she'll be starting on the 15th. Wow, now I have to get the payroll account open... :)

Now taking applications

We are starting the hiring process, so if you know anyone that would be a good fit for the Tucson Tamale Company and would like a unique opportunity, have them ping me. They can send their resume to tucsontamalecompany@gmail.com

The 'First'

BTW, I noticed that a lot of the posts are about the 'First' this or that. It's a new business so of course they will be. I just want to assure you that my passion for this business will get deeper and more familiar in time. Like a great relationship, when you first meet it's all very exciting and it can be clumsy. Then you grow together and things get familiar so it may feel like the excitement wears off. What is really happening is the excitement is so ingrained that isn't as noticeable, but it so much more satisfying. (Sherry, I love you)
PS - If you like this blog, please click on the link to your right to follow this blog. Thanks.

The First Interview

I interviewed our first potential employee today. She came in to the place and I don't know what she was thinking but I could only image her looking around and thinking, 'I hope to heck that this isn't how it's going to look when you open for business, because it's a, well, it needs some work. So compelled as I am, I first walked her through the improvements that would be made and painted that picture of what the space will look like when we open the doors. She got the picture. I realized even before she came in that at this stage of the business I had to be the interviewee as much as I was the interviewer. We talked for almost two hours. I believe getting the right people is the most important thing we can do in our business. I plan to spend a lot of time talking to potential employees and making sure they are the right fit for us and that we are the right fit for them. To often this aspect is overlooked by not just the employer, but by the employee, it has to right for both of us.
Anyway, I was very impressed with her enthusiasm for her work, her passion and connection with food. She displayed so many qualities I'm looking for in our staff. I offered her the job and she is pondering it. I'll let you know when she accepts.
I was talking to Sherry about her tonight and told Sherry that I feel pretty confident she'll accept the position. Sherry wanted to know how we were going to be numbered, who is employee number one, etc. She suggested that I be employee #1, Sherry #2, April #3 and the new hire #4, and then on and on after that. By the way, I haven't mentioned her name because she hasn't accepted, but I'm sure you'll hear it tomorrow.

Anyway, I was very impressed with her enthusiasm for her work, her passion and connection with food. She displayed so many qualities I'm looking for in our staff. I offered her the job and she is pondering it. I'll let you know when she accepts.
I was talking to Sherry about her tonight and told Sherry that I feel pretty confident she'll accept the position. Sherry wanted to know how we were going to be numbered, who is employee number one, etc. She suggested that I be employee #1, Sherry #2, April #3 and the new hire #4, and then on and on after that. By the way, I haven't mentioned her name because she hasn't accepted, but I'm sure you'll hear it tomorrow.

The First Piece of Mail

Here's a pic of the first letter I received at the Shoppe. Of course
its a bill bit still it's exciting. Kirby's on his way down here to
check it out. As you can see on the letter the address is 2545 E.
Broadway. So if you're in the area feel free to stop by. Our target
opening day is October 21st. See you then!!!

The first day

Today was the first full day at our location.  The video gives you a walk through.  The place looks like crap right now.  It will be stellar when we open.  Make sure you check back in 5 weeks for the opening video.  Please send any comments, questions or feedback to me.  Thanks,

It's official

Lease is signed. 2545 e. Broadway. Woo hoo!!

Todd

Employee number one

While April is only doing contract work before she goes back to
Intuit, we are giving her the designation of employee number one.
She's off to Indiana to see her family and when she gets back she'll
do a little more running around for us and then she'll be helping
accountants with their QuickBooks starting on the 13th of October.

Ozone

For the second time in a week the front window has been tagged with the word "ozone". It's easy enough to remove but still a nucance. I think I'll google this ozone character and see what I can find out. I'll let you know what I learn.

Todd R Martin

Our First Inspections

The excitement, the thrill of starting a business.  I’m sitting here in a hot restaurant space waiting for the next two inspectors to show up.  The AC and the swamp still aren’t working correctly but the landlord will be getting those fixed, hopefully today.  The space is a bit ugly and in need of some seriously cleaning.  The sign inspector just came and denied signing off on the Certificate of Occupancy.  She walked out the door and the most incredible feeling ran through me.  It was sort of like the feeling you got the first time you encountered your future spouse.  Now, it wasn’t the inspector that gave me that feeling, it was the reality of my business.  The Tucson Tamale Company is official.  Yes, we incorporated a few months ago, that was a watershed moment, but getting denied for my permit, how blessed is that!  I know this may sound crazy, getting excited over being denied, but it means I’m really doing this.  The vision of what is to be is grabbing me and shaking me with joy.  I guess I should also tell you that the fix is about 30 minutes of painting, so it will not be an issue getting the sign approved.  Still have two more inspections today and then after the lease is signed, just need the health department to sign off.  It truly is a glorious day.  The universe is available for all us to tap into, you just have to peel back the seams in the fabric of the unknown.  Peace out.

Well, the other 2 inspectors have shown up and we got denied on both of those.  But let me tell you, I’m not sure where this ‘aarrgg’ comes when dealing with the city.  I know it can be painful at times to work with bureaucracy, but all the inspectors that have come here have been very good to work with.  The items that need attention are all reasonable and quite frankly necessary to properly run a safe business.  

Still, there’s a lot to get done to open a successful business.  April and I have been doing a lot of ‘little’ things.  They are all IMPORTANT things.  This goes back to our value of the little things.  If you don’t pay attention to them, something will come bite you in the ass or something won’t be right with the business.  I’m glad April has been able to help me this week.  

I turned the ice machine on this morning and it appears to working ok.  It makes a tattle tale beep about every ten minutes so I suspect it’s trying to tell me something.  I’ll have a Refrigerator specialist check it out.  After it made about 50 pounds of ice, I opened the bin and could smell the cool water dripping from the ice hopper.  It took me back to another time when I was running another restaurant in another life.  I stuck my hand in the ice and clawed a few cubes, the chill, the dripping wetness of the cubes was pure joy.  This is the ice that my customers will use.  This is the ice the will keep our cold foods cold.  This is the ice machine that the health inspector will require us to have a scoop nearby.  This handful of ice is my business.  It’s not a moment to forget.  One day when there are 50, 60 Tamale Shoppes and I want to reminisce it will be about that handful of ice, that first ‘thing’ my new venture produced.  By itself, not worth a nickel, but as a part of the business, as MasterCard loves to say, priceless.  

Government Ain't So Bad

You know, we all hear government horror stories about how some agency made it difficult/impossible for some well meaning business person to get started.  And we've all heard the jokes about the 'bureaucracy'.  Well some it may be true at some levels but in my ventures so far I've found the city and county folks that I've dealt with to be friendly, helpful and caring.  Sure, I waited 40 minutes to talk to someone about a set of plans, but he was working the counter by himself and had 3 people in front of me.  Could he have gone faster?  Maybe, but is that what you really want? I mean, he's checking how many beams are going to hold up the ceiling of a building, yeah, I want him to be thorough, thoughtful and by golly, take his time.  BTW, how many of have waited hours for a video game, a ducket for a show or some other indulgent pleasure?  The folks working with us, the public, and trust me we can be ugly, I've seen it, are just like you and me, they want to go home at night and know they have helped.  Did you see that last sentence?  Must have 8 commas in it, any English teachers out there?  Love you, Todd

Monday noon

April was here all morning cleaning organizing and waiting for the
utility folks. She did a great job the place already looks so much
better and there's still much to do. The gas men are firing up all of
the stoves and as has been the case they aren't working so well. A
little soak here a little scrub there. Oops they found another issue,
gotta go

Sunday Morning

I'm here at the restaurant with all the utilities still off. Very
quiet except the traffic on the street. Sunday brunches will be great here.

T - 5 days

It's 5 more days until I sign the lease on the space that will be forever known as the First Tucson Tamale Company location.  I went in there today to remove some food left behind by the previous tenant.  The utilities had all been turned off, the place had a odor of rotting food, it was dark even thought it was 4 in the afternoon.  The ceiling was dirty and an air of passing surrounded me.  I looked at what I walked into and saw despair.  I visioned what we were going to make the Tucson Tamale Company into and I saw celebration.   It's funny how life takes us until we realize it is us taking life.  My vision is going to start here. but it could have started anywhere.