First Post - New Blog!

I am a bit overdue for creating this blog.  I have put so much thought into my own restaurant and I desperately need to get my ideas on paper.

This blog is for the following people:

- It is for me, first and foremost.  Even if nobody reads this blog, it is absolutely crucial that I write my ideas down on a daily basis. 

-It is for Lily, my fiance, so I can have a second outlet for my thoughts so she doesn't get overwhelmed with my one track mind.

- It is for anyone interested in working on this project with me.  Or even thinking about the possibility of helping me open a place.  Whether it be hopeful staff members or potential investors, I want to keep everyone in the loop, and this is how I will do it.

- It is for my friends and family, who want to keep track of what I am up to and what stage in the process I'm at, and to make sure I still have my sanity.

- It is for future patrons of my restaurant.  I want a place that will be more than just a restaurant - I want customers to be involved in the place.  I want them to care about the restaurant, I hope they'll want to know what's going on.   A restaurant shouldn't just be a place to eat - it should be a gathering place where there is an exchange of ideas amongst patrons and staff.  I don't have the brick and mortar yet, so let's start here.


- It is for anyone interested in opening their own restaurant some day.  In the next 6-18 months (my current estimated time frame for doors open), I will be going through a lot in preparation of that first friends and family dinner.  From the business plan, to looking at spaces, to licensing issues, to securing investment capital, to inspections, and everything in between, there is a lot of stuff I do not know about at all.  I will learn a lot on my own and from the people that help me, and in documenting this process I hope that anyone who reads this will be more knowledgeable going into ownership than I am today.

Lastly, this blog is important, and I need to post daily because I need to stay focused.  I have a lot of work to do in the upcoming months and I'd be lying if I said that I can do it all with self-motivation alone.  Honestly, I need some support and feedback to push me along.  So I hope you read, I hope you enjoy this blog, I hope you follow along, and I hope you add to the discussion

-Ben

Next Blog: Phase map (below blog title?), General To Do List in order from now until open