The Business of Starving

I thought that starting this whole thing would be so easy. I'd hand out a clever take-out menu, people would order and have their minds blown by a superior tuna sammich. Little did I know...

Having a good product is not enough! I mean, I can cook. Really. I learned from my mom, who is amazing in the kitchen. I have eaten at some of the coolest restaurants out there. I watch the Food Network religiously. And I'm creative. All that equals success, right?

Um, no. There is a teensy little glitch in the system--the fact that I have no marketing experience, or business experience in general. Which means, that although I can make a sandwich that will rock your world, I may not have the chance to, if no one knows I exist. I have a profile for the company on Facebook and Twitter, and I have heard from many of my friends, who have been totally supportive and keep my spirits up even when I cannot see the light at the end of this very, very long tunnel. But I only have three Facebook friends who actually live in the Nashville area, and zero who work at the Factory.

So, much to my chagrin, I have had to put a hold on the creative side of this endeavor and instead, don my "businesswoman" cap for the past week or so. I am learning about restaurant marketing, licensure, LLC stuff, other mysterious government stuff, pricing, food costs...and on top of that, navigate for the first time the unfamiliar world of the internet. Yup, you read that right. My internet capabilities are limited to checking e-mail, Facebook, and listening to music on Pandora. I had (have, possibly) no idea how to create a website or blog, and I still don't understand Twitter.

There, I said it.

But I'm learning something else, too. I can do this. I am writing a blog right now. I have changed the website, changed it again, and again. I am working on a plan for direct marketing that is both efficient and creative. My "businesswoman" cap actually fits quite nicely.

And if I ever have a question, my business-minded husband is in the next room. Thank God.