{"id":1026,"date":"2020-06-25T20:18:58","date_gmt":"2020-06-25T20:18:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paid.texasmonthly.com\/texas-optimism-project\/?p=1026"},"modified":"2020-08-12T19:25:03","modified_gmt":"2020-08-12T19:25:03","slug":"optimism-works-when-to-re-evaluate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paid.texasmonthly.com\/texas-optimism-project\/optimism-works-when-to-re-evaluate\/","title":{"rendered":"Optimism Works: \u201cSuccess is knowing when to re-evaluate.\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
Welcome to Optimism Works. In this series, the Texas Optimism Project interviews people who, through optimism, have made achievements in their life and career. From starting a business to paying off debt, these Texans reveal how taking small steps can lead to big leaps of progress.<\/span><\/h5>\n

Sharon Mays is an Austin-based entrepreneur and the owner and founder of<\/span> Baby Greens<\/span><\/a>, one of the country\u2019s first fast-food salad restaurant concepts. She had the vision to see past her 9-to-5 job to make it happen\u2014and even then, opening her dream business wasn\u2019t enough. After growing the restaurant to a value over $1 million, Mays closed all three of the stores in 2009 because operations were not meeting her vision. She realigned Baby Greens\u2019 mission, values, and operational goals to ensure its viability as a franchise, and with the support of her family, friends, and customers, successfully reopened her restaurants. After all, she had big plans for Baby Greens from the very beginning. Here, she tells us how she did it.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

When did you first decide you wanted to open a restaurant?<\/b><\/p>\n

It was a perfect combination of timing and circumstance.<\/span><\/p>\n

I was working for the Internal Revenue Service, having just changed career tracks and feeling disillusioned. I was hoping a 9-to-5 job would allow me to find my passion outside of work.<\/span><\/p>\n

Coincidentally, I\u2019d recently decided to become a vegetarian, and the only meat-free option in the IRS cafeteria was a sad excuse for a salad bar. One day, as I eyeballed the chunks of iceberg lettuce, I thought, \u201cI just want a salad that\u2019s fresh, affordable, and easy to get!\u201d When I got back to my desk, I wrote, \u201cDrive-Thru Salad Restaurant\u201d in my idea book.<\/span> <\/b><\/p>\n

When you were getting started, what feelings do you remember having about your goals?<\/b><\/p>\n

At first, I didn\u2019t think Baby Greens was a good idea at all. Nothing close to the concept existed in the marketplace, and I had never worked in a restaurant aside from a six-month stint as a Starbucks barista.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Nonetheless, I spent my days jotting down menu ideas and sketching what the space might look like. It was a welcome distraction from work, and honestly, at first, it was just something to focus on so I didn\u2019t get depressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

As I breathed more life into the idea, the more real it became. I went through the emotional roller coaster many entrepreneurs encounter: Some days, I thought it was the best idea I ever had. Other days, I felt like I\u2019d never be able to make it happen. Many days, I reverted to thinking it wasn\u2019t a good idea at all.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, the idea wouldn\u2019t let me go. Even when I tried to move on, it would still be lurking, waiting for me to come back to it.<\/span><\/p>\n

What was the <\/b>very first<\/i><\/b> step you took? How did you stay on track?<\/b><\/p>\n

I\u2019m a big believer in timing. One of my personal mantras is: When the window of opportunity opens, you have to be ready to jump through it.<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The first thing I did was research how to open a restaurant. I started a list of all of the things I\u2019d need to learn to make Baby Greens a reality. At the top of it was learning how to cook and make salad dressing!<\/span><\/p>\n

I got a notebook so I could keep all the ideas, recipes, and notes in one place\u2014I still follow this practice today. Having everything in one spot helped me track the progression of the idea and all of its moving pieces. It was about three years between the time I had the idea for Baby Greens and the day I turned on the \u201cOPEN\u201d sign.<\/span> <\/b><\/p>\n

Describe the moments when you felt like giving up. Why didn\u2019t you?<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

In the early days, I never felt like giving up. I had nothing to lose, and when you\u2019re in that headspace, anything is possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

But along the path to opening Baby Greens, I took a job as the local marketing manager for Chipotle so I could learn more about opening and operating a reputable fast-casual restaurant. When I accepted the position, I told myself I would work there for exactly one year, and then, no matter what, I would quit. But it turned out I loved my job. I was happy and thriving, and I started to consider letting go of my dream, convincing myself that saying \u2018yes\u2019 to this job wasn\u2019t saying \u2018no\u2019 to my dream.<\/span><\/p>\n

I had one friend in my life who disagreed. She said, \u201cYou\u2019re going to get in there and you\u2019re going to love them, and you\u2019re going to forget all about Baby Greens.\u201d  <\/span><\/p>\n

Her words stuck with me. I loved my job and I wanted to grow there. But ultimately, I knew if I stayed, I\u2019d always wonder about what could have been. I could see five years into the future, driving down some city street, passing someone else\u2019s drive-thru salad restaurant, and feeling nothing but regret. A month later, I left.<\/span><\/p>\n

How have the unprecedented events of 2020 affected your business? <\/b><\/p>\n

Boy, have Baby Greens and I been through a lot in the past few months! We’ve been open the entire time, but it’s been a crazy ride. In the beginning, our sales dropped by almost 75 percent. I didn’t know if we were going to make it, but I refused to close. I told my staff to trust me, and that we were going to make it to the other side.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, civil unrest took over the country. I experienced some real depression and anxiety with everything that was happening, but then the outpouring of support for Black-owned businesses came to life. Our sales tripled overnight. <\/span><\/p>\n

It’s been great\u2014and quite hectic at times, but overall it reinforces that staying open was the right decision. It has been the most difficult time of my entire life, and I have no idea what each day will bring. But I\u2019m more hopeful today than I did at the beginning of this. We’ve made it this far, and I feel like we’ll survive.<\/span> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

How has optimism played a role in everything that\u2019s happening, and in the larger goals for your company?<\/b><\/p>\n

Scientific research has shown that positive energy attracts positive energy, so I believe a positive outlook increases the possibility that I will be successful. This is how I look at things: if the outcome is unknown, then on some level, the possibility that things are going to work out is equal to the possibility that things will not work out. So, if all things are equal, why not assume that the best will happen instead of fearing the worst? Our thoughts become our actions, so I always do my best to stay focused on positive thoughts and optimism.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where have you found support along the way?<\/b><\/p>\n

There have been many sources of support.<\/span><\/p>\n

My mom gave me the initial push. She listened to me go on and on about Baby Greens, and one day when I was talking about it, she said, \u201cYou\u2019ve been talking about this salad shop for two years. You need to either do something about it or stop talking about it.\u201d She provided our first investment of $25,000.<\/span><\/p>\n

Also, our customers were a huge support. I was so nervous the day the local paper was going to run a story about our re-opening, worried that people wouldn\u2019t care or had forgotten about us. But after the story was published, I immediately started getting texts and notifications. Customers from all over the city drove to North Austin to show us some love.<\/span><\/p>\n

What has been surprisingly hard? Surprisingly easy?<\/b><\/p>\n

Just as my company and team have grown, my role has changed. The transition from entrepreneur to employer was, and continues to be, my greatest challenge.<\/span><\/p>\n

My job now involves developing a place that attracts, empowers, and retains employees. It\u2019s not just about corporate culture and work environment, it\u2019s the development of systems, job resources, and training programs. Big companies have specialized teams devoted to this task. I just have me and my goal of a company with whose mission is to \u201cSpread Joy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I learned that I\u2019m very good at operations. When I look at a problem or situation, I see it in its entirety, from start to finish, so figuring out the logistics of how food and people move in and out of the restaurant came to me quite naturally. It\u2019s like working on a puzzle. You have to figure out how to make all of the pieces fit together so it works. Running a business can be quite stressful at times, and I find great solace in making the pieces fit together and run smoothly.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do you define success? <\/b><\/p>\n

Success means trying my very best. I\u2019m a constant work-in-progress, and I always want to be learning and growing as a person and as a professional. Sometimes success means knowing when to re-evaluate.<\/span><\/p>\n

I had big plans for Baby Greens from the very beginning. I didn\u2019t want to just own a few drive-thru salad restaurants\u2014I wanted to build a world-class brand and grow into a regional or national chain. But as we became more successful, I started to notice cracks in the system.<\/span><\/p>\n

Baby Greens had three separate initiatives: a restaurant chain, a franchise company, and a line of consumer packaged goods. Things were moving so quickly and there was little time to build the infrastructure necessary to grow it into the brand I knew it could be. I couldn\u2019t repair the operation while it was still in motion, so I decided to temporarily close my stores. It was a huge risk. And even though it was my decision, it broke my heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m a big believer in timing. One of my personal mantras is: When the window of opportunity opens, you have to be ready to jump through it.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2015, I wondered if it was time for Baby Greens to return. I had been thinking about it a lot, but I needed money, location, and help to relaunch the brand. I was feeling discouraged, but as luck would have it, within about six weeks, everything I said I didn\u2019t have was sitting right in front of me.<\/span><\/p>\n

The window of opportunity had opened, so I jumped through it.<\/span><\/p>\n

What advice do you have for other people who are trying to do what you\u2019ve done?<\/b><\/p>\n

Success is not reserved for \u201cspecial people.\u201d Regular people are living the life you want for yourself, and the biggest difference is that the people living their dreams decided to go for it. I truly believe most goals can be achieved. Think about what you want, develop a plan, and write it down. Stand in front of a mirror and tell yourself that you can do it until you believe that it\u2019s true. And then go for it. And don\u2019t get caught up in the idea of \u201cfearlessness.\u201d It\u2019s a misnomer. Yes, it will be scary. Yes, you will fail. You might even embarrass yourself. You\u2019ll live. Get back up and keep going. Courage, tenacity, and resilience will take you far in this life.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Entrepreneur Sharon Mays shares her experience as the owner and founder of Baby Greens, one of the country\u2019s first fast-food salad restaurant concepts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1028,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pratical-optimism"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paid.texasmonthly.com\/texas-optimism-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1026","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paid.texasmonthly.com\/texas-optimism-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paid.texasmonthly.com\/texas-optimism-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paid.texasmonthly.com\/texas-optimism-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paid.texasmonthly.com\/texas-optimism-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1026"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/paid.texasmonthly.com\/texas-optimism-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1026\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paid.texasmonthly.com\/texas-optimism-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1028"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paid.texasmonthly.com\/texas-optimism-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paid.texasmonthly.com\/texas-optimism-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paid.texasmonthly.com\/texas-optimism-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}