Entrepreneur’s Dairy: : Pain and Gain

Monday

03:47--Awakened out of a sound sleep by the phone ringing.

It was the police. The night man at the Lincoln Heights location had locked the double glass entry doors for security reasons and was putting out sugar glazed chocolate covered donuts for 5 a.m. opening. Two men appeared at the door, pretended to want donuts and coffee, then used their shoulders to crash through the double locked doors. Upon entering, and in plain view of the security camera, they pistol whipped the night man then stuck a four-inch .357 gun barrel against his temple and ordered him to open the cash drawer. Dissatisfied with their take, they again pistol whipped this father of two young children.

* 05:15--Couldn’t go back to sleep.

Showered early and used the blow dryer to remove steam from the mirror. As the fog evaporated, I saw the fatigued face of a man tired of trying to run a small business in a city filled with increasingly violent crime. Dressed in a suit and tie in order to present Mr. Sippee Honor Certificate to kids at 10th Street Elementary School.

* 07:45--In the office.

This was going to be another one of those days. Manager called to report that last night another two men in a faded gray Ford van pulled into the Santa Monica location, placed the van between the station cashier and the Coke vending machine then requested change for the machine. According to the cashier, the van remained for several minutes then pulled away. This a.m. the manager arrived to fill the machine but found only the bolts with which it was mounted. Manager asked the cashier where the machine was, cashier had no idea.

08:30--On a brighter note.

Attended an awards ceremony at 10th Street School. Our adjacent store has offered coupons worth one dollar of merchandise to students for every ‘A” earned. Presented five coupons (straight A’s) and a certificate to 5th grader Juan Escobar. Juan, who wore a bright white shirt and a brighter smile, stepped onto the podium gave me a firm handshake then thanked me. The hope and goodness that is in his smile and on the faces of most of the other kids ought to be aired over and over on the five o’clock news. The hope on their faces in no way reflected the impoverished conditions many live in. Feels good to use the business in a way which helps kids.

* 10:10--At my desk opening the mail.

Oh, Oh, a letter from an attorney. This one contains a complaint from a woman who claims she slipped and fell. She told no one at the location, did not contact the office, just ran straight to an attorney. Will turn this over to the insurance carrier who I am sure will pay off like a ready-teller, since it’s more expensive to take these to court.

* 12:00--Lunch with new accountant.

Told him why I left teaching in 1973 to enter business. Of how I wished could send the troubled kids in my classroom out into the community to work in apprenticeship programs rather than watch them vegetate in school. Of how the entrenched senior teaching staff fought raging battles over which classrooms they’d teach in and of the stifling power of the union. Explained that I entered business because of the freedom of being my own boss. There’s lots of pressure but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Related that when we were looking for a store name my son came home from nursery school on a day the Mississippi River was discussed and asked who “Mr. Sippee” was, and of how proud I feel to be using “Mr. Sippee” as our store name. Told him that our freedom to own and operate a small business is ultimately the most liberating of all freedoms, yet it is currently the most regulated, and that our liberty is being diminished by ever increasing regulatory demands.

* 13:30--At the store.

At Lincoln Heights store, which is very small, attempting to post one more government-required notices on a wall already covered with them: Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, CAL/OSHA Safety and Health Protection on the Job, Notice to Employees When a Work-Related Injury Occurs, and a dozen more. Thought of calling a local regulator to request permission to rent the store across from us so that we’d have enough space to hang them all.

* 17:30--Met with Paul, our general manager.

Paul grew up on the streets of an Asian city andemigrated here. I met him 16 years ago when he repaired a flat tire for me. He was working two full-time jobs. Paul started with us as a cashier at minumum wage, worked hard, learned English, then accepted every challenge on his way to becoming our general manager. Paul’s son just started engineering school at a state college. The fact that working for our company afforded Paul and his family an opportunity to thrive provides a pleasure far more profound then simply making a profit.