The "F" Word

A co-worker asked me with the most bizarre grin on his face that spread from ear to ear, "So, what happens if you fail? Do you lose everything?"

His question threw me for a loop and I felt myself taking a psychological tumble. Only once, back in early 2003, while at a party in Astoria when I first dared utter the words audibly for the very first time, ("I'm opening up a restaurant") did someone suggest to me not to bother because his family had tried and failed.

This entire time, since then, we've been able to break through every obstacle that presented itself along the way. When we were rejected by 10 banks for loans, I could have viewed each and every rejection as having failed. Everytime we came close to securing a location for the restaurant only to have it slip between our fingers and go to someone else could have been viewed as having failed. I never viewed them that way. They were challenging, no doubt. At times I questioned my sanity in pursuing my own business. I could see skepticism in the eyes of fellow coworkers who would politely inquire about our progress without the little hint of interest or belief that I could do this. "We're coming along, little by little. We'll see what happens," was my standard response never giving away any indication of how hard we were working to make this happen. Although occasionally my faith would waiver, I kept taking the action steps, some big and some small, that would get me closer to the end I had in mind.

So, when this coworker brought up the possibility of this failing, a million things went through my mind all of which took me aback. I amazed myself at how quickly I recovered when I responded, "Failure is not an option."

Who defines what "failure" is? You can either be paralyzed by the challenges that present themselves or you can push through them or around them in spite of them. Being an entrepreneur means taking risk and trusting that the universe will do its part as long as we do ours.

I am reminded of something I read in Chuck Norris' autobiography:
"Those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail."

We've been preparing the foundation for this since 2001. All the preparation is finally being manifested.

Teamwork

"We're doing it.!"
"Yes, we are. We are doing it!"

Advice 101: Seek Out Those Who Can Help You

After much coaxing from George who insisted that 'we can do this', I agreed to pursue this crazy venture on one condition: that we both take this business course I saw advertised in one of the Brooklyn papers. It was early 2003. It might have been January, maybe February. I just remember that the evenings got dark early and it was cold outside.

As part of our coursework for the class, we were required to do market research which, for two budding restaurateurs, means going out to eat a lot. I had read a good review of Nana, a pan-asian restaurant in Park Slope and was intrigued enough by it to suggest to George that we take the train there from central Brooklyn one night after class and try it out.

Over the meal, we talk about the road we are venturing down, what it could mean and where it could lead. After eating, we walk over to the large fish tank in the front window filled with oranda goldfish to quietly observe them.

Before we know it, we are approached by someone who I think is going to boot us out of the restaurant since it is late and we had already finished and paid for our meal.

That introduction turned into an hour and a half conversation about our dream of starting a restaurant. The gentleman, it turns out, was Eric the owner of Nana. He sat us down and gave us so much information, answering each and every one of our questions no matter how personal they were about his business. He offered up detailed information about how he got started and what this venture would end up costing us. He even pointed out the store front across the street from him (which would end up becoming Brooklyn Fish Camp), suggesting we speak to the landlord about renting that spot.

"5th Avenue is the next hot avenue," he told us in early 2003. I have to admit I wasn't convinced. "7th Avenue is great for people to stroll but they come down here to eat," he told us.

He told us with every bit of confidence that has enabled him to become successful, that we do could do it. "You can do it" and even alluded to God and to the spiritual nature of the journey in his encouragement. "It will all come to you," he said.

We left there that night feeling the "wow" factor. "Wow. That was amazing." That was what I refer to a "GIA" moment: 'God In Action.' GIA--placing the people we need to meet across our path at the right moment giving us information to keep us going.

Because we knew Fort Greene, Brooklyn quite well, we chose to look for an available commercial space there. Nothing in Fort Greene panned out. Lo and behold, we've ended up 2 and a half years after meeting Eric on the same street and just a few doors down from where we had that dinner that cold February night.

The message I took away from that night that has carried me through was this: "You can do it."

Location, Location, Location: 5th Avenue - Park Slope, Brooklyn

Do you know the way to Bogota?

Create A Winning Team

Today was absolutely insane. After the day was done, my body felt as though I had been through electro-shock therapy. Meetings, choices, decisions, arguments, delays, corrections, down payments, handshakes, hugs, kisses, no blood, some sweat and no tears.

I feel confident that we've made some great choices along the way. To be an entrepreneur, it's important to surround yourself with a winning team - all of whom share your vision and want to see you succeed. One by one, I feel those individuals have come into the Bogota picture and continue to do so.

At the end of the Bogota day, George was off to his evening job and I was off to my Arabic language class at NYU.

Details, Details & Details

Bogota's designer and foreman discussing floor plans and layout. That's Pi in the background.

Surround Yourself With A Support System

Members of the Bogota family:

Marybeth: Entrepreneur - ShadesOfFun.com
Friends Matt & Wilde
Ralph Modica: Photographer and Video/DVD Production Editor

Someone Up There Likes Us

If you recall from a previous post, we came very close to signing a lease at 162 5th Avenue. We negotiated a lease which cost us a pretty penny in attorney fees only for both the landlord and us to just drop the ball and not follow through on what we had begun due to some issues that we could not resolve. Fortunately a lease wasn't signed and eventually the space went to the folks who own Mary's Fish Camp, a very successful seafood place, located in the west village in Manhattan. Well, grand opening night was last week.

I had decided to take a stroll along 5th Avenue that evening unaware that it was their grand opening and came across fire trucks blocking the avenue directly in front of Mary's Fish Camp. From what I understand, a space heater upstairs started a fire which spread to the restaurant and the rest of the building displacing the tenants and shutting down the restaurant. Although this is tragic, we are so fortunate that we didn't end up renting that space. Ever since we made the decision in early 2004 to open our own restaurant, it has seemed from day 1 we have been extremely lucky on so many different levels.

When the reality hits me that I'm really opening up a restaurant along Park Slope's 5th Avenue in such a great location and incredible space, and I find myself momentarily paralyzed by the magnitude of it, I need only look upon the incredible successes and miracles that have gotten us to this point so far. I'm convinced that there is a force that really wants us to open this restaurant. How else to explain all the amazing "coincidences" that have happened since day one? There have been too many to simply discard as merely happenstance.

Bogota Latin Bistro Coming to Park Slope