My wife suggested taking time to consider it.
I was too excited to listen.
I signed the agreement and opened Rosie’s Two.
Unfortunately, running two restaurants proved far more difficult than I expected.
The new location constantly demanded my attention.
Staffing problems, unreliable suppliers, maintenance issues, and endless financial decisions consumed nearly every hour.
I was working sixteen-hour days and barely visiting my original restaurant.
Eventually, I decided to hire a general manager.
His name was Kyle Brenner.
Kyle was thirty-four, held a business degree from Rutgers, and had previously worked for several restaurant chains.
He wore expensive shirts, spoke confidently, and filled our meetings with phrases like “revenue optimization” and “improving customer turnover.”
I didn’t fully understand his corporate language, but his previous financial results were impressive.
During the interview, he shook my hand.
“Frank, I’ll treat your restaurant like my own. You focus on expanding the business.”
I believed him.
At first, the results seemed excellent.
