UMISSION

Never look at the job in and of itself as who you are.  Bring it to the table.  What we bring to the table is joy.  I bring peace.  It’s not the job itself, it’s you, the inner you – what you bring to the job that is important.  I tell my crew to stop looking at money and start wondering, “How can I make a positive impact as a person and make everything better?”

1.  What led you to the mission of pretzel maker and store manager?

What led me to this mission was the company I work for now.   I was looking for a job that was geared to family and God.  I’m a family oriented type of person and have a belief in God.   I discovered this pretzel company is led by a person who values God, family, and time for both.  This is what led me to where I am now.

At first I was going to be with the company for a short time.  But, as I began to work and time passed, I realized this is a wonderful company to work for a long time.  It was about the balance between family and God and work.

2.  What does this mission mean to you?

Every guest is important.  I like for my guests to walk away with a “wow” moment of something they can remember.  Sometimes they have come to the counter and had a bad day.  I like making them feel that at that moment they are having a “wow” moment.   At that brief moment I want them to say, “I forgot about a bad day!  She made me smile.”

People have a lot of things going on.  Sometimes they just need someone to ask them, “How is your day going?”  This is my desire – to make sure that everyone that comes across that counter has a “wow” moment.

What we are giving is quality and love. Every customer is getting quality.  They are getting something that is special.  Once they bite into a pretzel, they are going to know it and remember that pretzel because we are built for quality.  We give them this quality out of love.  I train my crew that no matter what they are doing, to always give it your all.  Give it quality and love.

3.  What was your best day as a pretzel maker and store manager?

One very best day is when we have Girl Scout troops come in and work with us behind the counter.  I see their faces light up and I hear them say, “I can do this!”  They can do this!  That’s one of my best moments.  They come behind the counter and work and see that it is fun.  I can have fun at the same time.

4.  What was your worst day as a pretzel maker and store manager?

There is a small percentage of guests – just that one guest – that you try to get through to have a good day, but you can’t.  They may be having a “blah” moment.  But you can’t get through to them.  I don’t like that.  My goal is to make you have a “wow” moment.  My staff and I have had that one guest that you just couldn’t get to feel good.  That would be my worst moment.

5.  How did you survive your worst day?

I go to my prayer closet at that moment and say, “Lord someone is trying to have a bad day and they are trying to give me a bad day, but I refuse to give in.”  Every day I want to walk out of my store and have a good day.

On a bad day, I remember that someone else is always worse off than I am.  That’s how I go through it.  I remember that the Lord will always give me the strength to endure and that no matter what my day, there is always someone who might be doing worse.  So, I refuse to have a bad day.

My mom always instilled in us that in order to be a manager, people feel you have to be a good leader.  But she taught us that in order to be a good manager, you have to be a good follower.  You have to be a good listener.  It’s not about the title.  It’s about getting your job done along with your crew and showing your crew that I’m willing to get just as dirty as you are.  So to be a good leader or manager, you first have to learn how to be a good follower.  (The follower part was that I first had to learn how to follow Jesus.  I had to learn how to follow him and he directed me to be a leader.)

Always remember that it isn’t the job itself.  They might ask, “Oh what is your career?”  The answer could be, “Oh, I’m a nurse”, or “I’m a doctor.”  Sometimes they look at us and they say, “Oh, you’re just a pretzel maker.”  Never look at the job in and of itself as who you are.  Bring it to the table.  What we bring to the table is joy.  I bring joy.  I bring happiness.  I bring peace.  It’s not the job itself, it’s you, the inner you – what you bring to the job that is important.

We can make a difference.  Everybody is put here for a purpose.  Some people were put here to be a doctor, a lawyer, or a janitor – whatever.  No matter who you are, always give it your best.  Don’t look at it for the money.  I don’t look at my job about money.  I look at my job and ask, “How can I make my guest happy?  How can I instill leadership with my crew so that once they go out into the real world, they will make a positive difference?”  I tell my crew to stop looking at money and start wondering, “How can I make a positive impact as a person and make everything better?”  That’s what I do.  I try to make my young people better.