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Late last night, after spending 12 hours at my new Beehive frantically trying to get it set up for today's opening, I wondered deliriously what I might write about in today's blog. Needless to say I slept on it and low and behold, feeling a tad fresher, I now feel I can give it a go.
As I get ready to open the second Beehive and with a third one in Cincinnati to follow shortly, I have been thinking about what's going to set us apart in the market as we grow. Of course it's primarily the fantastic products made with love and care by emerging designers that is truly our hallmark but I think it's also more than that. I think it's also our hospitality and fundamental desire to engage people. Beehive fosters connections between people. It's a place where designers want to come and hang out, it's a place where customers can feel comfortable browsing, asking questions, trying things on. It's a sense of shared community.
I'm reading a book called "Setting the Table" by the restauranteur Danny Meyer which was recommended to me by Kate, our soon to be owner of Beehive Cincinnati. Now I know why she highly recommended this book. Not only is it an interesting read that chronicles the rise of a successful entrepreneur (he owns such NYC restaurants/eateries as Union Square Cafe, Tabla, Blue Smoke, Gramercy Tavern) but his vision for his business and his definition of hospitality really coincide with what I would like Beehive to be known for.
In the book, he defines hospitality as occurring when something "happens for you", it exists when you as host include your guests in the process, allowing them to share in the experience and listen to and anticipate their needs. For me, as a Beehive owner, this extends to both our customers and my participating designers. It is an active process, it requires listening, engaging, responding and fulfilling needs. It isn't the easy path but I think it is truly rewarding and helps to build a solid foundation. He also talks about accessibility which is also a component I believe in. Providing these services in an environment that is open to a wide variety of people, for us this mostly comes down to price point.
I think that this philosophy can be applied to any business and I can already see it in the designers that truly are passionate about what they do and consistently go the extra mile to engage and respond to their customers. From a professional identity to a willingness to take a custom order and following up with a thank you, it is present in every single transaction.You can't go into entrepreneurship "knowing it all", it is a lifelong learning process and you have to be willing to learn from everyone, especially your customers.
So, as Beehive grows up it is my desire to see this "spirit" fostered in every location. I know in my heart that if we can maintain this connection with people and community that we will always stand out from the competition!
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