Main Street Sliders - Owner
Following my work with the Department of Defense and after a brief stint doing software work for a startup that may or may not be discussed soley because it has no bearing on this story, I took on a new venture, opening **Main Street Sliders**—a small, fast-casual restaurant focused on high-quality sliders. As the owner and operator, I handled every aspect of the business, from creating a comfortable environment for customers to managing the finances, daily operations, and team building.
The staff I brought together was diverse: three female team members, including an African American woman, three Hispanic cooks (two undocumented), and several others facing challenging life circumstances, such as indigent white males. My hiring philosophy was simple: I didn’t focus on background or circumstance. If they were ready to work and committed to the job, they were part of the team. My aim was to give each person an opportunity, treating everyone equally and supporting them as best as I could as a small business owner.
I believe my employees would agree that I valued hard work and dedication, not race or background, and created an environment where fairness and respect were prioritized. Race wasn’t a topic of focus—it was the drive, reliability, and commitment of each individual that mattered.
Running Main Street Sliders gave me experience across operations, budgeting, and creating effective workflows, all while adapting to challenges on the fly. It was an entrepreneurial venture that also sharpened my leadership skills in team-building and resilience, qualities I carried forward into subsequent roles. Ultimately, I decided to close the restaurant to pursue new career opportunities, but the lessons learned and the experiences gained have stayed with me.