More Business Lessons Learned From Nick

In building your business, I’m sure you’ve learned that success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a journey that requires patience, dedication, and continuous learning. I’ve learned that getting better at my craft and growing my business lies in the commitment I put into the work behind the scenes and maintaining clear, open communication with both my team and my clients.
 

Be Patient 
It takes time to get good at your craft. There are no shortcuts. Be patient and keep studying. Study when your competitors aren’t. The time you put in will accumulate and will lead to results in the long run.

“Private victories, lead to public victories”.

If you put in the work and grind behind the scenes and are willing to continue to learn you will get better and your business will grow.
 

Over-Communicate
As a business owner, it’s essential to maintain open lines of communication with both employees and clients. For employees, regular check-ins, clear expectations, and open-door policies can foster a supportive and transparent work environment. This not only helps in addressing issues promptly but also in building trust and morale among the team.

For clients, over-communication means keeping them informed about every stage of their order, addressing their concerns proactively, and ensuring they feel valued. Regular updates, follow-ups, and feedback loops can go a long way in building strong, long-term relationships. At APS, we’ve found that over-communicating with our clients not only helps in meeting their needs more effectively but also in exceeding their expectations, leading to higher satisfaction and loyalty.

In building a business, I’ve learned that all that extra time after hours and on the weekends has paved the way to bigger victories. APS has grown slowly and incrementally because of the hard work and resiliency of not just me, but my business partner, and the team we have created. By being patient and continuously learning, we are setting the foundation for long-term success. Coupled with effective communication, we have fostered loyal customers that know that we stand behind our products and our service. At APS, we’re committed to these principles, and know that we wouldn’t have gotten half as far without them. 

I LOVED hearing from a few of you about your own business journey when I started this series last month. And I would love to hear from more of you about what you owe your success to. In learning from one another, we can only get better as business owners. Text/call me or email me anytime!

– Nick

Promoting a bar or bar specials in North Carolina can be challenging, due to restrictions like the prohibition of happy hour promotions. However, there are plenty of creative and effective alternatives to attract customers and keep your bar buzzing with activity. Here are some creative alternatives to help your bar stand out:

1. Daily Specials

Offer themed nights or rotating specials to keep customers coming back regularly.

2. Sports Events

Create a game-day atmosphere to attract sports fans with large screens and special pricing.

3. Invest in Your Social Media Promotion

Use social media to engage with customers and promote upcoming events.

4. Host a Trivia Night

Trivia nights are fun and can bring in a regular crowd with prizes for the winners.

5. Make Sure You Have an Up-to-Date Website

Keep your website updated with current events, menus, and contact information.

6. Live Music Events

Host live music to create a lively atmosphere and attract music lovers.

7. Host a Tasting Event

Organize tasting events to introduce customers to new drinks and products.

8. Collaborate with Other Local Businesses

Partner with local businesses to create unique events and attract new customers.

In the bar industry, being innovative and adaptable is crucial to success. At Albemarle Paper Supply, we’re here to support your business with the products you need.

The Rise of Kitchen Commissaries:
What They Are, How They Operate, and Why They Work

Kitchen commissaries have emerged as a vital solution for many culinary entrepreneurs. These shared commercial kitchens offer a range of benefits, making them an attractive option for various food businesses. 

What Are Kitchen Commissaries?

A kitchen commissary, or shared kitchen, is a licensed, fully equipped space that food businesses can rent for preparing and storing their products. These facilities meet health and safety standards, serving caterers, food truck operators, bakers, meal prep services, and other culinary professionals.

How Do They Operate?

Kitchen commissaries operate on a rental basis, offering flexible plans to suit the needs of different businesses. Here’s a breakdown of how they typically work:

1. Membership and Scheduling: Businesses become members of the commissary and schedule their kitchen time in advance. 

2. Shared Resources: These kitchens provide access to a wide range of equipment and facilities, allowing businesses to save on the high costs of purchasing and maintaining their own equipment.

3. Compliance and Safety: Commissaries are designed to meet local health and safety regulations, ensuring that all food preparation is done in a compliant manner.

4. Community and Networking: Working in a shared kitchen space fosters a sense of community and opportunities for networking, collaboration, and learning from peers.

Why Do They Work?

Kitchen commissaries have become popular for several compelling reasons:

1. Cost-Effective: Renting space in a kitchen commissary is far more affordable than leasing and outfitting a private commercial kitchen.

2. Flexibility: The flexible rental options allow businesses to scale their kitchen usage up or down based on demand. 

3. Support and Resources: Many commissaries offer additional support services, such as business development workshops, marketing assistance, and access to a network of food industry professionals.

4. Reduced Risk: Using a commissary reduces the financial risk associated with starting a food business. 

Notable Kitchen Commissaries in North Carolina

APS’s delivery zone is home to several well-regarded kitchen commissaries, each offering unique benefits to food entrepreneurs. Here are a few examples:

1. City Kitch, 3 locations: 2200 Thrift Rd, Charlotte, NC 28208, 9545 Pinnacle Dr, Charlotte, NC 28262 and 601 Milner Dr, Greensboro, NC 27410 
2. Short Street Kitchen, 106 Short St, Kernersville, NC 27284
3. Sweet Spot Kitchen, 4416 Monroe Rd d, Charlotte, NC 28205
4. Chef’s Commissary, 7005 – H, 7005 Wilkinson Blvd, Belmont, NC 28012 

Business Lessons Learned From Nick

Starting out as a young small business owner, I quickly learned that success doesn’t come easy. The journey of building Albemarle Paper Supply from the ground up required long hours, relentless effort, and a lot of learning along the way. There were countless challenges, but each obstacle taught me invaluable lessons that helped shape APS into the thriving company it is today. I would love to share some of these hard-earned lessons, that no-doubt some of you can relate to, as fellow small business owners. These insights have been pivotal in my journey, and I hope they can provide guidance and inspiration to my friends and customers. 
 

Major In The Majors
Rather than trying to be good at multiple things or being a “jack of all trades” focus on what you are really good at. For example, Chick-fil-A focuses primarily on chicken because they are a chicken restaurant. They don’t spend time on burgers or other types of food, they just stay good at chicken.

Recently, APS tried to expand outside of paper and disposables into a new territory. Spices. The time spent trying to learn and master a completely new product line took away from the time used to focus on disposable products, which is APS’s major focus.

Don’t sacrifice what you are good at, be the specialist.

Work/life Balance
There are two different perspectives for this. The business owner’s perspective and the employee’s perspective. 

A small business owner is not going to have an evenly balanced life. They are going to have to put in the extra hours to make sure everything is operating correctly. The extra hours the business owner puts in ideally gives their employees better work/life balance.

A business owner’s company will not operate without the right team of employees. When employees have a better work/life balance it helps them feel supported and a well supported team helps the business operate better.

Business owners sacrifice the work/life balance to make sure the employees they depend on have that balance to help grow the company. Employees must come first as the entire operation depends on them. If they are taken care of the company will have a better chance of growing.

Running a successful business is an endeavor that requires focus, dedication, and strategic thinking. Learning from my successes and failures has created a strong foundation for APS and hopefully will allow us to continue to grow. As small business owners, we have a unique opportunity to learn from each other as well. I’d love to hear from you if any of this resonated with you or if you have some lesson  you’d like to share. Text/call me or email me anytime. As much as we’ve all learned over the years, continual learning is the only way to keep moving forward. 

– Nick

 How To Get More Customers During Back-To-School

APS Construction Update + An Easy Way To Be more Sustainable