When I graduated from Samford University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication, I was in the same boat as nearly every other graduate. As the last semester came to an end, I had to ask, "What next?" Many people don't know what they want to do for a living. My issue was that I had too many things that I wanted to do. I came from a family of restaurant owners, but I studied journalism and communication. I worked in sales, and I completed internships in government affairs and real estate as well as marketing and public relations. I was all over the board, and I enjoyed every opportunity for different reasons.

 

In the end, I asked myself where I could have the biggest impact. The answer to that question was: the family business - The Bear's Den Restaurant & Catering. My family’s business has been at the heart of who I am for as long as I can remember. It’s where I learned the value of hard work, taught to me by parents who sacrificed many things to get me through college. I worked hard to grow the business and optimize work processes to increase profit and sustainability. Once I started full-time, we saw a gross sales increase of ~11% each year.

 

The restaurant needed a rebranding, but with 30 years of business and loyal customers, we had to be careful. We wanted a logo that could create the classic feel of a tenured restaurant but also show that we were not being left behind by the growing food scene downtown. We tried a few different logos and themes in small focus groups, and the final decision was to reincorporate the original, recognizable bear logo inside of a modern ring with a fun, modern font. From there, we built a new website, remodeled the dining room, and changed the menu's content and design.

 

Being able to recreate a brand and market around it for the last several years has been a privilege. I am also thankful for the leadership skills that have been developed through managing a team of 25-30 employees and learning to run a business from the top down. The business lessons that I've learned are invaluable, but the biggest thing I've learned is that relationships matter more than anything — no matter the type of business. If you can’t relate, listen to, love, and communicate with people, then you won’t be a good leader, and you won’t have an efficient business.

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For the last couple of years I have also been working on a pair of fiction novels. It has been a long, tedious process consisting of writing, editing, deleting, and then repeating. I love being able to create something that I can call my own using nothing but imagination, creativity, and skills that have been learned through trial and error. I hope to publish the first of the novels by the end of 2022.

 

At my core, I am a business professional driven by a desire to serve others and build relationships. I love wearing multiple hats, telling stories, and working on any creative project. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have questions about anything. I am open to new work and career opportunities, and I always love to connect with people!

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