1. Even without the benefit years of accumulated experience in the field, some people seem to be naturally skilled at a particular role or task. Likewise, many of the skills that are beneficial in the restaurant industry can be gained in non-professional venues, such as hobbies, volunteer organizations, extracurricular activities, or even the performing arts.

2. Strength Assessment This assessment can help you in making that ultimate decision of becoming your own boss. Take the assessment and see where your strengths lie. Before going any further I think it’s important to determine the right personality traits, for anyone wanting to get into the restaurant or food industry. Please take the time to read the next few paragraphs. They will definitely help you decide if owning a restaurant is in your future Some people need people around them; it energizes them, stimulates and excites them. Do you like inspiring and motivating others, work better surrounded by people and noise? Other factors that determines our personality traits is our internal motor, or the speed at which we do things. Do you like doing things quickly, have sense of urgency and want things done now. If you have a high desire to achieve, are self-motivated, independent, like a fast-paced environment and enjoy competition and challenges, you are fitting into a restaurant ownership mold. Often the way you personally ‘prefer to do things’ may not be the way others ‘prefer to do things’. This doesn’t make them better or worse, just different. Understanding people differences is essential to your personal and career success. Being a restaurant owner is like a shape, you need to find one that fits you. One you will do well at, the one you’re most comfortable in, the one you’re passionate about and the one that gives you purpose. Matching what you’re passionate about with your strengths, talents, and personality is one of life secrets. Set a path based on who you are, and be the best restaurant owner you can be.

3. Natural Talents Chances are you already know what these are because you’ve had them your entire life. People have commented about them. You are naturally good at some things. If you choose a career based on your natural talents you will be more productive and happier as an owner. Researchers have found that certain personality styles tend to do well in certain businesses. The closer a person’s style matches the businesses their interested in the happier, more productive and less stressed they will be. Depending on your personality style there are some businesses that just naturally fit you. This assessment is based on helping you discover if you have a natural fit for the food industry. List Your Natural Talents

4. Developed Skills Developed skills are a bit different. Natural talent means you didn’t really have to do anything besides use them, and you were good at it. Developed skills are things that you may not have been good at to begin with, but you worked on and turned into a skill. In fact, these are often better than natural talents. If you can combine the two, of course – a natural talent that you also develop and improve over time – that’s what leads to being a successful restaurant owner. Think about your past and what you’ve actually worked on over time to get good at. List Some of Your Developed Skills

5. Experience Look at what you’ve done. Have you had any unique experiences, whether good or bad? It could be anything from traveling to recovering from a disease to some sort of unique family experience. Write them down as potential strengths and potential advantages.

6. Achievements Achievements are always about results. Anytime you achieve something it means you’ve done the work and you’ve been rewarded. If that outcome is designed by other people, then it gives you an advantage. It gives you a strength you can use to build a successful restaurant business.

7. Qualifications Qualifications are not as effective as achievements because nowadays people don’t care so much about your qualifications as about your results. That being said, qualifications still matter. Certainly in some fields it’s a lot better if you say you’re a Ph.D. or a qualified doctor or a lawyer. Those sorts of qualifications help, but if you worked in a restaurant and bar tended during college or as a summer job, that type of qualification will help you if you’re going to go into owning a Bar and Grill. So think about your past and any kind of qualifications you’ve got and make note of them.

8. Current Studies A current study means maybe you’re just at the part of your life where you’re developing your skills through actual formal studies. That’s an area you can also write down because you might find in a year or two as you open your business, your studies help you advance to the point where you’ve got some developed skills. So anything you’re currently studying, anything you’re currently working on has the potential to become a strength. It may not be one yet, but it could be one soon.

9. Awards Awards are potentially amazing. For example, if you’ve won an Olympic medal that’s a great point of credibility, but you might have some simpler awards too that you’ve won within specific industries. Maybe you’ve been employed in a certain role at a job and you’ve won awards. That could help you translate your employment award, developed skills, achievements etc. into a business ownership statist. This is an advantage, because you can say you were awarded this special something that qualifies you as better than everyone else, and that is an advantage.

10. Hobbies I suggested that people look at their hobbies to begin with because that’s a good place to find your passions. You have to be careful with hobbies because they might lead to things that are passions, but not necessarily strengths. When you do look at your hobbies, make sure you’re looking at things you’ve actually developed over time into those developed skills.

11. Reality Check-Your Weaknesses Write down the things you’re not good at. Avoid anything that you’re not good at and hire someone who is. Example - I wasn’t strong in baking, I knew offering homemade signature desserts and breads would help us stand out among our competition, I made it a point to hire a cook with baking experience and skills. You can’t be everywhere and do everything in your business! Putting people in the right positions is critical to your customer’s satisfaction and your success. Maybe you’re not good at writing but you still want to have a blog, on your restaurant site have one of your employees help you and give them some kind of incentive. Make sure you’re very aware of what’s not a strength, and find ways to stay as far away from those things as you can.

12. Credibility I’d like for you to think about what is your credibility. This one is potentially more important as strength or as an advantage than anything else. If you have any points of credibility, they can be highlighted, on your menu, website, or walls at your restaurant. People care about verified outcomes that are desirable. If you actually have something, you’ve achieved in the industry or any industry that gives you credibility. Have you gotten raved reviews for your service, or received awards? People need and want to know this.

13. Positive Responses From Others Wherever you’ve worked have you experienced anyone saying how you have pleased them with your skills and gone beyond their expectations that’s a very powerful response.

14. Your Story What experience has got you to this point in your life? What journey did you take to get to this very moment in your life. It will lend credibility, experience and strengths to be a future restaurant owner.

15. Your Business Ownership Related Strengths Your visionary approach lets you see how everything relates to each other and where problems may arise. This is why you tend to be the entrepreneurs of society… Do you see YOU in these descriptions? Ability to see what needs doing and be realistic about what is necessary to complete the job. Enjoyment of initiating and promoting projects. Lots of energy and being active on-the-job. Ability to adapt well to change and shift gears quickly. Ability to make work exciting. Practicality, realistic perceptions and good commonsense. Process-oriented approach, creating a lively and no-nonsense atmosphere at work. Flexibility and willingness to take risks and try new ap proaches.

16. Taking Charge Your leadership skills compel you to take charge and be in control. You make a difference when it’s needed to solve a problem because you are willing to back yourself. Your self-confidence and leadership qualities encourage others to follow and support you. You make a difference by encouraging others to be the best they can be. You respect loyalty and hard work. Taking on a challenge that uses your ability to think outside the box, be innovative and take action. You make a difference by encouraging others to get on with it, take calculated risks and challenge themselves. Giving expert advice even though you like to be in control and want things done your way, you make a difference by being open to advice.

17. Being A Creative Thinker You make a difference by being a visionary, a “future oriented” person who doesn’t look back. You are good at developing plans, schemes and concepts, sometimes the bigger the better. Nothing is impossible. You use a logical approach to design and innovation. Catching on quickly You make a difference by catching on quickly about how to do a job or what a project needs. You value the skills you have and those of others and are ready to employ their expertise to achieve the outcome you seek. Solving problems. You are a natural and gifted problem solver. You make a difference by being able to get to the core of a problem and provide solutions that work. You see the problem as a challenge rather than a setback, and this gives you the clarity to see through it. Managing conflict is not a problem for you. You’re comfortable with it, provided it is dealt with in a logical, non-emotional way. You make a difference by staying calm in mediating disputes and bringing conflict to an end.

18. My Final Words I don’t expect you to have all the strengths or skills and personality traits that are needed to become a restaurant owner. My hope is you’ll have enough to give you the confidence to pursue and attain what you do need. Just keep in mind during your career you will or may have already changed jobs a number of times. Provided you stay in jobs that match your strengths you’ll always be happy and successful. Regardless of the restaurant concept you choose this assessment has provided you with enough information and results to help you make the decision to become a restaurant owner or direct your passion towards something your more suited for. If you’re excited and want to continue on this success journey as a First Time restaurant owner my E- book Series The Recipe For Success For The First Time Restaurant OwnerThe Recipe For Success For The First Time Restaurant Owner will be available this summer. Much Restaurant Success, Chef & Restaurateur