Here’s a well-known secret about me, I don’t like sweets, I love them. One morning around 5:00am I was out and about getting some errands done. I grabbed an English muffin with sausage, egg, and cheese from a popular fast-food drive thru and wanted something sweet for later. The menu had an apple fritter, blueberry muffin, and apple pie. All these options were no doubt processed and pre-packaged for quick sale. When I looked across the street, I noticed an “OPEN” sign glowing in red which shined like a beacon as it was still before dawn. It was a local mom and pop donut shop called Sugar Rush Donuts that opens at 4:30am Monday thru Friday and 5:00am on Saturday if you’re ever in the Denver Metro area.
I quickly thought to myself, “you know what’s better than these high calories, commercial pastries?” … A freshly baked donut from a locally owned small business. I paid for my breakfast sandwich made with a freshly cracked egg and made my way across the street. The donut shop was being managed by a kind older couple that were all smiles as they gave me a warm welcome on a bitterly cold morning in Colorado. They have a wide range of “freshly” baked donuts and pastries, many of which you can have filled by request on the spot with Lemon, Bavarian, or Raspberry filling.
You can see them use the pastry filling machine right in front of your eyes; I felt like a kid again 😊. My choice? Well, it was a very difficult decision, but as a business owner you must be prepared for these situations. I went with a caramel glazed long john filled with Bavarian custard. It was as delicious as you can imagine. Crispy on the outside with a soft, melt in your mouth, center.
Doing a Little Extra Goes a Long Way
What stood out to me more than the cleanliness, great quality, and warm welcome was the “little extra” I found in my bag along with my long john. They kindly threw in 4 glazed donut holes for free. Now, you may wonder, what’s so special about that? The answer is that when you are a small business owner in any industry, but especially the Hospitality industry (during a pandemic), you may focus more on making a profit and forget what’s even more important: Doing a little extra goes a long way. It’s those little details that stay with a person and in many cases such as mine, have you coming back again and again.
What Are You Doing That’s “Extra”?
I try to practice what I preach and do a little extra whenever possible. That’s why I’m happy to be sponsoring our #90DayTo1K InterSys scholarship program that will cover the full tuition cost for our Bridging the Gap Medical Interpreter Training course for a deserving individual. If you or someone you know is interested, please find additional details, and apply here:
What are you doing that’s “Extra”? You don’t have to be a baker, or a Certified Medical Interpreter. Everyone can do a little extra in whatever they offer to pay it forward and make a difference. It’s your personal choice to either give the minimum or make a difference. Please share and comment if you can relate or feel inspired. #Extra #Inspiration
Best,
Johnny Romero
Comments