What Did You Learn? In Their Own Words

Pay Attention - Be Curious - Learn Things - Have Fun

Since 1989, The Vanilla Bean Café (The Bean) has employed over 1,000 people. Some stay for one season while others stay for many years, progressing and learning many aspects of business operations, food handling, cooking, and management. Our average length of employment is approximately three years. The majority of employees at The Bean are college students alongside some high school students. About 25% of the staff are full-time, year-round employees that are in management and/or cooking roles. For more than half of our employees, a job at The Bean is their entry point to the workforce and is often their first work experience.

We recently published an article in this publication and on LinkedIn about Our Hidden Agenda. It reveals that our main focus at The Bean is working to create a place where the right people show up. The right people want to help run a great restaurant while creating a more valuable sense of self for their futures.

We recently reached out to some former employees to ask them what they learned working with us that they continue to use in their present occupations. So, here in their own words, are some of the responses we received:

“The main thing you [The Bean] taught me was that I work for myself first. If I’m not happy, how can customers, co-workers and bosses be? Second to that was teamwork and helping out everywhere. Just because I may have been assigned to sandwiches doesn’t mean I shouldn’t jump on another station (e.g., dishes or register) if I’m not busy at my station.” – Christie

“I would like to add the lessons about not taking things personally because everyone is operating in their own separate reality. I have come back to this so many times in my working life, and it allows me to remain calm and compassionate when dealing with intense situations. My coworkers often comment on my ability to be warm and kind with the most difficult people.” – Tracie

“You have taught me so much, things that I use still to this day. First, the ‘Yes Path’, it really is so much easier. Second, is how my energy affects those around me. Third, is the ability to control my own emotions”. – Brianne - (note: The ‘Yes Path’ refers to simply saying ‘Yes’ to requests and then fulfilling on those requests and that the most important part of the path is crafting a good request).

“SEPs!!! I still use this all of the time.” – Christin - (note: SEP is an acronym for Someone Else’s Problem – it refers to not leaving something for someone else to do when you can easily take care of the situation).

“To take pride in the work you do, regardless of what you’re doing. Do it not for the approval of others, but for the satisfaction of doing the job right.” – Terry

“Treat your customers the way you want them to treat you, everybody has bad days once in a while and when local celebrities come in treat them like everybody else and give them their privacy.” - Kim

“The ‘Yes Path’ and the Mood of Willingness.” – Tamara - (note: Mood of Willingness refers to the attitude with which we want and expect all employees to work. Learn more about the these in the book The Drunkard's Path - by Barry Jessurun).

“Barry & Brian have taught me a lot! Barry has hammered in the Four Agreements for the last 8 years. Not to take things personally is the big one. Selfish Altruism, raising teenagers, and to be a velvet hammer. One thing that really stuck with me is also “common sense needs to be taught”. Also, one of my favorites is creating and improving ones resume. Cooking with Barry is one of my favorite things at The Bean. Brian taught me patience… Brian taught me how to take the blinders off, attention to detail, knife skills, how to breakdown animals, how to be more assertive, how to masterfully cook fish, minimize food waste, and so much more. Barry and Brian are probably two of the most influential people in my life. They taught me what The Bean really is and it’s not just a cafe. Working with them has been a gift! I’m the better for it. Love you both!” – Sarah

“I learned about community at the Bean – what it means, and how to foster it. In a community, everyone brings something to the table, and everyone deserves to be there. Most importantly, how to be an effective leader in a community. Are you someone that YOU would like to work with? Are you someone that a customer wants to see everyday? The community-oriented atmosphere at the Bean set my standards for the kind of driven and positive people I go out my way to surround myself with now” – Megan

“Get rid of those damn pennies and stop the Seagull method of managing. And get local artists to decorate the walls. Work with kind people.” – Randy

“’What cha burning bud?’ -Brian Jessurun every night I worked” – Ben

“If you are not learning something new every day, you are not winning at life.” – Maya

See Also: Learning for Life by Barry Jessurun

“Anticipate breakdowns. This is by far the most valuable of the lessons I have learned in my 20-year stint with the Jessuruns. When you go into anything, anticipate breakdowns to occur. This could range from coworkers or friends to not fulfilling their promises, computers failing at a crucial moment, communication efforts breaking down, vendors to dropping the ball - anything can go wrong, at any moment. If you anticipate this, and budget time & patience for it, not only will life feel easier but you will be a more positive and productive leader, team member, spouse, parent or friend. Of course, how you foresee, assess, and react to those breakdowns are deeper lesson, but start by anticipating them. Even after years of practice I still work on this.” - Kayla

It is important to know that we all learn from our experiences, be they at work, at home or at play. Most often we learn things that will help us on this journey through life. Sometimes we learn what not to do, as well as places, topics, actions, and things to avoid. The Bean takes pride in the workforce we help to create and are always glad to hear when someone lets us know something they learned with us that has helped them in their own journey. What have you learned in your early jobs that you still use today?