Rather than trying to create the culture of your business, try creating an environment. If you create the right environment, eventually it will create the culture.

Asking someone to change their personality in order to fit a particular defined culture is as effective as asking a leopard to change its spots.

If you provide your employees with a great environment, then the energy in the room will get the best out of your staff.

Remember, you can teach skills, not personality.

By building an environment, it will naturally evolve into a culture, creating a more enjoyable and productive workplace.

While these are good tactics at first, they are not a way to create sustainable clientele. Lowering your price may work for a short period of time, but eventually, as a business owner, you’ll want to raise your prices back to their original rates.

This creates a problem because you don’t want to drive away your clients. It’s always harder to raise prices than it is to lower them.

Basics never change

As a small business, you don’t have the capital to throw into a huge marketing campaign. But, defining your business core, focusing on what your business is about, that is free, and invaluable.

Work on improving what you already have – refine your customer service, go that extra mile; do things that set you apart from your competition that don’t cost much money.

Making a client feel welcome and being attentive to their needs will make them come back.

Creating a returning client is valuable because they will help promote you through word of mouth, something much more valuable than a $20,000 marketing campaign that doesn’t affect your clients at all.

Marketing is not a department!

One misconception is that marketing is a department. IT is a department. Finance is a department. But marketing isn’t.

Marketing is your receptionist, your assistant, your intern, anyone who interacts with the public. Focus on how your employees represent themselves and your company to the public.

Stop lying! We can see right through it!

Many businesses have Mission Statements. They hang them proudly so that their clients and other members of the public can see them. The problem with this is that people don’t connect to the words that they see.

Rather they connect to the experience they have with your business. These mission statements show that a company has a philosophy for what they do – but how much do they actually live by it? How much should they live by it? 80% of the time? 100%?

Everytime you up your game with your customer service, that’s the best marketing and PR you could ever invest in.

Focus on the basics because the basics never change.

Naturally, the first solution is to hire someone to help you. The trouble is, how do you know if you’re going to hire someone who’s going to do a good job?

You want someone who will require little training and that you are comfortable trusting them to do a good job.

As a business owner, you want to be remarkable. You shouldn’t have to settle for anything less than that when you’re looking to hire new employees.

You’ve worked hard to get where you are, so make wise decisions. Keep your business lean, hiring the wrong person is just adding fat. So before you go and hire someone, stop, and do it yourself.

By knowing exactly what you want done, what skills and requirements you need in your employee, you will be able to hire the best person.

For example, if you’re looking for someone to maintain the social media for your business, you need to narrow it down to what exactly you want them to do, since there are so many facets of social media.

Do you want them to create brand awareness? Convert your online followers to customers? Or just help you market your product or service?

When we think of social media, we don’t think about specifics, about what exactly social media encompasses.

Once you’ve struggled, you’ll know exactly what you’re looking for – someone who will excel where you’ve had problems.

Hire right, hire less.

Looking a bit closer, however, and the inspirations and motifs behind his work begin to jump out at you like the bold textures, lines, and design elements so prominent in his work. Rifling through his studio in North Tokyo, half-finished customised Converses, lay next to scraps of unfinished portraits popping out from magazines he’s recently been published in. An Australian artist now working out of Tokyo, Anthony Hayes has translated this inspiration into a line of illustrations, videos and fashion. Recently I had a chance to catch up with ‘Ant’ to discuss his new work and upcoming debut at Tokyo Design Festa.

So why’d you take the leap and base yourself out of Tokyo?

Well, I started out doing animation and motion graphics for television and advertisements in Australia for about four years and needed a change. I came to Tokyo for a holiday a few years ago and fell in love with the city and its art scene. People here have a real passion for creating and expressing their ideas that is quite refreshing compared to Sydney. It doesn’t really matter who you are or what you do, but you can pretty much find an avenue to show your wares. Pretty much every time I head out into the city, I come across something that inspires me with new ideas.

What was that about how you punked the Internet and a Tokyo Toy exhibition?

Last year, Medicom Toys had an exhibition in Tokyo and I thought it would be fun to try and generate some hype for a toy that didn’t exist. I customised a Be@rbrick and then made a fake advertisement, hyping it up as a limited edition, only for sale at the exhibition. I managed to fool a few popular collectable sites and blogs and I was surprised at how easily and quickly it spread. My site got a huge number of hits and I had a whole load of collectors contacting me, asking how they could get their hands on one. Be@rbrick collectors are pretty passionate people, so it didn’t take them to long to figure out it wasn’t real. It was quite funny.

Aside from illustrations, and collectables, I hear you’re branching out into fashion this year?

I’d always wanted to customise shoes. At first I started out customising a few pairs of Converse All-Stars for some friends and myself, and the feedback I got was really positive. So I decided to make more and sell them through my site. It’s going really well, and I recently opened up an ETSY shop, so hopefully I’ll be able to get a few more out there. It’s pretty exciting to see someone wearing my designs.

So what can we expect from you in the near and distant future?

Look out for me at the next Design Festa in May, which is the big art festival here in Tokyo. I’m doing a portrait series for that. Getting into the whole custom shoe thing has really inspired me to move towards fashion more, so I’m also working on a T-shirt line which I plan to launch at the festa and then sell through my site.

I’ve got a million-and-one ideas floating around in my head, so I’m really looking forward to the future.

Check out Anthony’s work at:

http://www.antisant.com
http://antisant.blogspot.com/
http://www.anthonyhayes.net/

Tell me about yourself.

I moved to Vancouver about four years ago, and I did a fashion-merchandising program out here after university. I have a sociology background, so it wasn’t a direct path to fashion, but I’ve always freelanced a little bit as a stylist on the side. I just really wanted to focus on that and make that dream a reality.

How did Body Politic get started?

It started when I was in university, but I knew at that point that I wanted to be my own boss, and have my own business. I wanted it to be a clothing boutique, and I needed to figure out what kind of boutique I wanted it to be. It was my mum who encouraged me to look into the eco-fashion aspect, which was a little difficult at the time because there wasn’t a lot out there, especially North American designers.

What does the name Body Politic mean to you?

I wanted a name that wasn’t really earnest or obvious like eco-chic or green. I just wanted a name that would grab people’s attention and resonate with them, and make them think a little bit. I like the connotations of Body Politic, a group of people coming together for good change.

Can two of the three (ethical, organic and sustainable) criteria for your designer’s clothing co-exist? For example, can a dress be organic and ethical, but not sustainable to sell in your store?

All three qualities are definitely ideal. The only reason why organic might be left out is that some of designers use surplus fabric or recycled fabric. Right now, we have a piece that is actually made from recycled denim. It’s not organic cotton, but it’s still sustainable and eco-friendly fabric in that regard.

Let’s say that you are in the mall, and you see something that was drop-dead gorgeous. It wasn’t ethical, sustainable or organic. Do you buy it?

Well, first, you’d have to get me into a mall. That would be the tricky part. Honestly, I’m not a puritan about any of this. I’m not perfect. I’m not really on a bandstand waving my flag. But, I also do value where I spend my money and how it makes feel when I spend it.

So, how does having your eco-friendly business affect your business operations?

I’m not growing my flax out back to make my own linen fabric. I’m not that hardcore about it. But, that’s one of the reasons (carbon footprint) why we wanted to keep the designers within North America. That was what we could do while giving people that different style element. I think sometimes in Vancouver it can get redundant with the style aesthetic, so bringing in designers from New York keeps it interesting for people. It keeps people excited about this eco-fashion thing. It will cause them to keep supporting it.

Organic food. A lot of people would buy it…if it were cheaper! Would more people buy eco-friendly clothing if it were cheaper?

It is sort of a catch 22. The cheap and cheerful stuff, we’re not paying the true cost of it. Those cheap price tags are really subsidized. We’re not paying the carbon costs. We’re not paying for the labour. We’re not paying for the cost of harming our local economy. That being said, with the demand increasing, that’s where you see the prices come down.

What do you think of H&M’s cheap and organic clothing from the Garden Collection?

I think it’s great that they are incorporating organic fabrics. I know there has been some controversy about how organic it was. In that sense, I don’t feel threatened as a retailer. Again, that is another buying decision that a consumer has to make.

As a smaller retailer, what are you trying to achieve in 10 years?

I want to create just a great platform for these designers. Give them a space that legitimizes them as a fantastic designer. It’s not just as an eco-designer; you are a great designer, period. That’s why we launched our online store. We wanted to give exposure beyond our spot here on 12^th and Main in Vancouver. Also, I want to make it easy for my customers to make ethical buying choices…and, just getting more involved with the community.

Aside from being a community leader, what is your advice as leader in the eco-friendly industry as a young entrepreneur?

Just persevere. Don’t give up. It’s tough to be on the cutting edge of something. It’s tough to be a pioneer because not only are you trying to set up your business, but also you are trying to educate at the same time. There is also an issue of green-washing. People are scared or don’t really think it is making a difference. So, it’s important not to be scared, or to do what has always been done just because it’s safe. Make the decisions that are attuned to your values.

June 2010 will bring the release of Askmeoutnow.com, the newest and latest in online dating.

A venture created by Define’s own Michael Tao, Askmeoutnow.com promises to bring new technologies and innovation to online dating.

Askmeoutnow.com’s official press release:

Local Vancouverite Builds a New Social Media Platform to Find You a Date

Askmeoutnow.com is the newest online dating service that is set to launch this June to bring a Pulse! to Vancouver

Vancouver, BC April 20, 2010 – People make friends on Facebook. People build business networks on LinkedIn. People will date on Askmeoutnow.com starting June, 2010 in Vancouver. In Vancouver, dating itself is hard. It can be impossible. For active, working adults, it’s about finding the time, let alone finding the right person.

Michael Tao, a social media entrepreneur, recognizes the dating challenges in Vancouver, and he has found time to help others. As Michael puts it, “Vancouver is a hard one to crack, because a lot of people aren’t from here. Without that circle of friends, meeting people is hard.”

Enter Askmeoutnow.com into the dating arena, and Michael states,”I believe that online dating has yet to reach its potential. There are so many dating sites popping up but they are all merely replicating each other. That isn’t remarkable. Things haven’t changed since online dating first started in 1995. It hasn’t caught up, and as a result, online dating is not accepted by more people.”

Remarkable is what Askmeoutnow.com will be. New technologies including a Pulse! feature will integrate real-time messages to uniquely match singles across Vancouver. With the help of leading experts in Vancouver in the areas of web development, design, social media, and marketing, Michael is nearing the launch of Askmeoutnow.com, and it will be revolutionary in the online dating world.

About Us

Askmeoutnow.com is a new online dating service combining free and fee-based access that is set to the revolutionize online dating by engaging members in a dynamic and organic community that adapts to reflect the changing needs of it’s members. The power of innovation, quality and ubiquity of social networking has backed the creation of Pulse!, the core feature behind Askmeoutnow.com. It mines active profiles and current updates to find the right person by analyzing real-time, microblog updates to reflect your emotions, interests or desires to other singles in Vancouver.

Based out of Vancouver, BC, Askmeoutnow.com is inspired to encourage conversation for singles seeking an active and vibrant dating experience. Askmeoutnow.com is for people who are tired of traditional dating sites that are full of unsuitable matches, inactive profiles and a world of spammers. For more information about how to sign up, go to Askmeoutnow.com.

For further information, contact:

Michael Tao
press [at] askmeoutnow.com
facebook.com/askmeoutnow
twitter.com/askmeoutnow

And, for free. Things changed, and Joyce got really popular. In a blink of an eye, the first location of Noir Lash Lounge opened in Yaletown, in December 2008. Then, the newest Noir Lash Lounge on South Granville opened up recently in February 2010. Let’s just say that Joyce is a powerhouse that packs a pretty business punch.

How would you describe yourself at a personal level and an entrepreneurial level?

Inexperienced. And, pretty much (I) did the things on the fly. It’s not like I planned anything, it was just like everything kind of happened. It happened as it needed (to). Like, when I first opened the Yaletown store, I was just renting the two couches from Blo and it was just cash, because I wasn’t going to lease the space. And, as volume increased, they were like, well, do you want to lease the space? And, I was like, “Oohhh! I guess so!” And then maybe, it was time to hire more people.

I’m very, very positive. You know, a lot of people would weigh the risks and things like that. They make sure they have X amount of money before they do something. Whereas, I’m like, “Let’s just do it!” Worse case scenario, no one comes, and you close the doors. Really, that’s the worse case scenario. It’s not like I took out a loan, and I’m going into debt. Let’s open doors.

What were you doing before the lash business?

I graduated with a double major from UBC in Life Sciences and English Lit. I used to work in a hospital until literally, April 2009. And, that’s what I think a lot of people don’t know, is that I had two other jobs while I was opening Noir. So, another thing to describe my personality is optimistic overachiever. I thought and tried to do everything. My days when the company first started: I worked 8:30am-1:00pm at the hospital, then I’d come down to Yaletown, work around 1:30-6:00/7:00pm or 8:00, if I could push it. Also, I worked as a tutor for kids. I’d work from 7:00pm or 8:00pm onwards until 10 or 11 at night. Then, on weekends, I’d spend the whole day, like 8-12 hours down at the store.

What motivated you to make this big switch?

I thought it was a unique concept. It was something that I had been looking for. It started off because my mum and I used to get our lashes done. But, we’d get it done out of this lady’s house, and we could only get it done one person at a time. Where could we go in Vancouver where we could get lashes done at the same time? A place where it’s not just one lady at the back of a nail salon who knows how to do lashes. So, why not have place that can just do this? I mean a lot of the people I knew were getting this done, like my mom and her friends. My friends were getting it done. But, it’s so hard. I heard this person was good, I heard that person was good, but they were charging a lot, up to 85 bucks to sometimes, 120, and in someone’s house. So, I thought it was a bit much. I wanted somewhere that was cheap, chic and fun.

Tell me what Noir Lash Lounge is in two words.

Young and innovative. We are definitely different. People categorize us along with Blo, but you know, we are really a young company compared to them. We’re still learning things as we are going.

We are the only company that is just doing lashes in Canada. Other companies say, ‘Oh yes, we do lashes.’ But, if you look at their menu, you think, ‘No, you do eyebrows, you do facials, you do waxing. Hmm, you do everything that a day spa does! Only, you are trying to say that you do lashes,’ whereas, if you look at our menu, there is literally…lashes. And, that’s it. There’s just that one service. So, that makes us really unique.

What is behind the whole look and feel (comfy black lounge chairs, slick black chandeliers, gothic-like black frames) of Noir Lash Lounge?

I’m just obsessed with that pattern. That’s it. How the company concept came about was pretty much, ‘Hey, I did this home-based, wouldn’t it be cool if we did this in a store with more couches?’ The reason it looks like this is because it looked like my living room! Literally. As I made the transition from my condo to Yaletown, a lot of clientele went, “Hey, this looks a lot like your condo, Joyce!” So, in a sense, it’s a combination of my apartment and the pattern that I like.

Why expand from the Yaletown location?

Yaletown, especially during its busier times, reached its max. I mean, it’s not the biggest of spaces. There are only 5 couches in there. And, you can only do 5 people at a time. That’s it. That’s not a lot.

How did this happen, and how far back does this expansion plan go?

I only agreed to do this February 1^st. And, then I had renovations and everything done within ten days. Everything has been on the fly! It’s a little sparse, but hey, let’s make it pretty, functional and we’ll work on the little details. It’s definitely been my style of business. Let’s make sure that everything can run first, and then I’ll do everything after. I know a lot of places are like, ‘Let’s set aside this amount of money, and decorate it all like this. And, have all this.’ I’m just like, ‘Let’s just open doors first!’ The Olympics was a big part of that pressure.

Support for other surrounding business has been big in the opportunities that you have taken (ie. retweets for other Yaletown businesses – Goldfish, appearances at Yaletown events, customer appreciation event with gift ideas featuring Sugar Lime, Blo, Society, etc). How important is that to you?

I didn’t even think of it that way. I was just thinking, ‘Oh, my clients are coming to that location. They should know what is going on in that neighbourhood because they will be walking around and parking.’ I think Yaletown generally, as a business group, is very supportive of each other and we promote each other. A lot of our clients and the same for the South Granville area, are going to park and they’re not just going to go to one place, they are going to come here, they are going to go next door, they are going to across the street, they are going to hit up a lot of places for their two, three hour parking. You might as well promote everyone else while you can.

It’s a bit harder (at the South Granville location) because the only one that really tweets is Blo and no one else really does because these companies are big, American companies. American Apparel, Pottery Barn, and Chapters. So, I’m the little girl in the big neighbourhood here.

What kinds of people lash out here?

Busy women. Women who want just a little something extra, a little pretty perk-me-up. Mostly women who work and busy Moms who don’t want to bother with makeup, don’t have the time to curl their lashes and put on mascara every morning. It’s a put it on and off you go kind of thing. We have a wide range of clientele; we’ve got girls who are pretty young…you know, in their early twenties, students up to seniors. You know, if you get older, your hormones change and you start to lose your lashes as well. So, it makes you look a lot more youthful when you’ve got a little bit more of a thicker lash line. Obviously, we get our Asians as well. Asians are not genetically blessed with long, luscious lashes. But really, we get quite a range, which was surprising. I was just thinking it was going to be a bunch of vain girls like me!

What gets someone to come back and have her lashes done again at Noir Lash Lounge?

They are happy. That’s part of the business model as well. I mean, we don’t advertise. Almost all of our clients have come back because someone has come here previously and told them about it or they’ve seen it personally. So, the power of word of mouth has really driven the company.

There has been a bunch of specialty services. Blo, Pure Nail, Bombay Brow Bar etc. pop up. Why does the specialty concept work here in Vancouver? Why does yours work?

By default, we’re the best at what we do. Because if that’s all you do everyday, then in one day, we’ve done more than what a small spa has done in terms of lash extensions. And, when you are doing something with the eyes, do you want to some lady who has done nails all day? “Oh sure, I’ll do your lashes! Just come back here!” You know, nail chemicals and nail polishes are pretty harsh chemicals. People question what products you are using. Ask not what they are using, but what were they doing before.

Give us the dirt on your normal kind of day.

Emails, emails and more emails. Receiving and sending emails, on some days I’ve done over a hundred. If it’s going to be a big press release, we are looking at 300-500 emails.

I take care of my own Facebook and Twitter. I do the social media as well. I update the website myself as well. So, my day is usually full of boring admin stuff. And, then there are all the supplies. We need more lashes, and it seems all I do is get more supplies and drop them off. It feels like I’m an e-mail and an errand girl. You know, everyone says, “Oh, what a glamourous life!” No! I’m like the store’s little bitch! Seriously.

What would be the dream? That one dream?

The focus right now is to see where I can do with having the two locations. I mean, I’m either going to double my clientele or half my clientele, right? And, double my expenses. So, at this point, I’m not sure. But, I mean, obviously my goal would be to see a Noir Lash Lounge in every major city across the world. However, reality is, it is a small local company. It’s got a pretty big presence in Vancouver. Who knows how it will all take.

Do you love it?

I do. I do. It’s amazing to watch something physical come from out of your imagination. Seeing something in the flesh that started out as an idea in your head is something that I’m very lucky to been able have. Who knows what the future holds? Who knows how this economy will do? The fact that I’ve just been able to do that is enough for me, and I’m happy with things. No matter what’s happened, no matters what happens, I’m happy. I’m thankful for things. I’m happy because I’m thankful that the doors are still open, that everything is still here. And, people still want lashes.

What advice would you have for other young entrepreneurs?

The one thing that a lot of people are afraid to do is to actually do it. Everyone thinks that you must need a lot of capital; you must need a lot of this and that. No, you’ve just got to have the willingness, the idea, and the drive to it. When I first started doing this, it was my third job. Who starts out a company as their third job? If you really want to do something, you can.

Tell us about your restaurant, Hapa Izakaya.

My wife, Lea, and I first opened Hapa Izakaya on Robson Street in 2003. We’ve since expanded that location – twice – opened a second location on Yew Street in Kitsilano, and our third location in the heart of Yaletown launched just in time for the Olympics in January 2010.

Why did you start Hapa Izakaya? Where are you at now with the Hapa Izakaya chain?

When we opened on Robson Street seven years ago we wanted to take what we had learned by working and dining at the best izakaya in Japan and bring it to Vancouver. Vancouver has some of the best Asian cuisine on the continent, but we felt there was room for a more innovative approach to the izakaya that would appeal to the passionate foodies in the city. We certainly were not the first izakaya to open here, but we feel we did raise the bar with an offering that was upscale, edgy and stylish, with more elegantly presented dishes.

Today we have three locations, but we don’t call them a chain. Each location has its own distinctive feel and personality. For example, each chef at the three locations creates his own daily “fresh sheet”. This allows the chef and his team to put their own personal stamp on the menu. This gives them a lot of flexibility and creative freedom, while still working within the standards we have for all three Hapa Izakaya locations. We are not actively looking to add any more locations, but if a great opportunity presented itself, we’d certainly give it consideration.

What does Hapa Izakaya mean and how did you come up with the name?

“Hapa” means “leaf” in Japanese. The word also has special significance to Lea and I. In Hawaii, the word “hapa” means “half”, as in a person of mixed race, very common in Hawaii and increasingly in the Pacific Northwest. It’s a good word for Vancouver.

How was your life before Hapa Izakaya?

There was life before Hapa? Before opening our first restaurant Lea and I were living in Japan. A Japanese owner of 22 izakaya in and around Tokyo offered us the rare opportunity to do a “stage” – an apprenticeship at his various izakaya. My fluent Japanese enabled me to work the room, and Lea, who had been cooking since she was eight years old, trained in the kitchen learning how to cook izakaya-style dishes.

So much has changed since then. Lea and I were married in 2002, and we now have two wonderful daughters and three thriving restaurants. We thoroughly enjoy being part of the exciting and innovative restaurant community in Vancouver. It truly is a community!

Has the economic down turn affected Hapa Izakaya’s business? What made you decide to open another Hapa Izakaya in Yaletown, especially in this economy?

Not only did we open in Yaletown but we also expanded our original Robson Street location by nearly a third. Izakaya in general are set-up to thrive in this economy because it offers solid value, a great time, and a bit of an escape. Yaletown is a neighbourhood that we had always thought would be a good fit for Hapa. When an opportunity there presented itself, we didn’t hesitate. We knew the neighbourhood would welcome a unique restaurant that offered more of a personal approach than some of the larger chain restaurants already in the area.

How many hours do you work per day and what is your daily schedule like?

Well I am in Hawaii on a family vacation right now ,but generally like any small business owner, it’s pretty much a 24/7 endeavor. Restaurant-related thoughts are some of the first things I think about when waking up and when I go to sleep. Just everybody in the restaurant industry, I constantly dream/have nightmares about business. Usually nothing disastrous – more along the lines of a forgotten order. It’s not the type of business where you can put in anything less than 100%. If it’s not your life and you don’t enjoy it being your life, don’t get involved or get out quickly!

Having said that, we do try to have balance in our lives, especially when it comes to our children and our marriage. It takes a lot of effort, but anything important usually does. If I had to put a figure on how many hours in the day that I’m working, I’d have to say an average of 16 hours. Lea’s not quite as much as she’s not working in the restaurants in the evening. I’m up at 8am during the week to take the girls to school and 10am later in the week when I’m at the restaurant later. My average bedtime is probably 3am. Days consist of paperwork, email and phone calls. Evenings are at the restaurants. Sunday and Monday, like many people in the biz, are nights off from the restaurants.

What is your secret on managing all these restaurant locations?

Having a great team in place! I was so happy to read the early reviews of the new Yaletown location; we had a few media guests in immediately and they commented that they felt like the room had been open for weeks already because it was running so smoothly.

I can’t emphasize enough how important our staff are. They make our jobs – and lives – so much easier. We have very little turnover which makes a big difference. We try to look after our employees so that they don’t want to or feel the need to move on. Because we don’t have a lot of staff turnover, when we do hire a new employee, we are able to be very selective and get the best possible fit. Listening to and empowering staff goes a long way. While I can be guilty of micro-managing at times, our long term staff knows how I think and make decisions accordingly.

The first thing you notice when you walk into a Hapa restaurant is the Japanese culture. Do you try to hire people who speak Japanese, for a more authentic feel and what is your hiring process like?

While we are a Japanese izakaya, we try to be a great restaurant first and foremost. Almost all of our kitchen staff are originally from Japan. This is no accident as we feel that in order to produce food and dishes that one would eat in Japan, having chefs and cooks who grow up with the food and ingredients is very important. Our non-Japanese kitchen staff are from a variety of backgrounds but all share a passion for cooking, learning and being part of a tight, family-like team.

After about a year of being open, we realized that by hiring Japanese serving staff exclusively, we were missing out on talented servers and managers from other ethnic backgrounds. The pool of Japanese speaking “front of the house” staff in Vancouver is quite small. While there are quite a few young Japanese people here as students or on working visas, they are usually only here for a limited time and, as I mentioned earlier, we place a huge emphasis on hanging onto our staff and having low turnover in our “family”. Our guests appreciate the fact that year after year, they are greeted by familiar faces who at the very least, recognize them and in many cases, remember their names. These days, when a qualified applicant is hired who speaks Japanese, we consider it a bonus rather than a requirement. Having said that, by virtue of being the people that they are, all staff take a strong interest in learning the language and culture that is at the root of the Hapa Izakaya experience.

If you had to do it again, what would you do differently?

I can’t think of anything we would want to do differently. We are very happy with the way things have worked out. It has been a tremendously satisfying experience.

What advice would you give a young entrepreneur starting out?

Ask questions and listen. Then do it again and again. As long as you approach people at the right time, most people – especially restaurateurs – are happy to share their experiences and advice. Also, you’ve got to be fully committed to (and love) what you’re doing.

Is there anyone that you look up to and model yourself on?

For me, I’d say my dad. While pipefitting doesn’t have too much in common with the restaurant business, they are both jobs that require a lot of effort and hard work. My dad, like many in his generation, felt, “If a job was worth doing, it was worth doing right”.

Do you have any favorite business or entrepreneur related books that you can recommend to other entrepreneurs?

As silly as it sounds, we actually bought a copy of “The Idiot’s Guide To Opening A Restaurant”! There were some very useful points in it. I really enjoyed Charlie Trotter’s “On Service”. While it was more fine dining oriented, a lot of what he had to say was transferable to any restaurant or business.

What is the best advice you have been given, since you’ve started?

The customer/guest is NOT always right. If someone is being a complete jerk to one of my staff, I don’t have any problem asking them to leave. Of course, I make sure I have the facts straight before taking that step! Our staff works way too hard and care too much to allow someone to treat them rudely.

Do you think becoming an entrepreneur is something that is in your blood or be learned?

Probably a bit of both. Lea and I knew we wanted to be our own bosses even with the “cost” that comes with it. I think that your life experiences leading up to your first enterprise are the biggest influences. Working as a bellman while in university and as a stock broker in Tokyo have both contributed enormously to my ability to work in and manage our restaurants.

Where is your favorite place to eat Japanese food?

Other than Hapa and Japan? Honestly, we get enough of it with our place! However, I would recommend Dan on West Broadway and the various locations of Zakkushi (for yaki-tori “chicken on sticks”).

Any last words you would like say to DefineMag readers?

Nothing I haven’t mentioned already. Treat your employees as you would your family – do everything you can to hang on to the good ones! Love what you do. Don’t even bother trying if you plan to give it a half-hearted effort. Ask questions and for advice from people in the field that you’re considering. When you start hearing the same thing over and over, you know you’ve started to accumulate some knowledge.

Tell me about Norman Lai.

I have a software application background, website background. I’ve been doing IT for the last 16 years.  I studied sales and marketing in college. I actually hated computer guys when I was younger. Now, I am in the business. Go figure!

We build different things here (NAC Media). My core business is building applications for small to medium-sized businesses, not actual websites but actual software applications.

What was behind the motivation to start up AMA Hits?

Music. I’ve always loved (music) ever since I was a little kid. That’s the biggest love I’ve had. I don’t play musical instruments. I don’t sing or anything. I just like music in general.

So, I thought about it. I go, you know what, there’s got to be something for guys who aspire to be someone. No one looks at them. So, I said, I’ve got the technical knowledge, I’ve got the staff, I can build something. I can build something and fill a need somewhere.

My wife’s Filipino.  There’s a huge Filipino community and they love to sing…I’m listening to people sing, and I’m going, you know what? There is a lot of undiscovered talent out there.

…I thought by starting a site and by letting these people have a place to put their music, have a place to sell their music if they want to sell their music, it will be the perfect place for them…They all have a fan base of some sort.

There’s YouTube. What’s so different about AMA Hits?

…There are a few places out there that allow you to upload your music for people to listen to. They’re all semi-free services… you somehow want to break into the music industry, but you don’t know how…The industry thinks that amateurs should just be giving away their music. Who gives away anything these days?…The reality is that the odds of getting discovered and signed by a big record label with the other sites are pretty slim because there are millions of people doing the exact thing that you are.

We’re different.  We are going to the industry,  sending out the message to everybody; to radio stations, to producers, to TV stations, to magazines like yourselves, DefineMag, and we are saying there is a new avenue right now for amateurs. Are you are always looking for new music? My daughter is a perfect example. She doesn’t listen to mainstream music; she looks for new different music online. She looks for independents or indie bands or unsigned artists because she likes different kinds of music. There is a following for that type of music out there. There is a bigger and bigger following nowadays.

What happens when the artists become big? Do you do anything to support them once they make the next step to become big?

Our site is more of a stepping stone. We don’t have aspirations yet, I’m not going to say that we’re never going to have aspirations, but we don’t have them yet to sign musicians. What we want to do is to give them a place to go. Let’s say you are a person that sings. And, you’re great at it, and your friends tell you that you are great at it. Where are you going to put your music? You can’t get on iTunes, you can’t get on Rhapsody, (or) Napster because you aren’t signed. You’re just Judy sitting at home that can sing!

Right now, who is your pick for someone that we should look out for on AMA Hits?

There is this one artist who is really good.  Her name is J’anelle Avery. She is a very aggressive artist. She is pushing her own music. She fills out her whole profile correctly. She goes on her Twitter and she tweets about her songs. She tweets about AMA Hits.  On Facebook, the same thing. And, you know what? She is really talented. She has a song that sounds like a Top 40 hit. It’s just a matter of time of getting it out there.

Ok, and let’s be honest here. There are just as many good and talented artists as there are a lot more really bad and not-so-talented artists.  I think of William Hung.  Do you let the good and bad talent just run it’s course, or do you do some weeding out of the bad talent?

We let it run its course because everyone needs a chance.  We are not the judges, but those people (not-so-talented) never make it to the Top 11.  There is an automated section on the website that says Top 11 songs. That’s determined by how many times a song has been sampled.  So, we have no control over that…We should give the other guys a chance because we don’t want to single anybody out.  That’s the whole point of this.

What’s the big dream at the end of the day?

We eventually want to start our own label…A guy like David Foster, or any big producer, can only see so many people at a time because they are so busy. We’re going to see thousands of people come through our site on a monthly basis…We can recognize the talent, we have the contacts, we can push the demos out…and say, ‘Look, you need to listen to this.’

How do you do this? How do you make this work as an entrepreneur?

You have to be willing to work your ass off and get almost nothing for it. When I started my last business, I worked 16 hours a day, and I didn’t make any money for two years. That’s a long time to live on Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and driving beaters.  But, you know what? It’s the sacrifice that you have to make if you want to be successful. If you ask any successful person in the world, they will tell you the exact same thing.

A lot of young guys think they can just open up a business and make tons of money without a lot of hard work. It doesn’t really work that way.  It’s the bigger picture. I see too many of the young guys saying, “Well I believe in it, but how much am I going to get? I can’t do it without getting paid.” That means you don’t believe in it. If you don’t believe in it, you shouldn’t be doing it. That’s what I believe.

Truly, he lived by his own words; ‘sweat equity’ means paying your dues by doing something that you love.

AMA Hits is Tomorrow’s Hits Today.

Goorin (pronounced Gore-rin); a family company established in 1895, made their first sale of their hats off a horse cart. Ben describes Goorin as bold hat makers, using timeless craftsmanship.

“The dedication to the family business to keep the legacy passed down from generation to generation. It hasn’t really been until the last five years where there has been an explosion in hat interest, and styles have been so popular.”

Expansion outside of San Francisco became a reality, and Goorin stores have popped up in Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Chicago and Vancouver. Ben explains, “The staff is trained on product knowledge, history of hat styles, and our brand. They can take the time…to explain the different hats, details, help people find the right hat that looks good on them. That’s the key.”

Wait. Who is Ben Goorin? A man with a vision to bring uniqueness, quality, and authenticity to the Goorin hat business.

At work, you can say that he wears two hats because of his work in operations and creative. This means that he doesn’t have a 9-5 job. Instead, a consuming 24-7 job is more like it as Ben says, “I sleep with this stuff, it’s fun.”

It is in his blood. Also, it didn’t hurt that he has taken the next step further with classes. Ben explains, “I studied a little bit of business. I studied a lot of communications, journalism and broadcasting. To me, it’s always about a message, telling a story.”

The Inspiration Board

A board at the at the Goorin headquarters where Ben and his fellow co-workers place cool inspiration. It is always changing .

“I watch the evolution (of other companies) I look at other companies that go back in time because a lot techniques that were used back over a hundred years ago that we want continue using today. I’ve got a lot of old cigar brands up right now, and a lot the packaging…the stories behind the cigar companies, these are often family businesses.”

1333 Minna (pronounced Men-nah), Artist Series

A hat collection created by group of local artists at working out of San Francisco’s culture-rich area, Mission Street. They create hats inspired by ‘street-level art’ like street murals and tattoos. The influence of art has translated into areas outside of design such as experimentation with custom lining, screen-printing techniques, and embroidery.

The hats from 1333 Minna have street cred’ and uniqueness by “push(ing) the envelope outside of the traditional hat. For me, it’s about creating that unique and different that hasn’t been done before.”

As Ben says, “it’s about making it your own.” Get a hat and define yourself.