restaurants

The first book I’m reading is Setting the Table. Danny Meyer writes like he runs his restaurants, focusing on warmth to the customer.  And the guy knows how to run restaurants, as he has opened several in New York and closed none.  It’s part autobiography, and part his management philosophy (which is very Zingerman’s – who, by the way, now does food tours around the world).  A good quote, relevant to the Detroit Institute of Bagel’s philosophy on starting a business in Detroit:

You may think, as I once did, that I’m primarily in the business of serving good food.  Actually, though, food is secondary to something that matters even more.  In the end, what’s most meaningful is creating positive, uplifting outcomes for human experiences and human relationships.  Business, like life, is all about how you make people feel.  It’s that simple, and it’s that hard.

The second book I’m reading is Forces for Good. The authors studied high-impact nonprofits and came up with six common practices.  These organizations include America’s Second Harvest, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, City Year, Environmental Defense, the Exploratorium, Habitat for Humanity, The Heritage Foundation, National Council of La Raza, Self-Help, Share Our Strength, Teach For America, and Youthbuild USA.

Unless you are ready to implement these practices, skimming through will do, as it is a research book with lots of examples that all support the same conclusions.  The six practices:

1. Advocate and serve – as in be involved in changing policy and be on the ground, in communities serving those you are trying to help.
2. Make markets work – use what are regularly for-profit business practices, or partner with for-profit businesses.
3. Inspire evangelists – people who will spread your message for you.
4. Nurture nonprofit networks – as in don’t compete with other nonprofits like there is only so much pie, but increase the size of the pie.
5. Master the art of adaptation – be flexible to change programs to fit new conditions, either cutting or adding programs.
6. Share leadership – good nonprofit executives share their power, stick around awhile, and have good relationships with a large board.