The Truth Comes Out and Renovation of the Mind

Warning: I am going to share my true experience and it might sound more like a rant so please bare with me. Okay, so my original intention was to keep this pastry shop start-up progress as simple as possible without too many details because I admit that it sometimes get kinda boring to read. I was picturing that I could give off the impression that I've been extremely well composed all throughout and seriously know every single thing I'm doing but dammit, it's been real hard. That's the truth but surely it comes as no surprise to anyone unless you're a pro at this entrepreneurial game or you're just naturally gifted (hats off to all you business owners out there). It's been like running a marathon but you're no where close to the finish line but you have to keep running even though your legs feel like they're about to retire on you any moment. God, how I wish there was a car to just hitch a ride from. Then aside from forcing your legs to move against its own will, there's a crowd of people along the way each holding different signs but they're all essential for paving the path so you have to read each and address every one while you're running. No, you can't wait till next week to handle the issue. This is when I discovered that there really aren't enough hours in the day to complete the to-do list. Sometimes I get so absorbed that I don't realize which day of the week it is. Before I know it, we've been 2.5 months into renovation. Like what the what?!

I've come to realize that no amount of research can prepare you for becoming a business owner. It's helpful to be well versed in codes and regulations but when it really comes down to it, the best learning process is to just jump in. Hands on. Exactly like the kitchen. You can read all the recipes and procedures but you won't know how it looks until you whip out the mixer and start whisking. Learn to adapt to the climate changes. Not every day will be dry. Sometimes it'll be humid and that moisture is gonna mess with your macarons whether you like it or not. I'm still learning and trying to keep up with the pace of things but I tend to think that I've grown less naive and have gained a dose of realism. Sometimes things won't go the way you had planned and you'll have no other option but to revise the recipe. One way or another, it's about finding a method that works best for you.

So I hope this didn't sound as repulsive as I am imagining it did. It's been rather thrilling and I can really see every step being taken. This entire project is unfolding and I'm looking forward to see the outcome. Not only is the space being renovated on but who I am as a business owner as well. I'm learning about my capabilities and finding out where my limitations lay. Only one year has passed and this is just the beginning of a long adventure.

I'll try to be more diligent to my blog as Honeybee grows and hopefully can share some insight with the rest of you. If not, this could also serve as a record for me to look back on in the future and laugh at myself for being such a n00b. It's important to be able to admit faults and take things with a grain of salt. Criticism will always surround you and follow you wherever you go. Don't let it dissuade you though. There's a reason why you quit your steady day job. Never let the passion fade.

On that note, take a gander at my passion. What's a blog post without pictures, right?

Congratulations if you've made it this far. Thanks for taking the time to read my meanderings. I tried to be cohesive but it's late so gonna hit the sack now!

Nearly One Month In

It's been almost about a month since we've begun renovation on Honeybee's space. There's hardly any trace left of what was once a Malaysian restaurant. All stripped naked and rebuilt anew. It's a pretty interesting process. It made me wonder a little about why I hadn't chosen to be an architect instead. hah. Maybe something to consider in my next life!

This is going to be our new electrical panel. It's about 2/3 the size of my body! That's how you can tell that there will be some heavy duty machinery and lighting. Crazy amount of wiring going on.

On another note, our Kickstarter campaign ended successfully. It was a close call but we made it with the help of our many friends, family, and some new faces. I'm currently still waiting on a few backers to respond to the survey so that I can organize all the rewards and its timeline appropriately in my spread sheets. Always spread sheets for everything! I have also been working on my recipes and inventory list on Excel as well! Really comes in handy. Not only in media and sales planning.

What else is new? My sleeping schedule is officially screwed up. Oh wait, that's not really anything surprising. With the sudden cold autumn chill, I also got sick. Hurrah! One of these days, I'm just going to stay in bed all day long...

I wish I can say more but my mind is operating at 1%. If only I could be just like Lucy! (Not that I watched the movie or anything) The sun is coming up and I better head to bed. Catch some zzz's. Update you all next time!

Kickstarting Honeybee

It feels like a lot has happened these past few months, yet, it also feels like not much. It has been such a huge learning experience and an emotional roller-coaster. Lesson #1: Separate personal feelings from business. One good news is: our drawings have been approved by the Department of Buildings! What an experience that was. The concept kept evolving as we encountered issues with codes but finally we have something that looks pretty good and abides by the rules. I'm so excited to see it come to fruition before my eyes. Well, construction hasn't exactly begun yet but at least we have found the contractor to do the job.

During this waiting period, we have been honing our espresso brewing skills. We have been using different beans from local roasters to store branded Archer Farms to mass produced Starbucks. In the end, I found it best to support our local Brooklyn roasters. Sure, it might be a little pricier but we all benefit in the long run. We get good coffee and they get business. Mmm, the smell of coffee is so comforting. Not nearly as good as freshly baked butter cookies because we all know butter is the king of all delicious scents.

We also recently launched our Kickstarter campaign for our Honeybee Pâtisserie shop. I am so thankful to even have the opportunity to get support from 28 backers in just 3 days. It's really amazing how much you can learn from this project alone. 

Here is to aiming for a Christmas opening date. Just in time for my favorite holiday. Let's hope my next update will involve pictures of demolishing walls!

Year of the Horse Gallops Into a New Venture

Happy Lunar New Year! It's been a while since I last updated and with all the excitement going on, I figured I should start recording the process. In the initial stages, I am signed up for the New Business Acceleration Team (NBAT) offered by NYC. One step closer to finally achieving my dream of a dessert cafe. It's really crazy that I sometimes can't believe it's happening despite all the research I've done these past months. With businesses popping up everywhere, I was always under the false pretense that it must be an easy process. Boy, was I wrong. There's so many directions to go and so many priorities, it's difficult to weigh each one. If I ever start to break down, I'll vent here and maybe it'll help me get back up again.

In the meantime, today we made some crêpes. We were emulating the Japanese types that have a slight crunch compared to the French ones. Since it was New Year's, we used pieces of turnip cake (a traditional dish of the holiday) as the filling. This is surely not a traditional way of eating it!

Crêpe Batter

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Pinch of salt
3 eggs

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1¾ cup warmed milk

1. In a bowl, sift together flour, sugar, and salt.

2. Beat eggs into flour mixture with a whisk until fully incorporated.

3. Add half of the milk and melted butter to flour and egg mixture until smooth. Add the rest in. (It will be very liquid but it makes it easier to spread in a pan or if you have a crêpe maker). Let it stand for about half an hour in the refrigerator to relax the gluten.

4. Pre-heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Take the pan off heat and pour a bit of batter in the center. Quickly swirl the pan around so the batter spreads evenly to the edges. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the underside is brown.

5. Lift the edges and flip the crêpe to cook for a few seconds more. Remove from heat. Then garnish as you wish.

These came out a little more buttery than I had wanted so next time I would either lower the quantity to half tablespoon butter or completely omit it. At least the edges were crispy! We also made another one with nutella, sliced strawberries, and bananas but I didn't take a photo of that. Anyhow, the possibilities are endless! I'll be off to assemble another one. Until next time.