Expect ‘Cool New Orleans Vibe’ and Mardi Gras Galore at Brennan Martin’s Wonderful Le Petit Market

WHAT THE SECRET to running a successful business in such times as these? Staying focused on employees and pivoting when things don’t go according to plan, like Covid. You must be able to think outside the box and adapt to keep your business moving forward. You must make retaining employees a focal point as they are the heart of the company, and during times like these it is harder to do, as many people, especially in the service industry, have opted to stay home. So, if you can, somehow come up with incentives and make a point to show your employees that you really care about them, and why they want to work for your company rather than any other.

WHAT IS THE secret to running a successful business in times such as these? The secret is flexibility and a positive attitude, and as a leader modeling both of those attributes. A business has to accept the challenge at hand, and enlist the support and guidance of their leadership and staff, while creating a strategic plan to pivot to meet immediate needs. For Kids’ Meals, during the pandemic, the need for our services for food-secure children and their families tripled almost overnight. The challenge before us looked like climbing Mount Everest! We made a decision as an organization not to turn anyone away who applied for services. This meant adapting our model to be “Covid safe,” mobilizing more volunteers to assist when there was not enough staff, strengthening relationships with our social service partners, and literally changing all aspects of food delivery for food-insecure families.