Ep. 23 The Stern Truth: Navigating the Pandemic and Expansion with David Wallace

It’s been over 5 years since the pandemic. We all know what happened then. Businesses and business owners struggled. Some shut down while others thrived.

David Wallace, owner of Around the Block Butcher & Market, sits down with me to talk about that time. For his business, the pandemic only brought more people in. The safeguards and the media attention helped increase their customer base, which David is very grateful for. 

David took his experience from his very first job at Rona Hardware to his time in Vancouver and mixed it with his pure love of food. One of David’s lessons from the previous owner was “customers first”, something he and his staff still practice every day. 

From working with a marketing agency to navigating the financing, we talk about his takeover of the Mom & Pop butcher shop. A small but mighty team led to expansion with a bigger and just as phenomenal team. He took that team and ran with them while making Around the Block his own. 

I bring it all back to culture. Some people stay while some people go. The accountability to the people on your team, the ownership of your role as a leader, speaks volumes to them.

Becoming an employer is only one stop along your entrepreneurial journey. David’s golden nugget is, be the best version of yourself to cultivate the best path for your business.

Get in touch with David:

www.aroundtheblockbutcherandmarket.ca
hello@aroundtheblockbutcherandmarket.ca 
Instagram: @atbbutcherandmarket
Facebook:@aroundtheblockbutcher

I’m excited to bring back the ONtreprenur Bonfire Series. It’s a ZERO cost series starting in August running for 4 weeks. Email me to get your spot before they’re gone - Marshall@marshallstern.net.

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Transcript

[00:00:00] Marshall Stern: It is hard to believe it's been over five years since the pandemic, and we all know what happened during that pandemic. It seems like a blur. Lots of business owners and businesses struggled. Some shut down, unfortunately, while others managed to survive and some even thrived today. My friends, we sit down with an amazing entrepreneur, the owner of Around the Block Butcher & Market, David, and he's going to explain what he did to get through and survive and thrive through the pandemic. 

[00:00:25] It was not easy, my friends. Grab your paper, grab your pen, take some notes because there's some gold nuggets on how David and his team built Around the Block Butcher & Market to what it is today. Enjoy.

[00:00:48] Hi, I'm Marshall Stern and I've spent over 35 years leading and growing multiple small businesses. I know firsthand the struggles of entrepreneurship, feeling isolated, lonely, overwhelmed, and feeling like you have to do all by yourself. I've been through multiple recessions, and I have felt the highs and the lows. 

[00:01:09] I've been there, and I get it. This podcast is here to change that every week. I will bring you straight talking advice, real world strategies, and honest conversations about what it takes to succeed in business without the fluff, the gimmicks, or the sugar-coated. If you're ready to stop spinning your wheels and start making real progress, then you are in the right place.

[00:01:30] This is the Stern Truth.

[00:01:35] All right, welcome back everyone to another episode of the Stern Truth Business Unfiltered, and today my friends. I have the honor to introduce you to David Wallace of Around the Block. Well, you see the sign behind him, Butcher & Market. David, how are you doing? 

[00:01:53] David Wallace: I'm fine, thanks. We just wrapped up a busy day here.

[00:01:55] It's, six 15 in the Ottawa area and we closed at six and, we had lots of customers through today. Lots of compliments on what we're doing and it's been all around a solid day. Thank you. How are you? 

[00:02:09] Marshall Stern: I'm doing well, thank you. Doing well. So what I like to do, this is the Stern Truth. This is Business Unfiltered.

[00:02:18] So I like to hear other entrepreneurs' journeys, their ups and downs, what's worked, what hasn't worked. Maybe just quickly like just share a little bit of your journey, and a little bit about the company size, size of the company. I mean, it looks like, you have an amazing location there. I'm actually getting hungry and just looking at the stuff in the fridge back there.

[00:02:38] David Wallace: Thank you. 

[00:02:39] Marshall Stern: Yeah. So how long have you had the business? 

[00:02:43] David Wallace: June 27th will be 12 years. And the, we've only been in this space though for 18 months. we had a smaller store not far from here that was, 900 square feet and we outgrew that space arguably before the pandemic, I would say. and when the pandemic came down on everyone, the idea of moving our business was completely put on the back shelf for quite some time.

[00:03:15] And we just had to focus on making sure that the business had sustainability in it. And so we got through that, at our previous store and, and now we're in 3000 square feet, with a lot more capability, a lot more visibility very close to our original location. It was paramount to us that we not move far from our customer base and, really, invite and encourage them to continue to shop with us.

[00:03:48] So it was key that we not go far. we're in a nice, we're in a nice community in West End of Ottawa. And, it's been many things over those 12 years. But for, to sum it up, you know, it's, been one heck of variety. 

[00:04:08] Marshall Stern: I'm sure. I'm sure it has. So how did, I'm just curious.

[00:04:12] You briefly talked about, like, the pandemic. 

[00:04:14] David Wallace: Yes. 

[00:04:15] Marshall Stern: So how did you, aside from like holding off on the expansion part, how did you navigate that? 

[00:04:22] David Wallace: Well, so, you know, I'll preface that by saying that not just during the pandemic, but from the life of the business, from the very beginning until now, I've been surrounded by phenomenal people that really make this possible.

[00:04:40] And the pandemic, we closed for a month, to get our bearings. And then in that month, my dad and brother designed sort of an airlock type system, if you will, that perfectly fit our front door. So we didn't allow for in-store shopping at that point in time, but we sort of had an exchange at the door.

[00:05:06] It was all like, it was so tight fitting that it was soundproof and everything. And we had, we spoke microphones through plexiglass back and forth, and deposited their goods underneath and took payment through the plexiglass. which, you know, got us a lot of media attention. I was just the end user of what my brother and dad had designed for that.

[00:05:29] But it got us lots of media attention and, people felt safe shopping with us, with that. So we had that in place for, I honestly don't remember how long we used that system. It’s, I think I'm not alone in thinking that, those days are rather blurry, if you will. And so that was one aspect of it.

[00:05:51] Another aspect of it was, we pieced together an online store. And, you know, we weren't too old for that whatsoever really. And selling the types of goods that we do, you know, a lot of items are sold by weight, or dealing with perishables, et cetera. It posed a bunch of challenges, and it still does on our online store.

[00:06:15] Our online store really only reflects 20% of the store's offerings. If that, because, the idea of migrating our in-store experience to a website is, well, not a strength of mine. And something that these product lines aren't the easiest to sell on the internet, compared to, say clothing or something.

[00:06:39] There's companies that have a lot of success in it, but they're more, they're more e-commerce focused, whereas we're in store focused. But so that was, that was one way. You know, we, we staggered our shifts. We reduced our hours. We did take the CEBA loan, not the full amount, but a good chunk of it.

[00:07:03] And it was a very, anxiety ridden time there was sort of an existential threat of course, you know, wondering, are we going to be able to open again? Wondering, I mean, are institutions going to pull through this, will banking collapse or, you know, for example, I mean, whether or not those were real things that.

[00:07:31] It could have happened. It was hard for my imagination not to get away and, you know, but through the help of people around me, our excellent, excellent customer base, which I'm very grateful for, we have fantastic customers. The idea that they felt comfortable coming into our store and, or to the store, I should say.

[00:07:56] Really is what pulled us through and sort of, the spirit of Around the Block. At the time we were called Around the Block Butcher Shop. Now we're Around the Block Butcher & Market with the expansion. But at the time, you know, the essence of Around the Block Butcher Shop was sort of small but mighty and a little store that could, and it did.

[00:08:21] Marshall Stern: It sounds a lot, from what I'm hearing, you said you you've surrounded yourself with phenomenal people. 

[00:08:30] David Wallace: Yes. 

[00:08:30] Marshall Stern: And that including obviously your staff and your brother and your father coming up with this, the system. Which sounds, sounds incredible.

[00:08:38] I'm going to have to start to - I'm going to have to Google it afterwards. 

[00:08:40] David Wallace: I'll send you some photos. I'll send you some photos. Yeah. It was cool. 

[00:08:44] Marshall Stern: Because I remember I had a sign company at the time, so I had people, we didn't have a lot of customers coming in, but I had, you know, I had my staff and whatnot, and we were open nonstop because we were, I guess, considered an essential service.

[00:08:58] David Wallace: US as well.

[00:08:59] Marshall Stern: Yeah. So, but, for the, I stayed open during that month because even when everything was shut down anyways, because we had stuff we could do in-house, like to, to get things done and whatnot. But we just – I think we shortened our hours. Again, it's a blur, right? It's a blur. 

[00:09:14] David Wallace: Totally. I, you know, I feel like we all lost 36, 48 months there and time warped in very strange ways.

[00:09:23] Marshall Stern: Yeah. Yeah. There's going to be a lot of books coming out about it. I'm sure there already has been. There's going to be a lot more. 

[00:09:29] David Wallace: Yeah, no doubt. 

[00:09:31] Marshall Stern: So I guess one question I have, well, I have a lot of questions, but one question I have right now is, how did you actually get into this business? 

[00:09:40] David Wallace: Okay. Well, so when I was 15, I started working in restaurants, and kitchens.

[00:09:46] And well actually, you know, I'll, I'll tie in something else because I think it pertains to small business. My very first job, but when I was 15 was at a hardware store called Rona. And I was a runner there. And you'd think that it had this structure that would made it obvious of what. I ought to be doing in a shift there.

[00:10:13] but I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing. and anyway, I didn't stay employed there for too long and then I went to an independently owned restaurant. And I really fell in love with it and just, you know. Kept pushing on that. I was reading cookbooks, watching cooking shows, you know, cooking in my spare time.

[00:10:35] Fell in love with food, or at least explored my love for food. Kept that going. And, for the following few years I started working in some better and better kitchens. I got a co-op, but, very, one of the, one of Ottawa's, you know, very well regarded restaurants. It's since closed, but I got a co-op there.

[00:10:57] For high school. And then I got, and then I got full-time employment there. and I was really like a sponge. I was getting a, you know, I was learning a lot of skills. I was watching people with a lot of experience and trying to, you know, adapt to their workflow and match their workflow and everything.

[00:11:17] I still have lots to learn. I still have lots to learn. And, so I continued on with that path and, we moved to, my then girlfriend, we moved to Vancouver, because there's a lot of great restaurants in that city. And, you know, I wanted to keep pushing and learn more skills and learn from great chefs out there and, you know, and explore.

[00:11:48] Explore the big city of Vancouver. I was there for a year. I worked in a couple of good restaurants there, one of which we were doing our own butchery and I really enjoyed that aspect of it. But, maybe about a year or so into my stay in Vancouver, I decided that perhaps I would pursue another career path.

[00:12:10] I then, I moved back to Ottawa and I thought I would pursue something in sciences and university. But I didn't have the high school prerequisite credits, for the science program. So I went to adult high school, to get maths and sciences. I'd already graduated high school, but not those credits.

[00:12:33] That was going really, really well. I was engaged, I was enjoying it. But then it's funny, almost like a switch. I just sort of lost interest, very quickly when that took place and I needed somewhere to work at that point in time. So I applied at butcher shops and there was one that was very close to where I grew up.

[00:12:56] And, you know, very mom and pop had been there for a long time. There weren't people coming in to apply at this business too, too regularly. And I came in on a day when the husband and wife who ran it at the time, they were just discussing earlier that day that they needed some help in store.

[00:13:19] I came in with a resume, just by chance, and they said they would call me the next day. But what they did was call me later that day and I started the next day, full-time at that store, which was called Brian's Butcher at the time. And the husband and wife who ran the store, took on that business as a family obligation.

[00:13:45] It was his father's business. he fell ill and passed away and they took on the store to get it out of its debts and tried to sell it one day and I worked for them for four years. The later, the latter two years of those four, the conversations really grew in seriousness and interest and intensity about me taking over that business.

[00:14:09] Because they were looking for their exit, and they, we were able to come to an agreement for me to buy Brian's Butcher. Again, took a lot of help for that to happen. Partially structured with a vendor takeback, financing. And I rebranded it. I did a lot of new things with it, so I called it Around the Block Butcher Shop, which was the first name that I thought of.

[00:14:44] I came up with a couple dozen names for the business, but that was always the, it was the first one that I thought of, and it was always the one that I liked the most. So we went with that and we got a great branding agency that one, that I couldn't afford anymore at the time, they were just getting started and there's no way I could afford their services.

[00:14:59] Now they've accelerated quite a bit in their design work. And they did a great branding package for us, and, we did lots of collaborative type things. We, you know, became steady on social media and trying new things with it and everything. And, you know, I mean, the Brian's Butchery customer base continued to shop with us and we were getting a lot of new people as well.

[00:15:26] Yeah, I mean, so in a way, you know, it wasn't quite a startup, but it was a new brand doing new things. And we grew that business, over the coming years. And, now I think of Around the Block as sort of a startup all over again now that we're 18 months into our new space, which is again, far more capable, lots more moving parts.

[00:15:55] But, it's been a great start and we wouldn't be able to do, what Around the Block is doing right now if we didn't, you know, gain that experience, in a smaller space. There's no way. I hope that answers your question. 

[00:16:11] Marshall Stern: It does. I mean, it sounds like you were… timing's everything I would say, and you were kind of like at, in the right place.

[00:16:17] I mean, it took maybe four years or two to four years, but, you know, you were in the right place at the right time. 

[00:16:24] David Wallace: Yes. Yeah. And you know, I mean, and I think that's a, certainly a piece of the equation. another part of it is that that was their family's sort of legacy here in Ottawa.

[00:16:38] It was a very popular store when his dad, Brian was running it. When Brian passed away, I think there were 2000 people at his funeral. And so right place at the right time, yes, but you know, I think they were keen that we take it over - there's somebody knocking on the door. Sorry. 

[00:16:58] Marshall Stern: It’s okay. Customers first.

[00:17:04] David Wallace: So yeah, I think it was a, you know, it was a nice synergy. They were happy to see it, to go someone who cared about the business and who had a good relationship with the customers. Which, you know, I never really chalked myself up at being a social person per se, but now, later in life with some time to reflect, I think I am.

[00:17:23] And, you know, I engage with several hundred people a week, say, or what have you. Okay. 

[00:17:31] Marshall Stern: Tell me about the team you have now. 

[00:17:34] David Wallace: Sure, sure. 

[00:17:35] Marshall Stern: And so about the team, and I guess your leadership style. Putting you on the spot here.

[00:17:42] David Wallace: Okay. All right. Which is, which is something, I am, I'm in a phase right now, I would say, where I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself, professional development, when it comes to my leadership style, the team at the moment.

[00:17:54] So, my wife Chantel, works in the business full time as well, she started working in the business full time when her restaurant serving job, vaporized during COVID. And we thought, well, you know, I mean, I suppose against conventional wisdom, we put all of our eggs in one basket but at the same time, it was the only thing we had.

[00:18:18] So we thought we'd better focus on that and try to do a really good job of that business. So she's taken a lot of ownership over the place now. Customers love her. She manages a lot of customer service. She does heaps of administrative work of which we generate ample.

[00:18:38] It's shocking. And so yeah, we got her. My mom works the floor, pretty regularly. Not as much as she used to. But she comes in and helps the customers. She loves them. We have a service and sales manager who's been with us since our old store. and she. Really has a huge vested interest in this place.

[00:19:05] She loves it and we work really closely with her. We've got, let's see, how many are we right now? I believe we're 10, including Sean and I, with only one part-timer. Everybody else is full-time or pretty close? 

[00:19:24] Marshall Stern: Okay. That's a good size. 

[00:19:26] David Wallace: You know, I've been talking to the staff just today even trying to gain some insights, how they feel about working in small business and some of what they said was really quite lovely.

[00:19:42] They find it personally engaging. They love the creativity that can take place in here. And it is a creative space. We're a little quirky. We're a little off the walls, you know, there's, you know, there's lots of colour. There's different music on, it's, yeah, it's bright. But, and we really try to encourage people to be themselves.

[00:20:07] They love the collaborative energy. They love that they get to come in here and, I feel like, you know, build something that, I hope in time proves to be, something that's part of the fabric of this community. I feel really strongly about that. I'm very proud of that. and I'm just going to quickly look at my notes here.

[00:20:31] Some of the other things they've said is that they, you know, the individual impact that they get to have in the workplace and small business as opposed to larger places, they really feel, that they're contributing to the success of it. And, you know, I've heard of several of them either come out and say that they take ownership over certain things, or at least, they're using language that suggests that they're thinking about this place as something more than just their, their day to day and something more than just a paycheck for them.

[00:21:01] Which is an honor for me and Chantel and my wife Chantel. They like being involved in something that maybe disrupts markets if even, if only, even if only a small scale. 

[00:21:14] David Wallace: But, you know, sort of keeping those dollars at home, as opposed to going to conglomerates or what have you.

[00:21:22] They're really sort of passionate about that. And, yeah, so the team is great and I often hire based on personality as opposed to experience, and do the training here. And I try to promote from within as well. Our team is a blast and they engage with the customers really well, and you know, they've got a lot of mixed experiences within our team right now that kind of rounds out the place.

[00:21:55] And, they're great. I mean, you know, we can't do it without them. And we appreciate them showing up every day the way that they do, which is, really. trying to offer a great experience, in the store but also the experience based on the products that we sell doesn't end when they leave the store.

[00:22:16] That the experience of Around the Block Butcher & Market carries on to when they go and eat the food that they buy from us. And we take it all very seriously and we have a great time doing it. 

[00:22:31] Marshall Stern: So that really answers my question about your leadership style. And that says a lot about you as a leader, right?

[00:22:38] Some the comments they've made and how they feel, you know, they're engaged. Accountability, ownership, that is critical and I think a lot of, for those people that are watching or listening, whether you're, you know, a one person operation, call yourself a solopreneur. Hate the term, but it is what it is.

[00:23:00] You can still build a team. You don't have to have employees on your payroll. You can outsource virtual assistants, marketing agencies, whatnot, coaches, mentors. You can have people, bookkeepers. You have people on your team, and it's critical. I don't think people – 

[00:23:17] David Wallace: We've never had any of those.

[00:23:22] David Wallace: Yes, but we are interested in some of those services as we grow here. But anyway.

[00:23:28] Marshall Stern: But as you grow, but you have the people on your team, like on your payroll, the staff, the people who are serving the customers, the people who are building those relationships alongside you and your wife and your mom.

[00:23:39] It's not just – right? There's a really good book out there. I don't know if you've read it. It's by Brian Scudamore, 1-800 GOT JUNK. And it's called WTF. 

[00:23:53] David Wallace: So I know the title and I know his name. I don't know too much about his backstory, however, but I will.

[00:24:00] Marshall Stern: It's a good, it's really good. I would get the audible, like the audio version if you can.

[00:24:04] The listeners, just have a listen, because a lot of what you're saying, you didn't go into detail, but it's all what he said. It's all about, he always says he wouldn't be where he is if it wasn't for the people he had on his team. 

[00:24:18] David Wallace: Yeah, it's a, this is a non-starter without, yeah, without the fantastic team that we've managed to, bring on board and retain, thankfully, fortunately.

[00:24:30] Marshall Stern: But again, that goes back to your leadership style and your ability and a lot of people, a lot of entrepreneurs, I find small business owners, I find, micromanage. And they're like the old style boss where it's like, check your baggage, check your attitude at the door. Do your job. This is what I need you to do.

[00:24:51] Do it. Go home. Goodbye. And it's just a job. And you know, if you're running McDonald's. It might be that case, although they train them very well, but they're students, they're young, it's a job. They move on. Right? Sure. They do have a training program though, so I'm not slamming McDonald's. They have a good training program.

[00:25:07] Some people stay longer. 

[00:25:08] David Wallace: I mean, you know, I think that Around the Block has a lot to learn from a company like McDonald's. 

[00:25:13] Marshall Stern: Yes. However, it's more, anyway, I guess the point I'm trying to make is the more we can empower our team. And make the culture, especially – again, whether it's an in-person shop like you had, or my sign company, which we had staff in shop, you know, in house, or you are all, or you're all remote, which is a different challenge.

[00:25:39] It goes back to, I hate to use the word, the culture. If we can make the culture and I love what you said, hire, you said personality rather than skill. You could train on skill. Or experience, you said experience. I always say to hire on character, personality, whatever you want to call it.

[00:25:57] David Wallace: Right. Yeah. And, you know, and this bunch really cares. And I can't teach that to someone. I might be able to inspire it from someone from time to time, you know, I might be. And, you know, and I think, not to toot my own horn or anything like that by any stretch, but I have seen people.

[00:26:18] Gain further confidence in here. And that's one of the best things about this. Like if they can, come on board here and, and, and by the time they leave, they're more well prepared for the next part of their life. And we've, we've done what we can to sort of help them along with what they want to do.

[00:26:40] Like I just love them. So much. and I've seen it happen where, you know, we do try to boost people up, but in a genuine fashion. In a genuine fashion, you know, we get to know these people really well. And that, that's it. It's just, it's one of the best aspects of being an employer, from my experience.

[00:27:10] Marshall Stern: Well, but I want people to hear that because that is, first of all, it's more fulfilling, right? 

[00:27:16] David Wallace:  Totally. Totally. And more so all the time, more so. Yeah. 

[00:27:21] Marshall Stern: You know, I wrote a book back in 2008. And the biggest, I think, the biggest premise of the book, I didn't do much with the book.

[00:27:31] But anyways, the biggest message in the book, I think for me, and then what I wanted people to get out of the book was to that your number one customer, like people focus so much on their customers. Or they focus on the profit, the bottom line. All important a hundred percent for sure.

[00:27:53] But the whole premise of the book was your number one customer is your employees, your team. You take care of them first. You take care of them. They will take care of the customer. 

[00:28:06] David Wallace: Exactly. I think that was, and I think that's famously said by Richard Branson, I think. 

[00:28:13] Marshall Stern: He got it from, he got it from me, just so you know.

[00:28:14] He got it from me. He must have read it from me.

[00:28:16] David Wallace: Yeah, I mean, just the last little bit there. But the sentiment rings true. And they've been really patient with us. I listened to your previous podcast with, excuse me, oh, what is her name? I just listened to it this morning.

[00:28:38] Marshall Stern: Oh, what, Jenny? 

[00:28:39] David Wallace: Yes. So I, and I listened to Jenny's podcast and, it came, you know, when she got into business, it came with some corporate structure. Our staff, you know, we don't have that, and it's not a strong suit of mind to design that structure and implement it. However, I'm putting more and more pressure on myself to do so.

[00:28:57] And it is something that I would like to do in a refined manner. But they've been really patient with us as employers as well, because we have so much to learn and this is a new business for us. And, you know, we're dealing with more volume and more customers and more paperwork.

[00:29:14] And more team members on board and, more of everything. And, you know, they've been really great at. Helping us get there and being, understanding that we don't have all the answers yet. There's all sorts of foundational bricks left to form, then fire, then cure, and then lay, you know, like there's so much vision left for this business, that we are on our way to.

[00:29:48] But, you know. We're maturing as a company and, and Chantel and I are maturing as employers. But there's still, you know, it's only been 12 years, and only been 18 months in our new space and we have lots of piece together yet. And, they've been, again, just, completely understanding of that.

[00:30:15] And help us every step of the way. And they're a great sounding board too. We've got smart people, you know, with, again, varied experiences. and we lean on them too to help us, in some of our decision making and what directions to go in and things of that nature. So they're very involved in – I suppose is what I'm trying to say.

[00:30:41] Marshall Stern: You're preaching to the choir. I mean, I think it's so important. That's what I do with my clients. Like, get your, if you don't have a team, build a team. Again, they don't have to be employees. They could be subcontractors, they could be assistant virtual assistants, whatnot. But bring people on your team that will help you achieve your vision faster.

[00:31:00] Bring people on your team who buy into your vision. 

[00:31:04] David Wallace: Yeah. 

[00:31:04] Marshall Stern: And you empower them and because they'll, because they think they see things that we don't see and they'll give ideas. If you give people the opportunity, they will flourish. They will come up with ideas that we, as the employers, as the leaders of the business don't see.

[00:31:22] David Wallace: And I'm so of the mind that, you know, everyone's a teacher.

[00:31:26] Marshall Stern: Exactly. Right. And it's also different generational, right? You just, it's people think differently. So bring people on your team. Allow them to allow them to just help you. 

[00:31:38] David Wallace: And, you know, and I hope that we help them, and I mean, a win for them is a win for Around the Block is a win for them.

[00:31:46] And I firmly believe that. And I believe in what we're doing here as an enterprise. although, you know, it’s had its turbulence, it has its ongoing challenges. 

[00:32:00] Marshall Stern: That's where, okay, I want to go. Enough with the good stuff. Enough with the good stuff. Enough with the, all that good stuff about employees and leadership and all that stuff.

[00:32:10] David Wallace: Sure. I will. Before we switch that, I will say that, you know, we have so, so many more great days in here than bad. 

[00:32:20] Marshall Stern: Interesting point. Okay. Because sometimes people, right now people watching or listening to this might be thinking, that's great for you. Good for you. But right now it's a bad day for me, or I'm going through a bad stretch, or this or that.

[00:32:33] Right? 

[00:32:33] David Wallace: Sure. 

[00:32:34] I work very hard and there's been lots of risks, you know, and there still is. 

[00:32:37] Marshall Stern: What are some of the turbulences that you wish to share that you've had to go through? Aside from the pandemic. 

[00:32:46] David Wallace: Right, right. Well. So, I mean, one thing is I don't know how to encapsulate this fully, but we changed banks.

[00:32:57] That was not easy and still 18 months later still has the odd challenge when, you know, when we're paying invoices or collecting or whatever. So there's still some ongoing challenges with that. moving the business, and took ample planning. Ample planning, and I really got a credit, again, others in my life to really help me with that.

[00:33:25] A massive, massive undertaking, securing financing for that was very difficult. We have several loan products. We have a government backed small business loan that was a tough nut to crack. And, you know, we've got some financing from BDC and one other one, but interest rates are challenging.

[00:33:48] The fact that we went over budget, now 18 months in, is still proving to be difficult. You know, we haven't, you know, we operate in the red often.  And, but I never like, you know. Yeah, that's stressful. And yes, it, you know, it means things for people we do business with, but I never think that this won't work out.

[00:34:17] It's just like, I don't know if I'm just like, like too thick or too, or like, too shortsighted or, you know. Or inadequately intelligent or something like that, but I never even consider that this won't work. But, you know, and then challenges also in the form of adjusting to higher volume and more customers and hiring people and training.

[00:34:42] And you know, even simple things like typing out a recipe book. We're 12 years in, and it wasn't until six weeks ago that I finally started typing recipes for this place, you know? And I operated this business largely without a computer until recently. And then I got one and it's been really nice to have a sort of brain extension.

[00:35:04] I should have done it years ago. But anyway, I have attention deficit disorder. I got a diagnosis of that as a teenager. All the signs were there earlier in life as well. But you know, with that, come some strengths, but also a lot of weaknesses. and you know, I'm, historically speaking, I've been a person of high highs and low lows.

[00:35:30] I'm really trying to, in my own off time and lifestyle, trying to create a situation for myself where that I'm not as prone to ups and downs. fatigue is a challenge at times, although right now I'm feeling pretty, pretty energized. But, you know, but it comes, ongoing creativity is a challenge.

[00:35:58] Creativity is a tough thing to force. What I mean, what else? Staying on top of the email inbox is, well, we don't stay on top of the email box. I'll tell you that right now. Not even close. That's a challenge. You know, communicating with everyone that we do business with is tough. But we're getting better.

[00:36:22] We're getting better. And we're aware of these problems and, are trying to work out solutions. but again, you know, having, living with ADD and trying to run a business is tough. I'm really trying to do favors for myself so that I can better stay on top of this.

[00:36:51] And I owe it to so many people, to be the best version of myself. So I'm putting some focus into that. Like, you know, I owe Chantel, I owe the staff, I owe my parents. I owe our suppliers. I owe our customer base. I owe everyone. 

[00:37:10] Marshall Stern: You forgot yourself.

[00:37:15] David Wallace: I didn't say it. However, I don't, I do think about myself too. And I owe to myself to create a life here that is sustainable and generally, a positive business career and something that's very rewarding. And I think that this is a big ball of potential to, you know, frankly, so far has been a remarkable life and I'm really looking forward to more.

[00:37:44] But yeah, there's, you know, this place is hard work. It's hard work. And it's risky and it's stressful. But I would not, I, you know, I wouldn't trade it, per se for sort of the, you know, maybe a career path that comes with more perceived stability. I think that we're, we're right where we ought to be.

[00:38:12] Marshall Stern: Hmm. So thank you for that.

[00:38:15] David Wallace: Of course. 

[00:38:16] Marshall Stern: And it's also helpful. Other people like our listeners to hear it because it's not, you know, I know, and it's important. We talked about the leadership and the team and all that, and that's great. Because that's really, really important. And that allows you and the business to grow. 

[00:38:31] David Wallace: Yes. 

[00:38:32] Marshall Stern: We can't do it.

[00:38:33] It takes a village, right? All the metaphors. Okay. It takes a village. but it is hard work and that's why I've started this podcast. It's hard and it's not like, you know. What you see online, you know? 

[00:38:48] David Wallace: No, I know. And I, and then beautiful, you know, there's, you know, this isn't my field, but say, for lack of a better term, there's not, there's personality types.

[00:38:58] I wouldn't recommend entrepreneurship to. For example, and we're open seven days a week. You know, we open at 8:30 in the morning, seven days a week. I don't work seven days a week at the moment, but I have for months on end. Plenty of times. plenty of times. And you know, we've done, we did a shift that was 37 hours one time when we were opening this store.

[00:39:21] Marshall Stern: Hmm. Well, you do what you need to do. 

[00:39:24] David Wallace: 37 hours, you know? Yeah. We didn't stop. Lots of 18 hour days. 

[00:39:32] Marshall Stern: What would be one before we go, I want to make sure we get this in. So if someone out there is, maybe they have a team, doesn't matter if they have a team of staff or they're just on their own, but they're kind of just really not where they want to be and they’re – 

[00:39:52] You talk about the highs and the lows, and they're a bit low right now. Okay? Things are slow. What would one, from your experience and how you've navigated ups and downs and whatnot, what would be one, as I like to call it, the golden nugget, some sort of piece of advice or tip that you would, this is a lot of pressure. I'm putting you on the hotspot here.

[00:40:14] A tip or piece or you know, that golden nugget that you wish to sort of impart some wisdom you wish to impart on our, our listeners. Something that has helped you, 

[00:40:24] David Wallace: Do what you believe in, do the right thing and show up.

[00:40:36] Again, the best version of yourself that you can be. And I've gone through phases where I wasn't that, when the business was smaller, and try to light a fire and inspire people, those around you and also take note from them because. You know, I think, I don't know, I'm always floored by people, all sorts of people.

[00:41:05] I think, you know, people are just amazing and I love them more and more all the time. and, you might have to, you're going to go through discomfort, you know, and you might already be there. But I think that all of that can contribute to being what is hopefully one of the most rewarding and, one of the greatest pleasures of your life?

[00:41:37] Like it is for me, and, and it really is, it really is. I love this place and I can't believe that I get to do this for a living. and I can't believe that I get to, you know, just, we just put our own spin on stuff and people respond to it and so, find what's uniquely yours, and cultivate what you feel is the best path, really.

[00:42:06] And, you know, and, bring some people with you if you can. You know, create some jobs if you can. financial pressures, nowadays are. You know, for most entrepreneurs, I speak with a very real thing. This economy is tough. Interest rates are high, spending power is down. I mean, you know, I don't need to go into it.

[00:42:34] We all know this. but I think getting through those times is just going to make you all the more resilient. And, I don't, you know, you'll find over time that you're not phased by as many things as you used to be. I'm not, anyway, you know, I, you know, problems arise and I know how to handle them now.

[00:42:56] Not all of them granted. And if we got lots more problems on the way and there'll be ones that we didn't see coming and things that, things that we've never done before. But, the fact that we've come at the other side of all of them thus far, really makes me believe that we can keep going. And I think that anyone who's dedicated.

[00:43:18] And who wants to carve out their own way in life and is, you know, willing to take some risks. Because it is, in our case, it's a big risk at least, you know, relative to us. And I think that, if that sort of describes you, I don't think there's anything that can stop you. 

[00:43:45] Marshall Stern: I am – actually, don’t know what else to say.

[00:43:47] I'm actually quite speechless. I think you have said it all. I mean, there's a lot more to say. Sure. I might have to have you back. Let's come back. Sorry. 

[00:43:59] David Wallace: I'd love to be on again. 

[00:44:01] Marshall Stern: You know, I'm going to let our listeners go. But I just like… you touched on so many things right there.

[00:44:08] Talk about falling in love with your business, or I wrote down, falling in love with your business or falling back in love with your business. I'm just writing down things as you're talking about it because you talked about.

[00:44:18] David Wallace: I've done that. You know, I mean, we even considered, I know you want to wrap up, but, we even considered selling the business I think in 2022, at home for months straight.

[00:44:32] It was all we talked about. And, you know, we thought we would sell our business, perhaps sell our home, which we had just got, a little town, little townhouse starter home that we're still in. And I thought maybe I'd go to college for the paramedic training program. Chantel would take some time to figure out maybe what she wanted to do and, you know.

[00:44:59] We seriously thought about exiting this business, but when we decided to stay, in business, we made the decision to expand. And we also, we don't have what it takes to run store two stores simultaneously. It was one bigger, better store is what we wanted. two at the same time. you know, I think it would only be a matter of a few days before I didn't know what was going on at either of them.

[00:45:24] Right. It wasn't a lifestyle that we wanted. When prior to the pandemic, we offered on some, we to lease on some spaces, that would've functioned as, a second location to run simultaneously. And am I ever glad that none of them worked out. That's the other thing. When something doesn't work out, and things won't work out.

[00:45:49] You know, it may surprise you one day as to, that that was the best thing. 

[00:45:55] Marshall Stern: Yeah. Well, as I say, like when one door closes, another one opens. 

[00:45:59] David Wallace: Totally, totally.

[00:46:00] Marshall Stern: And sometimes that door that's open is, well, in your case, it's this one new location. 

[00:46:06] David Wallace: Yeah. Which I, bigger location. 

[00:46:08] Marshall Stern: Yeah. 

[00:46:08] David Wallace: I, I adore this location, I'm crazy about it. It's awesome. but so much thought into it, and it's really, yeah. Anyway, that just can't keep me away for too long. 

[00:46:21] Marshall Stern: Yeah. Okay. So if you're okay, I'm going to put your contact info on the website, Instagram, I know you're on that and all that. Put that in the show notes.

[00:46:32] People can reach out to you, whether you're in in Ottawa area or you're in Florida. Doesn't really matter when. You’re IN the Ottawa area. 

[00:46:39] David Wallace: I am. 

[00:46:40] Marshall Stern: Come on up. You are. But talking to our listeners. Come on up. Check out David and his business or reach out if you have any questions or comments. I, also I'd just love to hear people's feedback and comments on this episode and share it with people.

[00:46:54] Because I think a lot of things, I know a lot of things that you've said throughout this. This is the longest, just so you know, this is the longest to date interview I've had. I do once in a month, I do the Business Therapy thing, which is up to an hour, usually around an hour. This is the longest solo, sorry, not solo guest interview that I've done.

[00:47:14] And you've delivered every minute of it, so I want to thank you for that. 

[00:47:20] David Wallace: Well, thank you for the opportunity and for entrepreneurs out there or those that are thinking of entering into entrepreneurship, it is, it's a completely rewarding, rewarding life. And, it's full of lessons and I love the continual learning that is business.

[00:47:41] And forces on me and makes me adapt to. So I think that I would encourage anyone who thinks they have that fire to, you know, think about what they want to do and, and go for it because it’s, I'm a very fortunate and grateful person for this.

[00:48:00] Marshall Stern: Awesome. I think you are, I think your community is, obviously, your staff is very fortunate to have you and your wife as the leaders of the company.

[00:48:10] David Wallace: Thank you. 

[00:48:11] Marshall Stern: So thank you. And, again, everyone just yeah, please send your feedback. Contact info down below, share, like, subscribe, do all that kind of stuff, and we'll see you again next week on another episode of The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered. Bye for now. 

[00:48:31] Thank you so much for tuning in to Stern Truth.  If you found today's episode helpful, we would love to hear from you. Please like, share and leave us a review. Also, if you'd like to be a guest in the upcoming episode or join us in one of our Moment Accountability Group sessions, simply email me to marshall@marshallstern.net. That's marshall@marshallstern.net.

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