Meet Robyn Bradley a JEWELHONEY who after years of working in the foodservice industry ventured on her own to establish Beach Cafe in Las Vegas, Nevada. Yes!! There's a beach in the desert! And she owns it! Following the strength of her mother and her never give up mentality, Robyn shares the key to her success is to Follow Through. She is living proof of the adage that "if at first, you don't succeed, try, try again".
Robyn shares the wisdom to her resilience and brilliance with JEWELHONEY and in true Vegas fashion of taking a gamble, she hits the jackpot! So let's jump right in, from the lips of one great woman to another.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF?
I was born at Andrews Air Force Base to an American Father and a Scottish Mother. They met in Scotland at the base my mother in and then move to the States. I have five other siblings and I'm second to the youngest. My two oldest brothers are my fathers' sons from another marriage, but they were raised by my mom since they were 4 and 5 years old.
My father was often out of the country for months at a time. He never wanted my mom to learn how to drive or be independent. He preferred her to be barefoot and pregnant. Often when my father would return home he would be abusive to my mom and brothers, so my mom decided to take us out of what was an unhealthy situation. When my father went away for another stint overseas my mom learned how to drive, became a US citizen and we moved to Las Vegas where my uncle lived to start our new life.
Getting very little financial help from my father and my mom with a child in diapers, we were relocated to government housing, "the projects", until I graduated high school. My mom would clean houses and other odd jobs to make ends meet and I would watch how hard she worked as she never sat still. She was always cooking, cleaning, doing laundry while taking care of six children all by herself. Although we had our own chores to do, my favorite thing was to help my mom cook dinner. She would guide me a little and then let my creative juices flow. As I got older I would prepare dinner for the whole family all on my own. Anything to get out of having to do dishes. I babysat as well as working at a fast food restaurant. After three months I was made night manager at 16 years old! It was crazy! I think it was then that I really enjoyed the responsibility that was put upon me and the pride I felt that someone would believe enough in me to put me in charge of their business for five hours a night.
As I got older I worked in other restaurants as a waitress, and later I worked my way into management. I worked for 18 years at the Coffee Pub. It was a local hotspot in Vegas for many years. It was there that I would gain most of my experience. During that time I worked part-time as a travel agent, I didn't have any experience in this industry but I had a desire to travel. So I offered to answer the phones, organize brochures, clean the office and in exchange, the girls taught me how to use the computer system until I was able to be on my own. About 10 years after I started working at the Coffee Pub, I decided to open my own restaurant. Wow, was I wrong! As much as I could run the front of the house with my eyes closed, I had no idea about bookkeeping, taxes and dealing with employees. It was a nightmare. I sold it after a year and went back to Coffee Pub with a new perspective.
I knew I still wanted my own place one day. I thought to myself, what if I treated the Coffee Pub like it was my own. I offered to do the scheduling, taxes, some of the day-to-day bookkeeping, creating new menus and starting a weekend brunch that became very popular. During that time I went back to college and took some business and accounting classes that I thought would be helpful for my next venture. I went to the Small Business Association and gained whatever knowledge I could get from them. I started creating my business plan and developing my concept and 8 years later I opened Beach Cafe. We have been operating for over 11 years now and even though I'm not sure you're ever really 100% ready to open a business, I took my time and did it right the right way. Not to say I haven't felt the struggle and still do at times. It's a hard and rewarding business. The hardest part I feel about owning your own business is finding some sort of balance. It's all about finding balance. It's important that you still have a life outside of work and stay connected to family and your significant other. Traveling and trying new restaurants, concerts, and sporting events are what keep me sane.
WHAT EXPERIENCE HAS SHAPED YOU THE MOST INTO WHO YOU ARE TODAY?
I grew up being ashamed and embarrassed of where I came from. I thought people who lived in fancy houses and had a lot of money were better and more deserving than me. What I have come to realize as I've gotten older is that in a lot of ways I was better off. I grew up in a neighborhood where we looked out for each other, it taught me loyalty. I grew up with friends that had as much as I did, It taught me to not be envious of what others had. I grew up in a kind, loving, and crazy household. It taught me to love. I grew up watching a strong woman overcome many boundaries. It taught me strength.
I've been blessed with having so many amazing people in my life who have taught me so many important life lessons along the way. I'm still a work in progress and always will be. Myself, like the restaurant business, is forever changing and it's sometimes hard to get out of your own way and realize when it's time to make a change. It's easy to stay in your comfort zone. Not very productive or rewarding needless to say. I try to stay open-minded and find that my stubborn personality is just a waste of time. It's something that I work on continuously.
WHAT KNOWLEDGE CAN YOU SHARE FROM THIS EXPERIENCE AND OTHER EXPERIENCES?
Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Don't be afraid to let people in or ask for advice. Sometimes all it takes is for one person to share their own experiences or say one little thing that resonates with you and you have that ah-hah moment! Be open to listening to people and hearing their story.
I often share my own experiences with others, letting them know they are not alone and sometimes the struggle is very real. Sometimes all people need is someone to listen to them. I try to remember that not everyone is so lucky. I'm truly blessed and only hope I can do the same for others.
WHO ARE SOME WOMAN AROUND YOU THAT INSPIRE YOU? WHO IS YOUR JEWELHONEY?
My mom will always be and has always been my JEWELHONEY. Her wisdom is priceless, her strength is inspirational, and her kindness is endless. Growing up I used to think my mom was hard on me in certain areas. What I didn't realize at the time is that she was preparing me for life. Life as an independent strong and loving woman. She never wanted me to be in the same situation she was in. When I asked my mom how she survived to raise 6 kids all on her own, she would simply say because she had to follow through. Truer words were never spoken.
I have a cousin who is surviving breast cancer. Only you wouldn't know it because she has such a positive attitude and carries on with life, because giving up is not an option. Her bravery is inspiring and I'm so proud of how loving, thoughtful, and caring she is when she is battling such a horrible disease.
I have another cousin who has an 18-year-old old son that was born with Down's Syndrome. I was lucky enough to spend a day with them on a recent trip to Scotland. Watching their interaction, the love, dedication, and patience that she has are remarkable. It filled my heart with so much joy. I can't imagine the toll that it has taken on her but you certainly wouldn't know it, her heart is so big!
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ROBYN CHECK OUT THE LINKS BELOW
WEBSITE - www.beachcafetogo.com
FACEBOOK - https://www.facebook.com/beach.cafe.lv.nv/