It’s a pretty common narrative among small-scale food producers, even the most popular ones: Over time, creative genius doesn’t run a business. If great restaurants fail to turn a profit, then brilliant ideas die in the water. According to Holly Howard, a former ballerina and bassoon player and now a small-scale business consultant, this is a widespread misconception. Creative types are fully capable of getting their shit together and she’s here to help.
Her twelve week class, fittingly titled “From Artisan to Entrepreneur,” starts on Monday, June 8 at 6:00 p.m. at egg in Williamsburg, and registration is still open. The business development course is geared towards businesses in their adolescence, and Howard promises that while she teaches financial language, her class is refreshingly jargon-free. “Most people who I work with are not interested in calling themselves the CEO,” she laughs. The course covers a broad spectrum of topics that include long term planning, motivating a team, and selling a product.
Howard started on this path when she became a manager at egg, where she developed a passion for bookkeeping, managing people and systems. She oversaw the restaurant and helped it through several milestones before moving on to start her own consulting company.
While Howard welcomes participants from a wide variety of disciplines, she’s quick to emphasize that she expects a lot from the people in her class. “They have to be ready for a transformation; they have to be ready to work differently,” she says.
Up for the challenge? Join an impressive group of alumni that includes Saipua, several restaurants and at least one film studio. Just be ready to work hard. “It really is a journey,” Howard admits.
