Fear & Business

Fear and business go hand in hand. I have had to overcome lots of fears over the past 9 ½ years. The fear to start, outgrowing current spaces, finding new space, purchasing, and learning to operate new equipment, having the right inventory amounts, cashflow and then there is the huge fear of finding the right people and/or having to let them go. The responsibility of leading Lane’s BBQ always weighs heavy on me. Several people on our team are family and close friends and my drive to succeed has only grown more each time we bring someone else on this crazy ride with us.

Here is a huge one that I’ve never really discussed. We’ve had hundreds, if not thousands of people ask if we would ever have a restaurant over the past 9 years. I’ve always said that I never wanted one…but deep down I think it is just fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of messing up a good thing. Fear of not being good enough. Fear of it failing and putting my family in financial strain. Plus, I truly want every single person that we encounter to love our food. To the point that they can’t stop thinking about how much they enjoyed every bite. I know that isn’t reality, but that’s still the way I think. I have had the pleasure of eating at so many great BBQ places and other style restaurants which always leaves me thinking if we could stand toe to toe with them.

I think a little fear is a good thing. It can slow us down at times when we need to pray or think through a situation. 

My good buddy Steven Hartsock, who has an amazing BBQ restaurant in Cumming, Ga (Socks Love Barbecue) texted me the other day and said, “You keep messing around and you’ll be in the restaurant business.” The truth is he is 100% right. We already do biscuit pickup on Friday mornings and lunch pickup on Tuesdays. What is stopping us from moving forward and adding more days? Right now, it’s the fear of crushing our team and burning them out.

Ultimately, I think a little fear is a good thing. It can slow us down at times when we need to pray or think through a situation. But if we are going to start a business and keep it moving forward, you can’t let fear stop your first step. Sometimes the guys in the shop would stop and ask how we were going to get a massive order completed and we would always tell them… one bottle at a time. That’s the way it works. One step at a time and you will reach your destination. You must take that first step and know that it might be a shaky one, and you are probably going to mess it up. However, that’s the first step to winning. You also must understand that failing isn’t losing. In fact, there is only winning and learning.

So, who knows what the future holds for Lane’s…maybe this blog post is just a way to give myself a much-needed pep talk. What fears are holding you back? We would love to know so we can begin to encourage you to take that first step. It’s all about having a huge support system and people in your corner cheering you on!