Blog 24 - Last Presentation Reflection

And slowly this year is coming to an end with senior presentations. 

(1) Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your block presentation and/or your senior project? Why?

• I noticed I talked more clearly than what I expected. I didn't say "umm's ,likes,or uhh's" and if I did it was maybe only a couple times. I also am proud of how well my activities flowed and the students were actually really excited and happy to participate in them and share out their ideas. 

(2) Questions to Consider

a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your block presentation?  Use the component contract to defend that assessment.

AE       P          AP       CR       NC

• I met time requirements, the students were engaged, my presentation flowed very well, I talked very clear and confident, and had lots of research over all. 

b.     What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project? Use the component contract to defend that assessment.

AE       P          AP       CR       NC

• I would give myself this assessment because I did all of my blogs and interviews on time, and never missed a deadline. Not only that I am now going to major in Business Management in general because my project was able to show me that you need certain skills to be a manager and I believe I have those skills and am ready to help open businesses. 

(3) What worked for you in your senior project?

• Having a mentor I could depend on because they are the biggest reason why I had so much research to base my project off of. Ms. Bernal also allowed me to have lots of experience by taking me to different events and letting me work and mentor at the restaurant. 

(4) (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your senior project?

• Maybe not waited last minute to finish my power point. It came out fine, but I had n o sleep because I procrastinated to much. Not any big issues I came across.

(5) Finding Value

How has the senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors?   Be specific and use examples.

• As I said before, because I got a lot of experience and information regarding R.B.M I am going to attend Riverside CC to get a head start on my G.E's and soon start taking classes for management. It also gave me experience I will be able to use throughout my life. I'm so happy all this work actually paid off. 

Blog 23 - Exit Interview Prep

So close....yet so far...

(1) What is your essential question, and what are your answers?  What is your best answer and why?

• How can a restaurant manager ensure a profit while maintaining customer satisfaction?
• Answer 1: Be in control
• Answer 2: Know how to communicate with your staff
• Answer 3: Advertise 
• I believe my second answer is the best because when you communicate with not only your staff, but customers because you are able to understand one another more giving the customer a better experience at your restaurant making them come back to you.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

• I had to do a lot of physical stuff as in attending catering and helping in the front of the house at my mentorship because you will only learn how to communicate well if you put yourself out there.

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

• At first it was hard for me to attend events because I felt awkwardness just going and having to deal with people I don't know, but because I was able to help out at the restaurant I started getting out of my shell and started getting more comfortable around people. 

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

• "Ciotti, Gregory. "15 customer skills that every employee needs".
• because this article let me know what type of person you should be if you want to be a manger.
• Mack Stan. "Importance of Advertising"
• Because this article tells you why you should take advertising seriously and why it is important. It also gives you a few different ways you can advertise because when you advertise more people are aware of your business which can create more clientele for you.

Blog 22 - Independent Component 2

This is the food we catered to this event.

Just a small view of the set up we did for the event.

(a) Include this statement:

•  “I, Leslie Torres, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 35 hours of work.”

(b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component.

• I believe my mentor Mrs. Bernal was my biggest help with completing my IC2 because she trusted me with organizing a catering event (which she helped me do), but she also lets me see all the different little jobs you have to do as a manager from fixing schedules,calendars, office to working with customers and going to events. Articles help you understand everything mentally, but my mentor allowed me to learn physically. 

(c) Update your Independent Component 2 Log (which should be under your Senior Project Hours link)

• Updated Hours IC2

(d) Explain what you completed.    

• What I completed for my IC2 was I was able to host a catering event within the restaurant with the help of Mrs. Bernal. I did not just come in the day of the event ready to do what a manager does, but I worked my way up to learning all the different things I had to do from greeting people to making sure they liked the food by going to mentorship and interacting with the customers. Mrs. Bernal later told me how she thought I did and she said she enjoyed the way I would talk to the guests because having good communication with everyone is always important, but also liked how I didn't ever show how tired I actually was, but showed the guests I was there ready and happy to serve them and host their event.

(e) Defend your work and explain the component's significance and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.   

• Pictures at the top of this Blog

(f)How did the component help you answer your EQ? Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped.

• I believe my IC2 helped me with my EQ because my answers revolve around taking control, being a leader, and advertisement. With this catering event I believe I was able to be the leader of the staff because I would tell them what time everything needed to get done,  how to set up, but also reminded them to stay organized with their own job. With the feedback Mrs. Bernal gave me I believe I did a good job at being in control because everything went smoothly and nothing seemed to go wrong. This catering helped with advertisement because I learned from an article named "Improve Your Restaurant Sales with Caterings" by Monica Parpal that with the smallest appearance you make at an event you make guests notice you exist and that way you let everyone know what they can expect if they visit your restaurant. 

Blog 21 - Interview reflection

All this knowledge, not enough space

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  

• Apart from what I already knew, I feel just understood more that all the decisions you make can effect your restaurant in a good or bad way so you need to make sure you think about it well so that your restaurant gets the best out of it. Be patient, but also don't be afraid to take charge. You are the manager and you need to keep your staff on track. If you want a successful business be ready to put in long hours and determination into it. 

2.  How will what I learned affect my final lesson?

• I feel it will affect it in a good way because my answers revolved around this information she gave me, so I believe my answers just became stronger which will help me answer my EQ well. I will just want to make sure to add different examples of good and bad situations that have happen to the people I have interviewed . 

Blog 20 - Interview 4 Preparation

Hopefully this will be my best interview

Who do you plan to interview? What is their area of expertise?
          I plan to interview the manager of a restaurant which is located in Riverside. The interviewee's name is Martha Valencia. She is my top choice right now, and hopefully it stays like that. She like most of my mentors, interviewees is in my family and has been in the restaurant business with her family for around 10 years as well. I think restaurant business just runs in my family. She didn't go to school for it, but worked her way up like my mentor.

1. How well do you think you handle yourself in large groups of people?
2. How well do you work in a team environment?
3. If someone were to complain about bad service, how would you handle the situation?
4. What do you believe is the role of the manager?

5. What upsets you the most when an employee does a certain thing...

6. Do you think having a schedule set in stone is important?
7. What is the greatest strength you need as a manager?
8. What do you think is the most important aspect of managing a restaurant?
9. Before becoming a restaurant manager did you have a different job position or have you been in the restaurant business for a long time?
10. Do you believe cleanliness will determine a customer's satisfaction rate?
11. Do you believe your restaurant will run smoothly if you have control over all your employees? Or do you believe that by working in their position they will listen to  you more?
12. Do you think logos are important?
13. Why should one always try to advertise their restaurant?
14. What are some easy ways you have tried to advertise? And have they worked or not?
15. What is your most needed skill as a manager?
16. What technique do you believe works the best when addressing an employer because they did something wrong?
17. What are the downsides to being a restaurant manager?
18. What are some things you do for your customers to receive the best service they can?
19. Do you work well under pressure?
20. *Asks about my EQ* How can a restaurant manager ensure a profit while maintaining customer satisfaction?

Blog 19 - 3rd Answer

My answer 3

• EQ 
• How can a restaurant manager ensure a profit while maintaining customer satisfaction?
• Answer #3 (Write in a complete sentence like a thesis statement)*
• In order for a restaurant manager to ensure a profit while maintaining customer satisfaction will be by advertising. 
• 3 details to support the answer
• Smart advertising helps develop a good reputation for your restaurant and it reaches out to consumers who otherwise might never hear of you. 
• It reminds all your current and new customers that you are still there, open for business, and that you are ready to continue business with them. 
• The profit you make off of your customers is what determines if you r business will keep on going or not, and the more customers you have the bigger profit you make. 
• The research source(s) to support your details and answer
• Hamlett Christina. "Why is advertising so important to Business"?. Chron. n.d. Web. March 2, 2016.
• Mack Stan. "Importance of Advertising". Chron. n.d. Web. March 2, 2016. 
• Concluding Sentence
• You always want the best for your business and the only way you will be able to succeed is by making profit. But you you don't have any customers, then you will not make any money. Which is why you need to advertise, it reaches out to new incoming customers which can lead you to earning more money. 

Blog 18 - Answer 2

Don't do this. Actually talk to each other. 

                                                          

• 1.  What is your EQ?
• How can a restaurant manager ensure a profit while maintaining customer satisfaction?
• 2.  What is your first answer? (In complete thesis statement format)
• In order for a restaurant manager ensure profit while maintaining customer satisfaction, a manager needs to learn how to take control over the restaurant and be a leader. 
• 3.  What is your second answer? (In complete thesis statement format)
• In order for a restaurant manager to ensure a profit while maintaining customer satisfaction they need to know how to communicate because when you communicate you get a better understanding of what your customer wants. 
• 4.  List three reasons your answer is true with a real-world application for each.
• Communication is important because it's an everyday thing we apply, but in business it's important to communicate because it allows us to share information between one another making sure the customer gets everything they want.
• You don't just want to communicate with your customers, but you want to make sure you communicate with everyone in order for more people to know about your business.
• Communication is also advertisement, and advertisement is important if you want new customers to give you profit. 
• 5.  What printed source best supports your answer?
• "Importance of Good Communication in Business" by Kristie Lorette 
• 6.  What other source supports your answer?
• "The Importance of Communication in Business" by April Klazema 
• 7.  Tie this together with a  concluding thought.
• When you communicate your thoughts between you and your customers or staff you build more of a bond with them because you are giving them an opportunity to get all their thoughts across and have a better relationship. Communication could probably be a priority key to having success in the restaurant/business industry.