The Big O

I showed up to Needham St. on day 1 of hiring on April 5th. Outside waiting for me was a man named O. I reached my hand out to him, we shook, and I introduced myself as Nick the Apprentice. It wasn't long after that I found out he was a service manager from Manhattan. He had been with the company for 2 years, and had worked his way up in a very busy restaurant. For days O and I joked around about opening up a restaurant without a GM. I assumed that one would eventually show up, but with every passing day, I became less and less optimistic. Towards the end of the 2 week hiring period, he joked that they would put me in charge.

We both laughed it off, not really thinking anything of it. Me? I had never even run a shift before. My six weeks of training was rolling burritos and cutting green peppers for hours at a time.

We already know how the story goes..but they eventually bumped me to GM the night before we opened.

I was terrified going into this, but O was there to calm my nerves. Like me, he was there day in and day out. Already a Chipotle "vetern", he knew anything there was to know about the company. Although I'm his "boss", it's felt like more of a partnership then anything since the beginning. Anything/everything I've ever learned about Chipotle, or how one should be run, has come from inside his head. He's taught me to become a better leader, and has trained my eye for detail.

At the end of May he was eventually promoted to Apprentice, officially making him my right hand man. Like me, he is also there 55-60 hours a week. It's been a tag-team since the beginning, and I couldn't begin to thank him enough. He's the only person that I've talked to almost every single day since the very beginning. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that communication is very important. Even on our days off, we are calling/texting, filling each other in on people's success's and failures. We are both in the loop on what needs to be done, and the goals that have been accomplished for the day. We agree on almost everything, and our employees know what to expect from the both of us.

Thanks O.

Secret of the Week:

I don't know what to do, about this dream and you. I wish this dream comes true"~ [Digital Love]