Proprietor of Café Tengo
What does your company do?
It’s a High Street Café.
What’s your day-to-day job?
A whole variety of tasks including the day-to-day running of a busy café, however my staff are of the opinion that I’m just doing anything I can just to dodge doing the dishes.
What was your very first job?
I was a labourer in a dye house factory. It taught me that working hard means being paid well.
Can you remember what was in your very first pay packet?
I think it was about £1.80 per hour.
What piece of good advice would you now give to your 16-year-old self?
Be prudent.
How long have your been in your current job and what was your previous role?
For 17 months and my previous job was a Builder.
What does your company most pride itself for? And how does it deliver?
A no quibble approach to customer service, I believe the customer is ‘king’. Without them, there is simply no business; keep them happy and they will come back.
What improvements is your company currently making?
We have turned this café around over the past 12 months. It had been being an unpopular, unfriendly and not so appealing a place. The café is now thriving due to extremely hard work and a determination to get it right
What top three qualities do you look for in the people you employ, or work with?
Firstly, a smile and warm welcome, this is really important in the hospitality business; second an ability to be consistent in their work practices, and number three, punctuality.
Is your business currently recruiting?
We are always on the lookout for new people. We’ve people asking for work everyday, however, only one or two that stand out. Parents often apply for jobs for their children, however I would much rather a 16 year old comes in and introduces themselves and show that they have the self confidence to ask for work without their parent’s help.
What’s your journey to work?
I have an 8-mile journey to work.
What would be your dream way of commuting?
Time travel.
How do you like to unwind and relax after a busy week in the job?
Walk the dog
What’s your best quality?
My relationship with our customers, I have time for all.
What’s your worst?
I’m intolerant to those that cannot follow simple instructions.
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
To work in the Navy. I tried it and didn’t like it.
If you could change one thing about your work environment, what would it be?
To get better at what we do in the café. There’s always room for improvement. I’m not a perfectionist, but we can always improve on what we do, perfectionists spend their lives worrying about perfection and never get there.
In your mind, is St Austell a great, good, or not such a good place to do business?
St Austell is a Great town with amazing prospects. I feel it’s a great place to do business and a great community. I’m passionate about our town and the surrounding areas and I believe that sooner rather than later, it will score high on the place to visit for Cornwall. There are sceptics who believe that the proposed out of town developments will be detrimental to our town; however, I feel if we stay as we are we will never move forward. We need investment, new opportunities, and growth. The town centre will the follow and flourish once again.
