The Food Server

This is am incredible story of a young girl who loved to serve, who enjoyed adding value to the life of  others, who worked hard with a smile on her face, who enjoyed to assist as well as lead, who followed her dream and eventually realised it. This is the story of Julia Stewart, a business woman who made her mark in the business of casual dining, against all odds. Her story is a great learning and inspired me no end   to write this post today.

Starting @ 16

Growing up in San Diego,  California, Julia’s parents wanted her to pursue the family profession of teaching, however Julia had other ideas. Just 16 she started working as a Food Server ( Waitress in those times ) and just fell in love with her job. Post her college she made it clear to her parents that the restaurant industry was the one she was passionate about and  wished to make her career in it. Though a bit skeptical, Julia’s parents allowed their young daughter to pursue her interests and in hindsight, it turned out to be a great decision.

The Hat and the Apron

As per Julia, the day she wore her Hat and Apron aged 16 at the International House of Pancakes ( IHOP ), she got hooked. She fell in love with the restaurant business and the uniform made her feel proud. She gave her best at IHOPs and her experience got her into a managerial role at  Taco Bell. Instead of pursuing a MBA which was suggested by many to her, she continued to work and gain crucial work experience. Her tryst at Taco Bell propelled her into reckoning. Her efforts ensured that all  Taco Bell outlets under her stewardship grew in business at a good pace. She had the pulse of the business and there was nothing stopping her now.

The Minnow swallowed the Whale

Julia did most things right at  Taco Bell. She enjoyed taking responsibilities and loved being in a leadership role. She left Taco Bell and joined Applebee, the largest casual dining brand in the World then and rose to become President. However she was overlooked for the role of the CEO, which Julia always aspired for. She left Applebee and was welcomed as IHOP’s CEO. From a waitress at IHOP to its CEO was indeed no mean achievement. Applebee went into a downward spiral as IHOP continued to shine in Julia’s stewardship and the time came when IHOP bought the giant Applebee in a major takeover. The minnows had swallowed the whale and Julia became the CEO of Applebee, the post she was once overlooked for.

Learnings from the Julia Stewart Story

What different did Julia Stewart do to experience such success is critical to understand and imbibe. Right from the age of 16 when she entered IHOP, she had her fundamentals in place. She knew exactly what is required in a service industry particularly the casual dining industry and as she progressed, she continued to evolve, she continued raising the bar and continued surprising the customer. Lets have a brief of the learnings from Julia Stewart.

1. She loved interacting with guests. In a service industry it is imperative to interact with the customers  and be forthcoming in it. Interactions help in understanding the customer. Never to hide but face the customer.

2. She welcomed feedback. Feedback is not only critical in this industry but everywhere. It helps you to understand your strengths and weaknesses. It helps you improve.

3. She had the zeal to make a difference in someone’s life in that 30-40 minute time frame which the customer provided in the restaurant. This is such a vital objective in this industry. What best you can do to make the stay of the customer as interesting, as comfortable and as enriching as possible. Not only the quality of the menu, the seamless service with a smile, but the entire ambience is of extreme importance.

4. She loved energising brands. When Julia became CEO at IHOP, she rolled out a new slogan “ Come Hungry, Leave Happy “. This one slogan was extremely well received  by both the employees as well as the customers. The staff had to ensure that the ethos of the slogan was put in action and meet customers expectations when they walked in an IHOP outlet. The customers too came looking forward to a happy experience and never felt disappointed. IHOP stocks rose beyond 50% in a year.

5. She had a strong  desire to constantly improve and exceed customer expectations. This is so important. It not only defeats stagnation, but keeps both employees and customers involved and interested. 

6. The Spirit of Customer Focus, her only mantra. Customer centricity is the core to any business be it banking, retailing or dining. Its all about the customer, its all about the guest. This is the culture she pursued without a compromise in her career and reaped rich rewards. 

7. Love and Passion for the job she was handling. Julia loved what she was doing and enjoyed it to the fullest. An extremely important ingredient for success.

With such a focused approach to her work and a flair for leadership it was not a surprise when in 2006, Julia was ranked 49th on the Fortune magazine’s list of the 50 most powerful women.

Julia Stewart is 67 now, a successful business woman, a Food Server who made it big and lived her dream.