well network
Q How long did it take to move from the initial MaE Deli idea to opening day? We started work on the first deli in May 2015 and opened in mid-December that year. The first few months after we opened were so intense. We rarely left the place and didn’t have any managers, so Matt (my husband and business partner) and I did everything from food ordering, to serving, creating rotas, cleaning loos and manning the tills. It connected us to what we needed to do immediately, and really focused us on how to make the business work.
Q How do you stay true to your own purpose and direction when faced with criticism? One of the key questions we ask when making a decision is, ‘Will this make us proud?’ There’s a balance to be struck between taking constructive criticism on board, which can help you improve, and listening to too much background noise that can make you lose confidence in what you’re doing.