To maintain the confidentiality of our clients, we don’t market ourselves by linking our brand to that of our clients, but this makes branding ourselves almost impossible. So, the question arises “how do you brand yourself” so we have decided to build the Sterlet brand around what we have done for ourselves in the past. We will therefore only mention projects where we owned or created something for a joint venture.
Services
Menu and food items
We have created more than a thousand menus, and more than ten thousand dishes, either by ourselves or in conjunction with chefs and other restaurateurs. We love the science behind food, and we always strive to create perfection when it comes to the menu items as well as well as the menu layout.
Training
With so many years of experience, we are able to provide training for waiters and management. We tailor make the training to suite your brand, and by either handling it ourselves, or contracting in specialists. Finding and retaining the correct staff is extremely difficult. We can find you the right staff, and we do all the hard work.
Waiter Training
So, I started as a waiter, and great service has always been very close to my heart. In my younger years, I was extremely busy on my floor, so training up my waiters was easy enough. As the businesses started growing, I needed to create training programs that would ensure that my waiters where properly trained, and that they all followed the same systems to ensure that we had consistent service all through the group.
Over the years, we created a training program that we called “We are Caviar”, the program did not only focus on how to serve guests, as that part is easy, but more on why to strive for service excellence. We incorporated lessons from Charlie Trotter, Jim Collins, Robert Kiyosaki and Simon Sinek to empower our service staff to build their wealth. The training program was even SETA approved.
We can now tailor make your training to suite your brand, and we would either handle it ourselves, or contract in other specialists.
Management Training
In both the franchise and signature restaurants, we really spent a lot of our energy training up managers. Finding and retaining managers is probably one of the most difficult tasks that a restaurateur can face, but we found that if we continuously trained them up in all facets of the business, they tended to stay for longer. If you can manage to make it about “what they are learning”, and not “what they are earning”, you have won half the battle. We can train managers everything, from social media, profit and loss and cost of sales management
Recruitment
Finding and retaining the correct staff is extremely difficult. We can find you the right staff, and we do all the hard work. After twenty years’ worth of experience in hiring staff, we really know how to choose the right staff for the correct restaurant. We also charge a fraction of the price of normal recruitment agencies
Acting as an agent
Over the years I have been involved in negotiating more than thirty leases, and I always found that keeping the lawyers out for as long as possible, if not completely, is the right way of going. We can either act on your behalf or work with you to ensure that everyone gets the best possible deal.
Intermediary Landlord and Tenant
We also specialize in finding solutions that work for both parties, so we will endeavor to help repair or grow any relationship.
We have also completed projects for landlords where we did a complete audit of all their restaurants in a shopping mall, and we where able to provide them with detailed action plans.
Intermediary Supplier and Restaurants
We have more than 20 years’ worth of experience dealing some of South Africa’s biggest suppliers, so we are generally able to source the best quality produce at the best prices. We understand that restaurants either shop around too much, or they don’t shop around enough, so we try and find a happy medium. We are also able to step in and work on a payment plan should you be running into cashflow problems.
Intermediary between Other Professionals
Since professionals like lawyers and accountants charge by the hour, we can assist with as much as up and till you need to see them. This reduces your costs tremendously, as well as saving you time. Over the past twenty years in business, we have picked up enough to also be able to advise you, and although we are bound by confidentiality, we are not governed by the same bodies as your accountant or lawyer.
Project management
We can project manage any type of restaurant business, from building new restaurants, to the revamping and the renovation of existing restaurants. We have years of experience in rebranding and whilst it can cost a lot of money, we will manage the rebrand within your budget, and deal with the creatives and contractors.
Building new restaurants
I was very fortunate to have a great teacher, and we designed the first Cape Town Fish Market we did it old school. Later, I designed all my own restaurants, from the layout to décor and equipment. I also project managed the complete build, from budget to opening. So, we offer a complete turnkey solution. There is nothing more satisfying that seeing your or someone else’s vision coming to life. Most of my restaurants where in Centre’s that belongs to listed funds, so I am used to red tape. We also charge a fraction of the price which an architect would charge.
Revamp and Renovation
I have been involved in about twenty revamps and renovations. I have done this both for myself as well as for other businesses, so I understand the stress of getting things done right, and getting it done under budget. Again, we offer complete transparency in the costing and pricing.
Rebranding
Sometimes, a little bit of a facelift is all that’s needed, that, and a touch of rebranding. Transforming your brand and updating it does not come cheap, but it can be done on a tight budget, if need be. In a stagnant business, this is normally the first place to start. We will manage the rebrand within your budget, and deal with the creatives, and we don’t are always transparent on our costings.
Complete Brands Available
We offer complete restaurant and brand packages. These are some examples of brands that we have available. We can also tailor make one to suite your needs, as well as your budget. This is something I really love doing this.
Marketing
We manage all types of marketing including social media management; google site and google ads, campaign specific marketing and; brand and contentn editing. We have been working with experts in this field for more than twenty years, so we are able to interact with them for you so that it costs you less for more.
Social media management
We can either help you simply optimize your social marketing, or we could manage it for you. We understand that each brand is different, as well as each platform, and we really spend our time on developing a strategy that works for you.
Google site and Google Adds
These days, managing your content on the internet is so important. We can help you set up your Google account properly, and then help you set up Google Adds campaigns. This will in turn drive more traffic to your website, and that will increase your Google Ratings.
Campaign specific marketing
We can design specific campaigns that suits your needs at a specific time. We have a proven track record in generating ideas that work, and then implementing them. We will write all the copy, and either use your designers or you can use one of the experts that we deal with, and we don’t take any kickbacks.
Brand and Content Editing
With almost 44% of guests deciding whether they like your brand or not according to your website, it is vitally important to spend the time and make sure all your content is correct. We have been working with experts in this field for more than twenty years, so we are able to interact with them for you so that it costs you less for more.
Financial
Having been involved in a multitude of restaurants, we have more than twenty years’ worth of experience in the financial aspects of the restaurantier business. We are able to work through your figures, and to find ways where you can maximize turnover and reduce expenses.
Profit and Loss analysis
Having been involved in a multitude of restaurants, we have more than twenty years’ worth of experience in P&L analysis. We are able to work through your figures, and to find ways where you can maximize turnover and reduce expenses.
Budgets and Cash Flow
We have always found that businesses that don’t concentrate on their Budget and Cashflow are literally flying without radar. We will use your historic figures and build you a complete Budget and Cashflow that will work, accurately and precisely.
Setup Costs for New Businesses
The biggest mistake anyone can make is to get their Setup Cost incorrectly for a new business. We have learned over the years to be as accurate as possible, but to also allow for the unforeseen, whilst keeping it feasible. We also believe in taking a negative approach to year one, so that you don’t end up in a cashflow conundrum.
Restaurant Audits
Whether you would like someone to audit your own restaurant, from Cost of Sales, to service, to finding vulnerabilities, we truly apply our mind to find the solution to your problems. We find this is a very tool for investors as well as landlords.
Business Broking
Whether you’re looking at selling your business, or looking to buy a new one, we can help you. We are discreet, and we know what buyers and sellers want. The trick is to get to a middle ground, where everyone is happy. In these uncertain times, its even more important to know what you are getting into.
Restaurant Turnaround
If there is one thing that we are good at, it is Turning around businesses that are struggling. We take a holistic approach, and we deal with your creditors and landlords, to try and make your life easier. We will also give you an honest assessment, of whether it is possible to turn the business around.
Business Rescue
Having been trapped inside a Business Rescue for almost two and a half years, and loosing everything, and paying an absolute fortune for the privilege, we did learn from our mistakes. If you find yourself considering BR then please contact us first, or if you find yourself trapped in BR, we can assist you.
Liquidation
I always saw Liquidation as such a negative word, and I would not consider it, and I guess that’s why Business Rescue sounded a lot more honorable. In truth, Liquidation would have been the best option for me. If you’re in a position where you can’t anymore, we can assist in finding the right liquidator.