I’ve been reading a book called “Enchantment” by Guy Kawasaki and I think it’s worth sharing a meaningful part of it (to me anyway), so that we can go into 2012 with the best of intentions!

“Mensch” is a German term for “human being” but in the Yiddish term, it means “honest, fair, kind and transparent, no matter who you’re dealing with and who will ever know what you did.” 

2012 is said to be the end of the Mayan calendar and the beginning of a new consciousness. Let’s think about all the people that passed away in 2011. Osama Bin Laden, Kim Jung Il, Kadafi, Michael Jackson, Steve Jobs and several other world influencers and leaders. 2011 was a year of revolting- the world begging for real, tangible change. 2012 will be the beginning of it for all of us and I can’t wait to see how it will unfold! 

My two biggest lessons of 2011:

1. The power of consistency. Creating a truly consistent business, finding consistently performing staff, delivering product to the public in a consistent way every time. Being consistent with what we say and how we act with our peers, co-workers, friends, family and loved ones. Consistency is not confusing. I will focus on this in 2012.

2. The power of a great team. Hiring the right people that fit the right jobs will eliminate so much stress and increase the chance of success exponentially. Round pegs in round holes, not any other way. Your team should eliminate stress, not add to it. If you feel like your workload is more with the addition of a teammate, chances are you have the wrong hire. Hire slow, fire fast- only way to be. I learned this the hard way.

For 2012, let us all begin by being Menschs!

Here are 12 things for all of us to think about, to print out and put on our fridges so we can look at it every morning before we begin our days:

1. Always act with honesty.

2. Treat people who have wronged you with civility.

3. Fulfill your unkept promises from the past.

4. Help someone who can be of absolute no use to you.

5. Suspend blame when something goes wrong and ask: “what can we learn?”

6. Hire people who are smart as or smarter than you and give them opportunities for growth.

7. Don’t interrupt people (even if you’re excited to share a thought). Don’t dismiss their concerns offhand. Don’t rush to give advice. Don’t change the subject. Allow people their moment.

8. Do no harm in anything you undertake.

9. Don’t be too quick to shoot down others’ ideas.

10. Share your knowledge, expertise and best practices with others.

11. Focus on goodwill (positive actions that make the world a better place.)

12. Give people the benefit of doubt.

Happy New Year and let’s share our resolutions with our closest and dearest so that we can all hold each other accountable.

Method. How do we communicate to effectively convey our message? Our intentions could be perfectly good but if it doesn’t come off the tongue right, the interpretation is what actually matters. 

To deconstruct why my method is the way it is: I grew up with an Indian father and Japanese mother. Both had entirely different methods. My mother (of Samurai decent) had a soothing, patient, accepting yet stern method. My father had the “tough love” (Indian style) method.

We grew up defending ourselves a lot (from our dad). I would say that it was our defiance that shaped us in a lot of ways. (By “us”, I mean my twin sister Radha and I. Yuri, our older sister, managed to obtain our mother’s method and didn’t get into nearly as much trouble as we did. Our strategy was way off back then.) :-)

I always say that I wish I had learned my mother’s method right from the start but I’m glad that my father gave us the fighting spirit, one that entrepreneurs absolutely have to have to make it in this competitive world, with the thickest of skins. Rads and I have the ability to get knocked down and very quickly pick ourselves back up and adapt, likely because of that fighting spirit. 

However, now that it’s about to become 2012 (the year of the Aquarian), I need to start truly embracing my mother’s method. Patience. Taking three deep breaths every hour to center myself and my entire nervous system. Thinking longer. Not reacting. To eat a proper breakfast so that I can think more clearly all day. To become a soothing Samurai. 

2012 is a big year for all of us. What method would you like to change? 

One of my biggest (and seemingly obvious) lessons as an entrepreneur is that hiring people with the right experience matters. Being “bright eyed, bushy tailed and enthusiastic” is great if you’re hiring for an entry-level job, but I realized that if I am that bright eyed, bushy tailed and enthusiastic entrepreneur, I need to be with an experienced team who can truly execute the vision. 

I also realized that work culture matters. Is our team cohesive both with what we do at work but also as people? I spent over five years with a team that didn’t fit. I never really thought about “culture” because I figured all workplaces were like this. Tony Hsieh, one of my favorite new friends of 2011, wrote a book called “Delivering Happiness” and he talks about how critical it is for people to get along at work and enjoy the process of building/creating something together. 

Finally, under three months ago, I met my General Manager, David Haynes, who has the experience to deliver. It’s equally refreshing that I enjoy his company! We then brought on our amazing Chef Jose Martinez (trained under Todd English restaurants) and he can really cook, and he matches our culture and he can dance! We get along swimmingly. David then went on to hire a whole new front of house team and back of house team who also match our vibe. My father used to talk about “vibes” (he pronounced it “wibes” because he’s Indian) all the time and how important they are. He’s so right. 

I made a realization that it’s not just about having one compatible person at work but every single person in the organization has to fit in order to be truly successful, and more importantly, happy to come to work every day. Think of it like casting for a new show. Each cast member has to play his/her part and if the fit isn’t right as far as skills and personality goes for one single cast member, the cast as a whole fails and the show inevitably doesn’t succeed. 

It doesn’t matter the type of organization we are. Investment bank, soccer team, film production, restaurant business, across all industries, the culture, that each person in the organization brings, matters. 

As a result, the quality and consistency of the food and service at SLICE WV is amazing now, and I LOVE going to work every day and I am more fueled to grow this company than ever before. I write this with appreciation and gratitude to my fantastic team.

On World Food Day, I found myself at the United Nations watching Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary-General of the UN give a speech to world ambassadors. It was an honor to be there with the Super Sprowtz (www.supersprowtz.com) on World Food Day. 

These ambassadors gathered for a luncheon to listen and discuss world hunger issues (1 billion hungry on an overabundant planet). As I watched Ban Ki Moon get up and give his speech about food insecurity and food price inflation pushing 80 million people into hunger, accompanied by a slideshow of harrowing images of starving people, I couldn’t help but wonder if these ambassadors know what it’s like to go hungry for a single meal…

We catered a fabulous morning breakfast & craft service in Park Slope, Brooklyn for a tv commercial. Thank you Team Slice (Luisa and Jose esp) for its success!  

BEETS ARE AWESOME

rich in antioxidants and vitamins A, C, beta-carotene, iron and folic acid, beets are a nutritious-rich, alkaline food. they help normalize blood pressure, help keep your heart healthy, and have anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. 

come on in and try our ROASTED BEET SALAD and sample some of our LOCAL NY STATE WINES

Come by our restaurant SLICE WEST VILLAGE (at 535 hudson st between perry & charles)- we have some amazing new menu items from our talented new Chef, including our roasted beet salad with goat cheese crema and our new asian cabbage salad with house-made peanut dressing. We are getting more and more inspired by international cuisine, but using local, seasonal and farm-fresh ingredients. YUM!

YURI PIZZA: White truffled organic ricotta pizza with sauteed mushrooms and organic mozzarella on unbleached herb crust infused with fresh herbs. 

Our artisan flatbreads are made with natural and organic ingredients and free-range, hormone-free meats. Each bite draws on flavor inspirations from across the world, assembled with locally sourced ingredients as often as possible. Our wine list features all local New York state vineyards. We aim to evolve the current pizza eating experience into a sensory affair with America’s favorite food and with our health in mind.

CLICK ON THE TWO BOXES TO THE RIGHT TO SEE THE MENU. 

Slice and Sangria = Awesome.

Sidewalk Cafe at SLICE WEST VILLAGE = Awesome.

THE MIKI PIZZA AND HOMEMADE SANGRIA = AWESOME.

SLICE WEST VILLAGE

535 HUDSON STREET (PERRY ST/CHARLES ST)

HRS: 12 noon - 11:30pm 

PH#: 212-929-2920

EMAIL: INFO@SLICEPERFECT.COM

FAX: 917-591-7678

Hi Miki,

Hope you are doing well. It’s been a long time (over 2 years!) since I met you at the Equinox at Greenwich Village, so I don’t know if you remember me. We chatted in the locker room and you told me about your restaurant, Slice, and the party you were having to celebrate its anniversary (which unfortunately I couldn’t attend.)

I’m writing because tonight my husband and I had dinner at your restaurant and it was a delicious experience! We created our own pie with gluten free crust (I am sensitive to gluten), marinara sauce, organic mozzarella cheese and topped it with arugula - we enjoyed it so much! :)

Well, I just wanted to let you know that my husband and I finally got a chance to try your place out and you are right, it makes pizza taste and feel truly like the “perfect food”. I think it’s the first time I eat pizza without feeling like I “cheated” on my diet - haha!

What have you been up to? Are you still teaching spinning? If so, let me know where so I can go take your class sometime.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that your restaurant is great and my husband and I will definitely spread the word about it among our friends :)

Congratulations to you and to your sister for creating such a wonderful restaurant and great pizza. My husband and I truly wish you much success!

All the best,

Yvonne

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