NOVEL NEXT 29
Lee In-cheol skimmed through the documents I had prepared and said:
“By the way, who’s this person next to you?”
“Ah, I was just about to introduce him. This is Jo I-ruk-ssi. He’s an expert in location analysis.”
“?!”
Jo I-ruk looked at me with a startled expression. He seemed quite displeased with my introduction of him as an “expert in location analysis.”
Of course, the current Jo I-ruk is far from being an “expert” in many aspects. After all, understanding location isn’t something you can fully grasp just by reading a few lines of text.
But Jo I-ruk is different.
What Jo I-ruk needs now is a few experiences, and I intended to create those experiences artificially if necessary.
Lee In-cheol must have seen Jo I-ruk’s bewildered face, but he simply nodded without saying much.
“Oh? Is that so? If Song Woo-yeon introduces someone, they must be trustworthy.”
He then turned his gaze to me. He seemed to want to ask, “What are you thinking?” Just wait and see, boss.
“And Jo I-ruk-ssi. This is CEO Lee In-cheol. He’s also in charge of the main branch of
“I-I-It’s an honor to meet you!”
As Jo I-ruk bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle, Lee In-cheol’s eyes widened for a moment before he burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahaha! A young man who knows his manners!”
It seems he’s taken quite a liking to Jo I-ruk.
Lee In-cheol was the type who pretended not to like being revered, just like other CEOs his age. Though, to be fair, people who genuinely dislike it are probably rarer.
Anyway, pleased with Jo I-ruk’s attitude, Lee In-cheol was already patting his shoulder and dispensing various words of wisdom.
“That’s right! You should greet your elders properly like that. Kids these days~. Huh? They barely acknowledge adults…!”
“Yes, yes. I’m sorry, CEO.”
“Ahem. Well, I wasn’t saying that for our CEO Song to hear~.”
Yeah, right.
But it’s all or nothing, as they say. Lee In-cheol quite liked my impertinent attitude too. After all, older folks often tend to measure familiarity by the degree of impoliteness, don’t they?
“Anyway, let’s get to the main point. As I mentioned, we’ve gathered here today to discuss the expansion and relocation of the
“I’ve got a lot to say about that.”
Lee In-cheol opened his mouth as he sat down. Jo I-ruk glanced around nervously before quietly taking the seat next to him.
“It’s true that the main branch is doing well, and we’re so busy that we can’t handle all the customers in time. But recklessly expanding and relocating is a surefire way to fail.”
“Every choice has its risks and gains. The main branch has already reached the peak margin it can achieve at its current scale.”
I spoke while looking at the page calculating the total sales and net profit of the
“Of course, the current performance is decent, so if you don’t want to, we can stop here. But in my personal opinion, expanding and relocating to unlock that potential would be more beneficial in the long run.”
“Hmm….”
Lee In-cheol scratched his head, seemingly troubled.
Expansion and relocation.
It’s the dream of all restaurant owners, and simultaneously their albatross.
As a store grows, there comes a time when it hits the limits of its initially planned scale.
“The service quality is dropping due to customer oversaturation. When there’s too much work, part-timers make more mistakes in serving, and honestly, even you can’t focus on the taste like before, can you?”
“That’s true….”
“You probably can’t even dream of exchanging playful banter with regular customers. In fact, there must be many days when you feel a lack of fulfillment and just physical exhaustion, wondering what it’s all for.”
“You….”
Lee In-cheol asked with a rather serious face.
“You haven’t set up a shaman’s mat somewhere, have you? I sometimes wonder if you’ve received some kind of divine revelation.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
That’s a roundabout way of saying my analysis is accurate.
“…You’re right. I’m so busy I don’t even know how the day goes by. The part-timers are losing focus and making more mistakes too.”
How could anyone consistently endure such grueling work? People aren’t made of iron; they wear down quickly.
“But couldn’t we just hire one more part-timer? Huh? With more hands, the work should get a bit easier.”
“At the current scale, adding one more person would just complicate the workflow.”
You’re going to employ three part-timers in an already small and cramped shop?
“Hiring a chef won’t work either. The current kitchen is designed for just one person.”
“…Come to think of it, two people in that kitchen would be quite chaotic.”
Lee In-cheol readily agreed.
“Unless we install another stove, it’s meaningless. We only sell a single menu item anyway.”
“You’re right about that.”
“But if we’re going to install another stove, we’d have to close the shop for a while due to construction. At that point, it’d be better to just expand and relocate.”
Lee In-cheol looked troubled at my words.
“I know expansion and relocation is a burdensome choice. I’m not saying you should do it right away. You’ll need time to think about it anyway, and if you decide to do it, you’ll have to consider where, when, and how to move.”
“That’s true.”
“That’s why I’m introducing Jo I-ruk-ssi to you.”
Jo I-ruk, who had been diligently taking notes, looked up in surprise.
“M-me?”
“Yes, Jo I-ruk-ssi.”
Jo I-ruk smiled awkwardly. He seemed to be thinking, ‘What do I know?’, but I had already made up my mind.
“What’s the point of just having meetings at a desk? Both of you should go out and consider which locations might be good if you were to expand and relocate.”
“In person?”
“Yes, in person.”
To Lee In-cheol, who looked visibly annoyed, I emphasized once more.
“As you look around, you might find a place that feels just right. And by observing other shops, you’ll get a clearer picture of how your expanded store might operate.”
“Hmm. I suppose that’s true.”
“So you absolutely must look around in person. After that, Jo I-ruk-ssi will compile a report on the potential locations.”
“Yes, sir!”
He’s standing at attention, probably because it’s his first task.
“I’m not saying you have to go out today, so don’t worry too much. CEO, please think about where you’d like to look around by next week.”
“Phew. Alright. I’m already swamped with restaurant work, and now I’ve got another homework assignment.”
Lee In-cheol grumbled but didn’t refuse. He probably knows in his head too. That simply maintaining the status quo without growth will likely lead to a loss of job satisfaction.
Restaurant work is tough and exhausting.
That’s why it becomes painful to continue unless you find enjoyment in small, trivial things.
It’s also why I encourage the owners to communicate and chat with customers frequently. Humans are social animals, and when a welcome customer visits, it gives you a momentary boost of energy.
Repeating unfulfilling work like a hamster wheel quickly makes people lazy.
‘It’s actually fun when the shop is growing. Times like now are the most dangerous for CEO Lee In-cheol.’
When you think the shop has somewhat stabilized and is on track.
Ironically, this is when most businesses collapse.
‘It’s fortunate that he seems to be aware of it.’
Someone else might have already hired another chef and just shown their face occasionally.
That would inevitably ruin the taste, and regular customers would leave in no time. By the time you regret it after sales drop, it’s already too late.
“Then I’ll see you next week.”
“Alright.”
Lee In-cheol waved his hand and went outside.
Thud.
As soon as the door closed, Jo I-ruk sprang up from his seat.
“Can I really do this?!”
Right. I was wondering when he’d say that.
“You might not be able to.”
“Then why on earth…!”
“I didn’t ask you to determine the expansion location, Jo I-ruk-ssi. I asked you to go on a preliminary survey together and submit a report.”
“…Pardon?”
I grinned and said:
“I’ll review the chosen locations once more. So don’t worry too much, just focus on whether the places seem good or not to you, Jo I-ruk-ssi.”
Because you, you have the eyes to see it.
“Trust me.”
“…….”
Jo I-ruk gulped and then nodded vigorously.
That’s right.
For someone lacking confidence, you just need to give them something to believe in. That’s why words like “trust me” are surprisingly effective.
“Yes, I understand. So I just need to focus on location analysis, right?!”
I smiled gently at Jo I-ruk, whose eyes were sparkling.
“Make sure to attend the meeting scheduled for 3 PM as well. You’ll learn other things there too.”
In this small company with fewer than five people, there’s no strict division between your work and mine. If the company can’t function without just one person, is it even a company? It’s more like a neighborhood convenience store.
Even if it’s at the level of a neighborhood store right now, we needed to build a good system for the future.
‘There are many talented individuals we need to bring in.’
Jo I-ruk was the first step in that process.
Moreover, I was about to get busy with something new soon.
‘Before that, I should pass on most of the franchise operation knowledge.’
Ah, you’re wondering what I’m going to do?
‘Since I’ve come back to the past, I might as well use the knowledge I have.’
This coming summer.
A snow flower bingsu craze was about to hit.