Customer Satisfaction with Second-hand Smoke

I am on vacation right now in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I have my family with me and we went out tonight to celebrate my 4 year old's birthday. Samson was born with a heart defect and he had valve replacement surgery at just 7 days old so this was a fun celebration for us as he still hasn't had to have another surgery yet(keep praying). Anyways, this was a fun time for us tonight and Samson wanted to go out so out we went.

We ended up at Outback Steakhouse as a familiar choice that had the least chance of failing. Seems like we make these decisions too often as a stop gap for success as parents. We waited 30 minutes which seems about right for a memorial weekend at a resort destination. We burned the time walking through some shops next door looking for over-priced beach toys. Yes, I bought a $9 bucket and pail. So finally the over-sized blinky vibrator started going off that the hostess gave to us and we were off to our seats. So far, so good.

Our waiter got our order for a Blooming Onion and took our drink orders all in good time. Then, it happened - IGNITION!!!! The table 10 feet from us lit up in a blaze of glory. The couple had finished their meal and took out their favorite cigarettes to savor the flavor just a bit more. While I respect their right to a smoke, I always seems to be the one who "rights" are impugned upon. Of course Samson, who has a heart problem and asthmas cannot be in the presence of
second-hand smoke so my wife hauled him out of the restaurant while the couple finished their smokes.

I grabbed the waiter as he went by and asked about the smoking and if we were in the smoking section - nope. I inquired regarding the policy of smoking indoors and he said, "North Carolina is really slow and behind the times.....". Ugh!! I get that some people want to smoke, but guess what, I don't! I'm sure smokers feel like the whole world is attacking them, possibly true, but in reality we are just saying "no" to the old question "mind if I smoke". Yes I do. I really do. Mind if I fart? Sneeze on your plate? I actually asked my son if he had any gas in the hopes that he would go by their table and drive them away. Crazy me. I should know by now that smokers just don't get it. They don't get that they offend all those around them, even other smokers are offended. My son even commented about how a smoker holds their cigarette away from their face. Why? because it is a smoking object and no one likes SMOKE in their face.

Since smokers are oblivious to the offense they cause, it's up to others to take up the charge. I would hope all States by now would outlaw indoor smoking but somehow this has eluded North Carolina. So, who can do something about this? Who has an interest? All restaurants should have a deep interest. After the couple next to us finished their cigarettes, my wife and son came back in to begin our meal. We both looked at each other and said, "I guess we aren't going out to eat anymore in North Carolina". Yes it is that bad. 300 people in that restaurant had to suffer through while 2 people smoked and were offended by their own cigarettes (see above). There are so many studies it's not even worth mentioning that by banning smoking restaurants will make more money. So why don't restaurant chains ban smoking? Really, I'm asking for a ban here from all Restaurateurs to ban smoking in their establishments. It makes good business sense and we will all be happier. I won't ever have to ask my son if he could fart on someone for me ever again!

Okay, how about for starters just Outback Steakhouse should ban smoking in all their establishments. I'm filing the suggestion now with them, feel free to join me!

One final note, I actually left the restaurant a satisfied customer. Guess what the waiter did? He went and asked around, without our prodding, for restaurants in the area that banned indoor smoking!! There weren't any that banned smoking altogether but he did a few that had banned indoor smoking and had outdoor smoking sections. I was very impressed, I also loved that fact that he brought me 4 refills of my diet coke! That always warrants a 20% tip in my book. the steak was good and no one else lit up before the waiter brought a complimentary ice cream singing "Happy Birthday Mate" to my son.

Fetch me my Brown Pants

Well I thought my first blog would help set the tone for my future posts. I thought I'd tell the tell a story that best reflects what I've learned in creating a successful startup company (Mindshare Technologies).

I'd like to tell you about the story of the Great Sea Captain. It was said that the Captain could not be defeated in battle. As the story goes, whenever an enemy ship was spotted on the horizon, the Great Sea Captain would turn to his first mate and say "fetch me my red shirt". The captain would then put on his red shirt and go into battle always victorious. Of course his men didn't understand why the captain wore the red shirt, they just assumed it was some type of lucky charm. The captain was keenly aware of the value of his red shirt. He never wanted his men to see him bleed. Then it happened, one day, on the horizon an armada of enemy ships was spotted. The first mate turned to the great sea captain and waited for those famous words... The great sea captain looked at his first mate and said "fetch me my brown pants".

And so it is with starting a company, you need your brown pants!! I have never been more afraid of things and had to hide it since I started my company. Sadly I think this is actually the addictive part of being an entreprenuer, just living on the edge of annihilation and succeeding.

I'm going to be posting my thoughts and experiences as to how one wins when faced with losing. I welcome your comments.