Journal

Thoughts & Essays

On Entrepreneur’s Responsibilities

On Entrepreneur’s Responsibilities

May always brings up a whirlwind of emotions for me:
It is my (re-)BirthDay & this year, Maison May turned 1.

As I am pausing to celebrate & reflect on that 1st year, I gathered a few friends & regulars and as I am standing in front of them a story came up, words unexpectedly poured out of me & before I knew it, I was describing what modern entrepreneurship should be.

A Decade Later – What I own.

A Decade Later – What I own.

A few weeks ago a friend suggested that I write about the year that was coming to an end- she felt, rightfully so, that I needed to pause before I would leap again.
Yet in trying to do so, my writing felt ineluctably vain & empty:
I had accomplished so much and worked more than ever, yet, nothing felt quite worth writing about.
And I could not figure out why.
Then December 30th came.
An email hit my inbox that day which made me pause & look back to 10 years earlier.
Only then did it all made sense:
I was not wrapping up a year but a decade.

Fall Survival Kit – Return to Basics

Fall Survival Kit – Return to Basics

Fall is the hardest stretch for me, always.
The transition into cold weather & the march towards shorter days & the holidays always put me breathless, not to say most of the time spinning.
And this year is no exception with the intense violence spread in the news everyday (national & international), and the transition from running 2 restaurants instead of 1…
Yet, this time around, I’ve never felt more energized.
Probably because more than ever, I grounded myself & went back to the essentials.
Here are my basics, and how I draw energy, whether it be in work, a run at the park or a glass of red wine..

THE NEXT (R)EVOLUTION

THE NEXT (R)EVOLUTION

Upon opening Maison May 5 months ago & I decided to remove tipping from both of my establishments.
I know this is the right decision and yet it has been anything but easy so far.
Like a few major decisions I have made before, as I came to the realization of what is fair & needs to happen, now there is no turning back.
Here is, in essence, what led me to take such a giant step.
I have no perspective on this decision yet, neither do I have tangible results.
I am here to show the process & to enjoy the ride.

Maison May: Redefining Success

Maison May: Redefining Success

A few weeks ago, I pushed open the doors of MAISON MAY VANDERBILT.
I had a clear aesthetic vision, a strong business idea and above all, a deep desire for it to perspire emotions & tell a story, my story. I was not sure how it would all articulate itself in the end or really, how this story would even manifest itself in the actual space.
But to my own surprise, it is working.

No Way Home – Home is the Way

No Way Home – Home is the Way

In a few days, I will open the doors of my 2nd business.
All at once it will be a beginning, an end, an expansion, a continuation, and a true manifestation of what I have been marching towards.
It has been quite a journey.
Here is what has been happening.

On Letting Go: I Am Opening a 2nd Location!

On Letting Go: I Am Opening a 2nd Location!

In early November, I had had enough of it all. I had been searching for a full year for the right 2nd location- and the process had gone from being exhilarating and exciting, to utterly depleting. I had pushed myself, as I always do: going really fast, just go, go, go.
And so by November, I gave up.
Right at that moment, when everything about my project softened in me, well, the location came.
And of course, it had been there all along.