We recently connected with Joanna Kim and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Joanna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I am sure every smaller business owner like myself starts a business with passion, confidence, and hope. But when we face unexpected challenges like unprepared reality, for example, have to be at a business open till closed if not physically, my mind nonstops running to picturing what would happen, staff showing up on time, enough supplies for the night, A/C running okay, Sink /toilet clog again, etc etc.. I don’t have to think about this stuff if I am an employee at a regular job. right? Business doesn’t run by itself if someone in charge isn’t there. In smaller businesses like mine, we can’t afford to have different divisions/departments to divide work and responsibility. Everyone has to work as a team including owners. I bartend and serve customers too. I could have more staff If the owner working a busy night as a bartender doesn’t look good but who cares? I’d rather help my staff so they can have at least a dollar more for tips than divide tips with more staff. I had a regular 9-6 job in NYC when I was in my twenties to thirties. It was a fashion design company. when designers design clothes and the styles passed to company committees, it comes to my desk to measure design to meet the company’s brand fit. basically, my job was to make drawing for wearable clothing and send them to the sample department to make actual clothing so our fit model can wear it for fitting. I was just working on what was on my desk and when I am done, I am going home. I miss that job!! Lol. but I have no regret for opening a business and I love my business.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Me and My Partner own a small piano bar business in downtown Las Vegas. We are inside Neonopolis Plaza. It’s not visible from Fremont Street so you need to walk inside the plaza. We hire singers to do bartending and perform on the stage with a pianist. We focus more on live entertainment .
Our drinks are simple but we have good local singers and pianists. They are intelligent, talented, and hard-working people. an unfortunate part of this job is our staff are musicians so when they have better opportunities to perform on a better stage, they leave for a few months but fortunately part is when their show is done, They want to come back and fill in for position when we need someone. we always keep in touch. Once we got to know how good a person they are, We don’t want to lose good people. We appreciate our staff and they appreciate us too. Our staff cares for the business so as our customers. That makes our business still standing.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Face conflicts of any kind that occurs in your business. Don’t avoid or ignore them. if you avoid or ignore them at some short of time you might think it’s over but it isn’t. considering Face conflicts as a learning reality. It makes you stronger. Respect and trust your partner. If there’s a problem with partners solve problems as quickly as possible otherwise it will effects staff and the business. If the center core starts shaking then the entire organization falls apart. No matter how small or big.
Respect your staff regardless of position. There’s no small part when it comes to the business all individuals are essential to the business that’s why you hired them to be at your business. Having a good relationship with staff but don’t cross the line. you don’t own them. Be responsible and involved in the business you own the business so don’t be a bystander.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I post updates every day. When there are no likes and few viewers sometimes It makes me discouraged from doing it the next day but I keep doing it to show that “We are still here”

Contact Info:

• Website: donttellmama.com
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• Other: email : [email protected]

Image Credits
Minh Pham and Don’t tell Mama staff