Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Andrew LeClair. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Andrew, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I don’t know that I can say that I am “happier” as a business owner. Happiness kind of ebbs and flows as a general rule, and owning a business is a rollercoaster of emotions–even on a daily basis.

I actually do work a “regular” job by day.
I work in education.

I like the balance of not being responsible for everything when I am at my day job, but being able to control my schedule and exercise autonomy and creative freedom in my own business.

Of course, I think any business owner will tell you that we are not truly free to do whatever we want–or even most of the things that we want–when we become business owners.
Paradiso definitely has all of the control.
I may have plans for the evening, but my business may have other plans for me.
For the most part, I have learned to let it be okay when things do not go as planned.
And I try to have fun with the process.

Ultimately, I do not think that I would change anything about my professional dynamic.
And when I do start thinking about making changes, I try to change my frame of mind first and appreciate the good in my profession. Doing so usually helps! And when it doesn’t, I try to remind myself that hard times come in seasons and that things will get easier. Sometimes it is really a matter of sticking it out and seeking out the positive.

Sabryna and Aspen’s happy-go-lucky approach to tending bar

Shrimp Scampi with Prawns

Homemade Pasta tossed in Olive Oil and Shaven Cheese

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I got into the industry at a young age. My mom bought into a neighborhood bar/restaurant when I was 10, and me and my sister spent a lot of time there.
I started by doing odd jobs–predominantly cleaning–and worked my way up to a dishwasher as I got older.
I also spent a lot of time in the kitchen while my mom was at work, learning how to create my favorite dishes.

As I put myself through college for a career outside of the culinary field, I continued to work in the industry.
I managed a local pizza shop where I learned to proof, maintain, and hand toss pizza dough.
I learned the art of pizza and customer service, as well as how to manage a team of people who were older than me.

I also learned how to “juggle.” Really well.
These skills help me operate Paradiso.

We serve homemade pizza and pasta and Americanized Southern Italian food.
I spent a lot of time perfecting my bread and dough recipe, and it is one of the things that I am most proud of.
As a general rule, I am proud that we make absolutely everything from scratch. We fry our own cannoli shells.
A lot of time goes into our food on a daily basis, and a lot of time and evolution went into the inception of what is now Paradiso.

One thing that we occasionally have to remind our clientele of is that none of our food is prepared in advance. In other words, our meatballs remain raw until they are ordered. This approach to food is very difficult in a full-service restaurant, but it is important for us to create food that tastes like home. Or better. Some of our dishes are hopefully better!

Homemade Fried Ravioli (Wedding Feature)

Scallops with Mushroom Caps tossed in Soy Glaze

Patio Views

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

So–funding my business was a total leap of faith.

Because we were a brand new restaurant and because I was still fairly young (25) and did not have any business credit or large credit lines, I had an impossible time getting any funding for the restaurant. And I tried everywhere.

What I did instead was take out a $29,000 personal loan (the most I qualified for) and max out my personal credit cards to fund Paradiso.
I would not recommend this approach to anyone, but–after about 5 years, I was in a position where I had established some business credit and paid off my personal credit cards.
In retrospect, I would recommend that a young entrepreneur wait until they have a bit more money than I had saved to go into business. But at the same time, that may have meant that Paradiso would have never happened!

So hey, if you are willing to put your personal financial wellness on the line, then take the leap!

“The Mad Hatter”: Smoked Bourbon

Valentine’s Day Martini

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

One of the hardest (and quickest) lessons I had to learn was how to be a good team leader. Morale starts at the top.
My mood affects everyone.
Sometimes I have to smile when I don’t want to.
Other times, I have to apologize when I have failed to smile.

I think that it is important to establish a connection with all of your team members.
I also think that flexibility is important. What one team member needs or appreciates most may not match that of another team member.
It’s super necessary to learn your team members’ “love languages” and do your best to communicate with them in those languages.

I also think that we need to hone our team members’ talents and give them room to be creative and have fun.
In the restaurant industry especially, we need to find room to let loose and appreciate our ability to work one of the coolest, most hectic jobs of all time!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.paradisoroma.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paradiso_roma_ristorante/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paradisoroma/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/paradiso-roma-elizabeth-city

Image Credits
Adaeze Opara – Photographer Eye Candy Digital Video – Videographer East Carolina Creative – Photographer