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

Dave, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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 genuinely happy to be a business owner, but I do often think about what my life would be like working a regular job. Probably once a week. Usually when things are not going great in the store. When this happens I may have a momentary daydream of where I would be in another company, or how far up the ladder I would be. I know that I could be making more money working somewhere else. I even think about how my resume would need to be updated. I have not touched it in over 20 years, I see job offers in my email all the time, most likely due to my outdated linked in. At the end of each fleeting daydream I always remember that being my own boss is probably less annoying than having a corporate overlord. This version of my life lets me treat my employees and guests like humans and not numbers. That makes me feel good.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a family Man. I worked for my mentor at Susy’s Soup for 18 years before he passed away. I helped grow the business for many years. I then purchased the company and have continued to operate it. I have always had the entrepreneurial spirit though. One reason I joined the company originally was that it would allow me time to follow my original artistic dreams as a musician. Susy’s Soup and Deli serves comfort, convenience and evergy, food is the conduit. My goal is to provide our guests with quality wholesome goodness.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

Absolutely. There have been many times over the years when I had to take a line of credit to make payroll, or wait to pay myself. If you can’t make payroll than everything else will crumble. My responsibility to the staff is top priority. The hardest part of owning a business is the stress of “are we able to make payroll?” A huge part of the food business is cash flow, where and when do you need funds. Also where and when do you get the funds. The business has been on the verge of collapse several times. The dream and faith has to outweigh the burden and harship.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Golden rule all day. I try to be genuine and am truly happy to have my team, so most of the time it reflects onto them. We all have family to consider, goals to reach and hurtles to jump. I take the “we are all in this together” approach.

Contact Info:

• Website: susyssoup.com
• Instagram: susys_soup
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SusysSoup
• Twitter: @susys_soup