Akina Shirayama
AMM101
Business Owner Interview
Akina(A): What is your full name and title in this business?
David(D): My name is David Ramdeo. I’m the owner.
A: What is the full name and address/phone number of your business?
D: The name of my business is “Bagels & More.” Address is 331
Lexington Ave. NYC 10016. Phone number is 212-297-0667.
A: What or who inspired you to start this business?
D: I was and still own self inspired. When I was working as a deli man, I wanted to expand into the business.
A: What kind of work/job did you have before you started this business?
D: From 1986-1987, I was a delivery man. Then, I became a deli man form 1987-1990.
A: How did you decide to choose this type of business? Explain please.
D: When I came here from Trinidad, I had some friends who put me into the position.
A: How did you select the name of your business?
D: The name came from my cousin’s first daughter whose name is

Stephanie. And since I’m from Trinidad, I mixed them and got “Stef-Trin.”
It’s the corporation name.
A: When and where did this business start? Was it at this location or somewhere else?
D: It has always been in this place. This place was bought by me from a friend.
A: Is this form of a business ownership a sole proprietorship, a partnership or a corporation?
D: It’s a corporation.
A: Why did you select this form of business over the other two forms of ownership?
D: It’s better than a partnership. You run your own ideas.
A: What kind of special training, experiences, skills, knowledge or education did you have that helped you to start a business?
D: I had four years work experience before I started in Bagels &
More.
A: How did you choose this particular location, and how did this location help or hurt your success in this business?

D: It was already here, but it was potential that helped me.
A: About how long did it take for you to raise enough money to start this business?
D: Well, a plan was made to pay for this place. I didn’t have to pay all at once. Little by little I paid for it.
A: So, it is the same thing as how you raised enough money for the business to get started, right?
D: Yes.
A: About how much money would you think a businessperson would need to start this kind of business today?
D: There are two types. One is the case of an existing store. Let say… you need $400,000. The other case is that you need to build a store. Let say…
± $500,000.
A: What was the major problem you had in starting and running this business and how did you overcome it? Explain please.
D: It was started. If it were new, you’d have to attract customers in sales and discounts.
A: What are the three most important things to do in operating your own

business?
D: One… Attract customers. Second, good products and items. Third, staffs. They have to have good customer service skills.
A: If a customer complains, how do you handle that complaint?
D: We support “Customers are always right.” I try not to piss off customers. I do change products or discount them.
A: How do you keep your customers coming back to your business?
D: It’s the same. Good service and good products.
A: Please list your best selling products.
D: All bakeries like bagels, cinnamon bans, and muffins.
A: Why do these products sell so well in your business? Explain please.
D: Especially in bagels. Best product and good customer service make frequent customers.
A: What kind of paid advertising do you use to increase your sales?
D: Advertising is very important. I use magazines, internet, TV and newspapers.
A: Where is your closest competition located?
D: Newt door. They sell bagels, sandwiches and other same products.

A: How does this competition located?
D: Sales prices play a huge role.
A: How do you deal with this competition?
D: Good advertising, and better price.
A: What makes your business different from your competition? Explain please.
D: Better customer service. We are friendly.
A: Of all the products or services that you sell, which one earns the largest profits for your business?
D: I’d say… bagels and baked products.
A: How do you decide on your price? Under what condition would you raise or lower your prices?
D: Competition dictates this. I’ll make the price same as the competitors.
A: What kinds of insurance do you carry to lower risks in your business and why?
D: Everything. Gas, fire, theft, liability… Everything. You’d need all of these. Insurance is greatly needed to protect.

A: How many employees do you have now and how many did you have when you first started your business?
D: We had three to begin. Now, we have six.
A: How many hours and which days of the week do your employees work a week?
D: Six days a week and forty eight hours. It’s mixing. Anybody work six days.
A: How many hours and which days of the week do you work as the owner?
D: I work six days a week from 6:30 to 19:30.
A: What skills, experiences, and knowledge do you look for when hiring new employees?
D: For the delivery, they must know street well. Deli men, they need to have sandwiches and salad experience. Casher should have knowledge of cash register.
A: What kinds of benefits do you give to your employees?
D: Some have medical benefits. They have medical insurance.
A: Under what kinds of conditions would you fire someone who works for your business?

D: Those who are not doing work, work slow, always being late. Of course, theft is not allowed.
A: What special dreams or goals do you have for this business in the next three years?
D: I’d like to make enough money, and later, retire.
A: If you were starting over again, what two things would you do differently?
D: I’ll make the store bigger. And I want more variety to choose from.
A: Finally, if I were opening my own business, what specific advice would you give to me about starting and running a successful business?
D: Location, location, location!!

ANSWERS
The owner, David Ramdeo, started this business, which name is
Bagels & More, four years after he came to the United States from Trinidad.
In the former four years, he had some experience as a deliveryman and deli man but he felt those jobs were boring and he wanted to have his own store.
He had a friend who has a lot of money and didn’t need to work. The friend had a bagel store but he couldn’t do well on his business because he didn’t have any experience. David asked him to sell his store and his friend willingly accepted his offer. It was the beginning of his business.
His business form is a corporation. He chose it because of the ease of raising capital and limited liability. He also like it because he can run his own ideas. When he started business, he expanded the menu like soft drinks, snacks, bakeries. He also bought in more refrigerators to make more profits.
Because he had experience, and location is good, he didn’t have difficulty when he started his business.
He explained me that three most important things to do in operating his store are attracting customers, good customer service and good products and items. He believes customers are always right. When customer doesn’t

like the product, he exchange with another product or discount it. He does his best to make customers come back. His main product is bakeries, especially, bagels. So, the store next door, which sells bagels, sandwiches for breakfast and lunch, is his competition. He set the same prices as the competition. If he set higher price, he can’t attract customers, and if he set lower price, he can’t make enough profit.
When he started his business he had three employees, and now he has six employees. The shift is mixing but anybody works six days in a week.
They need to have specialized skills on their positions, and have to be friendly and ethical. His dream is to make enough money to retire. He advised me to have a store in a good location if I have a business.

DESCRIPTION
The store has a clean and big sign outside. The name of the business,
Bagels & More, is written with white color with the picture of bagels on navy blue colored back. It is outstanding, and attracts people. The door of the store is always open so that many people can come inside easily. The menu and price are indicated clearly on the board. Menu is also classified into its category for customers to understand easily. They have ten kinds of bagels in the case, and they have ready made products like ice creams and snacks near the entrance. However, people can see many products like bagels, deli like salad and dish, and juice easily. There are other kinds of bakeries like muffins, cinnamon bans, cookies in the back of the store.
They have a cappuccino maker, tanks of coffee, a small kitchen and an oven. In the lower place, where I cannot see well, there were shelves and much stuff like bag and coffee cups were stored. Its showcase is organized and easy to see. The store is old, but it was clean. The store is located on
Lexington Avenue. Next door is a same kind of store. And in his neighbor, there are a lot of grocery stores, deli, café, and restaurants. I think it’s good.
Because of that, many people are coming to look for some food.

EVALUATION
There were always customers even though I went there for the interview at 4p.m. I saw them exchange the cream cheese to new one. They bake early in the morning everyday, and supply new bakeries before those all products are sold. They always serve fresh bakeries and other products like salad and deli.
Their bagels are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, and they put the seeds on both sides of the bagels. They also have enough menu. Blueberry bagels and cinamon apple bagels are the well sold products which you can rarely see at other stores. Also, not only you can buy bakeries, but also they have many kinds of soft drinks and snacks. Because those are put next to entrance, people who passes by will buy them.
Their location is also good. It’s on between 39 th street and 39 th street and on Lexington Avenue, near Grand Central station. There are many deli and café around their sotre, but thier sign is clean and outstanding. Even though it’s old and small store, they attract people. And I think customers call other customers. Customers are continuous, so others care it.
Prices are good too. They sell a bagle at ￠ 60, and I checked the price of next door. Next door sells it at ￠ 65. And they were not friendly at all.

They had a lot of stuffs like groceries because it was big store, but they just had three kinds of bagels when I went there. I think David’s store serve better products at better price.
Though there are many good points in their products, I think most crucial point of their success is in their service. All employee always treat good. They are very friendly and the atmoshere is always good. They speak in a preasant way and they sometimes joke. I understand that they hace many frequent customers.
Finally, I think his business will be around one year from now. though I already evaluated the reasons above, they do a good business, and they have something like good service and products which their neighbor don’t have.

CONCLUSION
I learned that you have to attract people to start and operate any successful business. You will need ability to adapt to change, and if it’s small business, you will need good personal relationships with customers and employees. You can start business with less than $20,000. You can make it bigger depend on your success.
I think most important thing in the business is to attract customers, make them satisfied and keep them as your customers. Services should be good. You should deal with customers courteously. If they complain, you have to deal with them ethically. As for an attitude to customers, friendly is better and you need to respect them. I think it’s the same thing as the association with people in your daily life. Business with composed of customers. Besides, you would need to keep the high skilled employees and strength employees.
If you make the raise for the employees who are able, employees will demonstrate great ability. If you have insurance for them, it’ll be better.
About products and items, they need to be good quality and good prices. If it’s food industry, freshness and safeness will attract customers. If it’s technology, safeness, endurance will be attractive. As for prices, cheaper

is better for customers but you have to think about profit accurately. If you want to sell high-class products for the upper class, you will need to sell best products.
To get many customers, location should be where many people pass by. From my experience, the store at the corner is outstanding. Besides, you have to think about neighbors. If there are same kinds of business near your place, I think people will come to look for both your products, but you should try to make your business better than others.
I recommend this business for an internship for LaGuardia College students if they want to do this kind of job in the future because it would be a good experience of operating and baking. The owner is very good, and other employees are also good, so the environment is blessed. You would learn to work fast and efficiently because the store is crowed, especially morning time.
You would also learn how to manage the store. However, I don’t recommend this job to those who are not interested in bakery. You can do this kind of job part-time. Your work will be baking, delivering, cashiering, and serving. At most, you will check the checkbook and journal.