Goodbye 2021 ... Hello 2022

Merry Chrismukkah and a happy New Year to our wonderful bagel-loving customers. As you might’ve expected, this is our annual end-of-year post where I talk about how far we’ve come as a business, and how thankful we are for your custom. There’s no doubt that we wouldn’t be where we are now without your salivating mouths and empty stomachs (which I hope we’ve done a good job of filling this year).

However, without wanting my head to inflate to the size of a small planet, I have to give myself a little credit, too. As I wait for my dough to rise in darkness while my kitchen shines a light beyond, I reflect on what a crazy ride this has been so far. Running one small business is an achievement in itself, but running two must be a sign of madness. Some of you know that I launched Bagel or Beigel mid-pandemic on the side of my other business - and for those of you who didn’t know, be thankful that you haven’t had me talking your ear off about the stress of it all.

There are times you want to just pack in and run the course of many: working the 9-to-5 and being ‘that dad and husband’, switching off for the weekend as you close the door to the outside world. That life works for many people, but it has never been a life that I’ve strived for. Saying that, the chaos of the past year-or-so has made the 9-to-5 appear very appealing. I wouldn’t mind the thought of putting the phone down at 5pm and avoiding a computer screen until the next morning.

Then, from another perspective, some people strive to become their own boss. They long to dictate their own hours and manage their own workload without someone peeking over their shoulder. To those people, I have to say that working for yourself has amazing benefits, but the first five (or however many) years to reach that goal comes with many sacrifices.

First, there are the long days, no time to get sick - and a lack of sleep goes without saying. But there are also the smaller things. The things that no one considers until they’re living the self-employed life: paperwork, EHO compliance, maintenance on equipment and workspace, accounts, human resources, making sure supplies are ordered, organising and even executing deliveries… I wear around 10 hats per day - and as fast as one comes off, the other goes on.

It’s not all bad, though. There are little things that keep me going, like coming home after an 18-hour shift and putting my kids to bed. Or when a customer goes out of their way and leaves a five-star review, or sends me a private message telling me how their bagels and salt beef brought back so many childhood memories. It’s these moments that keep me from going insane.

As I slowly put to bed one business after a decade of trading and focus on the growth of Bagel or Beigel, I would like to raise my glass and look back over this amazing journey with all of you.

Happy New Year from Avi, Abi, Poppy and Charlie