GRACIOUS GOODIES: A STORY OF ADAPTATION, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, AND ETHICS

Abstract

Grace Gentry had long dreamed of having a small café and catering business where she could share her love of cooking and the wonderful creations she learned how to make from her beloved grandmother, Granny G. After her husband retired from the military, Grace finally got a shot at making her dream a reality. Gracious Goodies’ catering business was on solid footing after two years, and Grace moved forward with her plans for a café. 

 Running the café business was significantly more challenging than the catering business. Staffing the café was a huge challenge given the low unemployment rate in the region, and Grace found herself working over 60 hours per week trying to keep both businesses afloat. After a year, Grace decided to close the café, and a new idea blossomed: takeaway. Her customers had been requesting full meals that they could take home to warm up later for dinner, but she did not have time to explore this new business fully until now. 

 The takeaway business took off almost immediately. Almost as quickly, however, one of Grace’s competitors began a smear campaign using their employees, customers, and social media to attack Grace’s takeaway business.  Verde’s had been in the community for a long time, and they had a loyal following.  Grace had to decide how to protect her business effectively and how to help her employees and customers survive these attacks unscathed.