Today we’d like to introduce you to Tasha Miller.
Tasha, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have been in the restaurant business for 25 years with the honor of owning my own restaurant for almost 6 years now. I got into the industry after college when I finally agreed to help out a friend that was managing a local restaurant. I ended up loving it and worked my way up through every position. I have worked all types of restaurants; from Mom & Pop Shops, Local Staples, Small Chains, and Multi Billion Dollar Corporations. All of this experience and knowledge allowed me to jump on an opportunity when it fell into my lap in November 2019. I took a leap of faith, a deep breath, and dived head first into restaurant ownership during Covid. It was a difficult time, stressful, and hectic but it ultimately paid off. I was able to open my second restaurant in North Austin 6 months ago.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It is never a smooth road in the restaurant industry. I had finally gotten my first restaurant where I wanted it to be after 5 years of hard work and that allowed me to venture out and start a second restaurant. My knowledge from the first go around was instrumental in the second restaurant but it is still not an easy path and certainly has its own set of problems. No matter how prepared you are, there will always be something unexpected that comes up and the only thing you can do is pivot in the moment and keep moving forward.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a full service restaurant and bar in the heart of Avery Ranch in North Austin, TX. We focus on providing guests with the comfort of Tex Mex food in a fun establishment. We have an Agave Spirits focused bar and create both traditional and fun cocktails from scratch. We cook everything in house and are very proud of the fact that everything we make is done in house and is not prepackaged.
What sets us apart is that we want to keep a little “Austin Weird” but bring it to the suburbs. We love creativity and allowing it to shine. That can be from the cooks showing their flare with monthly specials, the bartenders creating weekly drinks, artists showcasing in our space, small business events on the patios, and live music.
I am most proud of our ability to stay true to the values that I hold dear: treat your employees with respect, value them daily, and then watch them take care of the guests with that same mindset. I genuinely believe that it is my first duty to cultivate and care for them. In the world today, too many people forget that it is the team that helps a company succeed. I hope to never get to that mindset.
I want people to know we are here and that they should give their small, local businesses a try. If you love them, then support them! That doesn’t mean you have to only eat or shop there, although we would love it if you did. It also means just telling people about the place or leaving a good review. Word of mouth business is extremely important in communities and is the best kind of advertising out there.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I used SCORE from the SBA. This allowed me to meet up with someone who aligned with my business area and utilize their knowledge to benefit my company. The T.H.R.I.V.E. program with the SBA helped give me a crash course in business as well. You can also reach out to other small business owners that you admire. We may be insanely busy but we can give you a bit of guidance to help you avoid mistakes that all first time business owners make.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.blueagave-restaurant.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blueagave_restaurant/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blueagaverestaurant
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/blue-agave-restaurant-austin
Image Credits
Toman Photography
