Durham Ice Cream Shop

---

Challenge
“The inmates were running the asylum.” That’s how the owner described her café when she hired me. Staff were training each other without guidance, inventing processes as they went, and unsafe practices had become the norm — from stamping branded bags on the floor to filling sinks with scalding water and waiting for them to cool. Without onboarding or structure, the owner had lost control of daily operations.

What I Did:

• Created clear SOPs for daily tasks. 
• Introduced barcode scanners to speed up checkout and reduce errors.
• Reorganized the operations flow to serve customers more quickly.
• Implemented a markdown system for close-dated items to reduce waste.
• Revised scheduling for efficiency and implemented safety protocols.
   

Results:

• Weekly revenue nearly doubled, increasing from $985.80 to $1,978.71.
• Checkout became faster and more consistent.
• Waste decreased through better product rotation.
• Staff followed consistent processes, restoring control for the owner.

Challenge

“I’ve managed other ventures, but grocery is a whole different world — I didn’t even know where to begin.” The owner had experience in commercial rentals, government contracts, and even a small gift retail, but grocery brought new challenges. Product turnover, shelf life, and rapid inventory rotation were unfamiliar, and without onboarding or SOPs, the new team risked starting off in chaos.

What I Did:

• Designed and documented opening/closing procedures. 
• Established rotating date-check systems to pull and discount products before expiration. 
• Built cross-utilization plans for deli produce to minimize waste. 
• Created onboarding materials and SOPs to train staff consistently.
   

Results:

• Store launched with organized systems instead of trial-and-error. 
• Waste was minimized and inventory kept under control. 
• Staff felt prepared and confident in their roles. 
• Owner gained confidence running a new type of business.

Challenge 

“The left hand didn’t know what the right hand was doing.” This was the reality at this bookstore. Inventory was handled by one person, ordering by another, and sales reports by yet another — none of them communicating. This led to costly rush shipping for missing books, duplicate or overpriced merchandise orders, and incorrect shirt quantities because past sales data wasn’t considered. The business was bleeding money from inefficiency.

What I Did:

• Consolidated overlapping roles into one Store Manager position.
• Developed SOPs and training materials to unify operations.
• Established systems for inventory, vendor management, and merchandise ordering tied to sales history.
• Implemented structured communication across responsibilities.
   

Results:

• Reduced unnecessary spending and costly mistakes.
• Improved vendor management and cost efficiency.
• Inventory and orders aligned with customer demand 
• Annual revenue increased from $169,493.06 to $239,886.23 in the first year after changes — a 41% increase.