The Hospitality Headhunter Presents… Caroline Barham
My name is Caroline Barham and I am President of Kelwhit Enterprises Ltd. Together with my husband, Mark, we own and operate 7 Tim Hortons locations. I spent my teenage years working weekends and after school in my mother’s coffee shop. I am sure my last words to my dear mom as I headed to university were “I am blowing this pop stand”. Twenty two years later I was back in the industry and loving it. A member of the Womens Presidents Organization, both locally and at platinum level, I am fortunate to continue to learn each and every day. A graduate of the Management Essentials at the University of Calgary, I have also studied at the University of Winnipeg and Brock University.I am married and blessed with two daughters, Kelsey, 23, and Whitney, who passed away in 2006. I am also President of the Whitney Victoria Barham Foundation which has sponsored community and educational initiatives in Jamaica, Cuba, Dominica and Calgary.
The Hospitality Headhunter presents -Caroline Barhams’ QSR isn’t a Four Letter Word.
To contact Caroline about working for Tim Hortons contact her below, or… let her know your thoughts by leaving a comment below or “share” this article with others in the Hospitality Headhunter network.
Gosh, it’s time for the year end blog post already. It seems like 2011 flew by faster than 2010 and yet both had the same number of days and hours. How is that possible? Thank goodness next year is a leap year; I could use the extra day. Often times when writing a monthly submission you may not have enough material on a particular subject for an entire post. These are ideas that come to you at red lights or in grocery lines but never in a queue at a quick service restaurant because service is so fast you hardly have time to think (I hear the groans already). There are a couple of thoughts that I wanted to share in this December blog: though random, they are probably concepts you have also considered in the past.
It’s that time of year when Hallowe’en costumes, good and bad, have found a ghoulish resting place and we are headed to the internet and the mall in a drugged state of mass consumption. The economy has been uncertain over the past year and everyone is tired of hearing about it; yes it’s true, in hospitality we are suffering from “frugality fatigue”. Don’t get me wrong, for the most part inCanadawe have not been injured like our neighbours to the south, but our shoulders have become slouched from the sheer weight of thinking about cutting back. We are grateful but exhausted. Consumer confidence has affected both the stock market and small businesses alike. Economically, are we really worse off this year or could it be that stinkin’ thinkin’ got us into this mess in the first place?
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa… am I the only person who is confused in the hospitality world about what to say to customers during this holiday season? Personally, I celebrate Christmas – plain and simple. My house is decorated in the yuletide tradition and I find joy in buying gifts for friends and family. In terms of business, gifts are given to all staff whether full-time and part-time, regardless of religious persuasion. These are not bonuses awarded based on performance; these are Christmas gifts and have come to be expected by all. I should add that I also arrange for time off for those who celebrate Chinese New Year, make concessions to the work schedule for Ramadan and wish everyone a happy Cinco De Mayo. I am indeed thankful to have such a diverse team however,concerns about being inclusive and politically correct, have led me to wonder if I am losing a little bit more of my own heritage and belief system with each passing year.
Finally, I want to write about service, not good or great service but honourable service. Remembrance Day has come and gone and we marked it in our stores with two minutes of silence for all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. We also provided free coffee and a baked good to all who have served or are serving. It was not nearly enough. Then, we put away the poppies and moved on to the next holiday. There is something wrong with this picture. The men and women in our armed services didn’t move on, they continue to deliver honourable service each and every day. Why do we denote a single day to remember and say thank you for service to country.
So, whether it is Christmas, Kwanzaa , Hannukah or a just a regular day of the year, whenever I see someone in a Canadian service uniform or legion attire I will thank them for their service and let them know what a pleasure it will be for me to serve them. Ultimately, regardless of the time of year, giving thanks is what it is all about.
To contact Caroline about working for Tim Hortons contact her below, or… let her know your thoughts by leaving a comment below or “share” this article with others in the Hospitality Headhunter network.
Caroline Barham
Franchisee, Tim Hortons & Presidend at Kelwhit Enterprises Ltd.
LinkedIn
Want to learn about working with us? Email me directly at: crazee4coffee@gmail.com
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