Message from Mike
Hello Team City Barbeque,
It’s hard to believe we are in the 4th quarter, but here we are, in the home stretch of 2019. It’s been a solid year and we have an opportunity to achieve budget for the first time in company history. Budget is no slam dunk by any means, though: sales need to remain strong and we must remain disciplined to managing our P&L. Let’s stay focused and close strong!
The 2020 planning process is in full swing: the Leadership Team is currently working on our five-year strategy, which in turn will drive our 2020 initiatives and goals. The budgeting schedule is finalized and we will soon be sending you the new budget template, calendar, and guidelines to ensure we have the 2020 budget final and distributed by mid-December.
Our five-year strategy is based upon four strategic pillars: Team, Guest, Process, and Financial. Each of these pillars are uniquely important, but they collectively provide the critical foundation on which we will expand the City Barbeque brand. I often refer to our five-year strategy as a “destination,” as I truly view the next five years as an exciting journey packed with a lot of hard work, continuous improvement, and endless celebration. Although I consider this our destination, the ride will continue well beyond the next five years—in fact, we’ll update the five-year strategy on an annual basis, which allows us to constantly be planning five years out. The strategy and 2020 Initiatives will be communicated to you soon and, as you will find out, we will all play a role in achieving them. You will know what the future looks like and you will know your role in reaching it. This will establish awareness and alignment on our path forward.
As I think about our future, and specifically 2020, our Core Value of Improve a Little Every Day remains top of mind for me. We will Own the Barbeque Lane, but this will not happen by accident. To Own the Lane, we must commit to challenging each other, pushing each other out of our comfort zones, and—because we are all in this together—supporting each other. I ask each of you to think about what it is that you need to work on to grow as a leader and to improve your scope of influence. Please share your thoughts with your peers and supervisor so we can all support each other and hold each other accountable to Improving a Little Every Day.
Team, in closing, I want to acknowledge to you all that I realize we have been through a lot of change this year. I truly believe the changes we have made have positioned us for greatness in the future. Just as I have asked you all to think about what you can do to improve as a leader, I am doing the same. I, like you, are committed to Improving a Little Every day.
Thank you for your support and hard work. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if anything is on your mind or you just want an update: I am available any time, all the time.