Pizza Today - January 2018 - 46

R E G I S T R AT I O N I S N OW O P E N ! - V I S I T P I Z Z A E X P O . C O M F O R M O R E I N F O

DEVELOP YOUR SUPERPOWERS
7 LESSONS F R OM A WOMAN OWNER-OPERATOR
BY BR ITTANY SAXTO N

"It's a man's world." We've all heard it and
most of us have lived it, but why?
Why are we perceived as only "assistants"
or as someone who "only answers phones"?
My options in a pizzeria were actually described to me this way very early in my career
by a person I will not name.
From that moment I decided that I would
never just be a "phone girl." I was worth
more than that and I could easily make a pie
as good as any of the people in the industry. I
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would not be stuck in a gender-biased industry and just take it.
What I did not do was raise my voice and
scream from the rooftops, "I am WOMAN!
Hear me roar!" I did not cry and whine that I
was more than an order taker (though there
is absolutely nothing wrong with being just
that). I proved myself. I worked my tail off,
working under my mentor and developing
myself on my own in an industry that threw a
cold shoulder. Here are the seven things that I

have learned growing up in an industry where
I wasn't supposed to fit in.
1. Read self-help books for your own personal growth. A few that have really helped
me are: "Girl Code: Unlocking the Secrets
to Success, Sanity, and Happiness for the
Female Entrepreneur" by Cara Alwill Leyba;
"How to Win Friends and Influence People"
by Dale Carnegie; and "Leaders Eat Last" by
Simon Sinek. Not all are written by women,
but each offers things I can incorporate
within my own life and business.
2. Remember who is watching. I am a mom
of three, and I always want them to know
that no matter their gender all things are possible with hard work.
3. Surround yourself with people who
inspire you to be your best. Mentors can
be so powerful in giving advice, truths and
guidance.
4. Develop and know your superpowers.
For me perseverance and dedication are my
strengths. No matter the struggle, I will show
up and give all my best efforts.
5. Hold yourself accountable. You will
make mistakes and things will go wrong.
Always be the first to own it.
6. Stop thinking, "I cannot." Let others
act like there's a gender gap. Leading ladies
never became leaders by believing they
couldn't because they were female.
7. Don't be afraid to speak up. You're giving your staff direction when you talk directly
to them. Say what you mean; some may
not realize that you were upset or that you
needed something.
I've had many amazing experiences in this
industry. I was, and always will be, aware of
the gender divide. However, I strongly believe
if you ignore it and demand equal respect,
you will earn it.
Brittany Saxton is a five-times World
Pizza Games champion and the owner of
Six Hundred Downtown in Bellefontaine,
Ohio, which she purchased from the
pizza restaurant's founder in 2016. Brittany will appear in the panel discussion
Women in Pizza on Wednesday, March
21, at Pizza Expo.

http://www.PIZZAEXPO.COM http://www.PIZZAEXPO.COM http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM

Pizza Today - January 2018

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