FSR February 2023

“Sometimes life requires you to take a leap of faith. Even if you feel scared or discouraged, you still have to go for it.”

Because of its size, Mix Stix’s tech stack isn’t terribly compli cated. Its most important busi ness tool is the POS system, which automatically translates orders from English into Chi nese for her mother and great uncle, who are the primary chefs and whose first language is Chinese. She also leans on a strong partnership with Amer ican Express, which supports Merchants year-round through the Shop Small Resource Hub where small business own ers have access to complimen tary marketing supplies and resources; Amex Offers for Merchants for services ranging from technology to shipping solutions; a new, dedicated Small Business Saturday page from Business Class, featuring insights, tips, and inspiration; and more. “We have lots of travelers passing through the area for agricultural work, so we take most forms of payments,” Lew says. “Our customers are happy to be able to use their Ameri can Express ® cards.” This is Lew’s first solo res taurant endeavor, but maybe not her last. Like her father and godfather who kept experi menting until they found their business stride, Lew is a calcu lated risk taker. “If I’ve learned anything from the restaurant business, it’s to not be afraid to try—and fail. A part of me never wanted to open a restaurant, but I also wanted to own a business and make something of myself. Sometimes life requires you to take a leap of faith. Even if you feel scared or discouraged, you still have to go for it.” ¬

local restaurants serve Mexi can and South American food to a clientele who crave a taste of home—but everyone wants something different sometimes. For example, the “Dream Girl” sushi roll features tempura shrimp, avocado, and deep fried crab; while the “Lion King” boasts crab, salmon, and avo cado baked in a special house sauce. The Walnut Shrimp roll (tempura shrimp, cucumber, and crab topped with avocado, honey walnuts and unagi sauce), is a clever play on a classic Chi nese dish, and a dedicated sushi appetizer menu invites guests to share a healthy snack to start their meal. Chinese menu items run the gamut from fried rice, chow mein and clas sic poultry, pork, seafood, and beef dishes to a few expected surprises like salt-and-pepper calamari and braised tofu. Like any good, hands-on small business owner, Lew looks

for several specific qualities in her staff members—mainly good communication skills, a respectful attitude, and a will ingness to work hard. “For front-of-house staff, attentiveness is very important. You want someone who antici pates guests’ needs. For exam ple, if someone’s drink is get ting low, they proactively refill it, or if a guest is in a hurry, they drop the check with the food.” Kitchen staff is more skilled work, but, Lew says, she doesn’t expect chefs to come in with the specific skills needed at Mix Stix. Instead, she is willing to invest time training prospects who seem like a good fit. “I don’t expect people to come in with all the skills, but you do need someone who wants to learn,” Lew says. “When you work with people and teach them, you have to be patient, show grace, and give constructive criticism. A lot of my servers are young, just out of high school and it’s their first job. Good or bad, I hope they get something from their time here that they can use in their next jobs.”

MIX STIX ASIAN FUSION TELLS A UNIQUE STORY.

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