S2 • E8 May 19, 2022 41m
Boulangerie Pâtisserie Italia has been in business in Saint-Léonard, a largely Italian section of Montréal, QC, for sixty-five years, it specializing in traditional Italian bakery items. Tania's parents bought it for her to run sixteen years ago - they the fifth owners in the business' history - they mortgaging their house to do so in order to provide Tania and the family a hopefully more prosperous future at the risk of their retirement if the business fails. As such, Tania has placed much pressure on herself in thinking about the business 24/7 in knowing what is at risk, she doing so at the expense of family time with her husband and young daughter. While Tania's two sisters work there part-time, Tania, a trained Cordon Bleu chef, is the boss in the kitchen, but has problem letting go of any control in not being able to delegate in knowing she able to do it better than her sisters. She also has to answer largely to her parents, most specifically her mother Jackie, as the owners. In fearing the business failing - it only breaking even not including paying off the debt - she has not placed her stamp on it in not wanting to alienate the longtime largely older ethnic Italian customers, while in the process is not attracting a new and young clientele. Steve doesn't see the problem of Tania not knowing how to bake, but of her not being able to delegate, of her fear of modernizing which she can do in building off what she already makes, and of the business lacking focus in being part bakery, part café, and part grocery store while not totally succeeding in any of those aspects. Tiffany wants to help with that directed focus, which includes building up the "Italia" brand, as well as truly make one feel like they are in a café bakery in the old country.
