{"id":4688,"date":"2016-11-28T13:13:50","date_gmt":"2016-11-28T18:13:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mentordiscoverinspire.org\/2016\/11\/28\/a-sweet-farewell-to-willies-cafe-a-job-well-done\/"},"modified":"2021-04-23T18:04:30","modified_gmt":"2021-04-23T22:04:30","slug":"a-sweet-farewell-to-willies-cafe-a-job-well-done","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mentordiscoverinspire.org\/a-sweet-farewell-to-willies-cafe-a-job-well-done\/","title":{"rendered":"A Sweet Farewell to Willie\u2019s Caf\u00e9, A Job Well Done"},"content":{"rendered":"
Ian Kennard I opened Willie\u2019s Caf\u00e9 with my business partner on January 15, 1996. I bought my business partner out in October 2003. I reinvented the caf\u00e9 and grew the catering business. I closed Willie\u2019s Caf\u00e9 on October 29, 2016, almost 21 years later. It is a good thing; we were at the top of our game.<\/p>\n Five years ago I decided it was time to look at selling and transitioning to a career in teaching. It was a long five years, but I am now out of the restaurant business. In August of this year I accepted on offer for the building that I could not refuse.<\/p>\n The caf\u00e9 has been my life for 20 years. My son Braden grew up here. Three years in I suffered a nervous breakdown here. My marriage ended here. I started sleeping with the waitress here; Cindy is now my partner in and for life. I got sober here two and a half years ago. It also has been a significant part of my MDI experience. I took a weekend off in June 2002 to do the Sterling Men\u2019s Weekend and another one in February 2004 to do the Legacy Discovery. All the significant decisions that I have made here, including the one to sell, were made with the support, challenge and wisdom of MDI men. They are the source of a lot of my success. The lessons I learned about myself and about leadership in MDI have directly impacted how I lead my staff and run my business. I can\u2019t count how many hours I have spent on the phone here taking MDI calls.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Regional Coordinator
\nEastern Canada<\/p>\n