My First Job: Alcena Plum, owner of The Crepe Cafe & Wine Bar

February 19, 2006

My First Job: Alcena Plum, owner of The Crepe Cafe & Wine Bar

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Alcena Plum

Current position: Owner of The Crepe Cafe & Wine Bar, a gourmet creperie in the Ravenna neighborhood of Seattle.

First job: Receptionist/shampoo girl at Tangles Hair Salon in Waikoloa, Hawaii. I answered the phone, scheduled appointments and shampooed people before they got their hair cut. The community was built around a golf course so there were a lot of retirees, which translated into a lot of nice older ladies getting shampoos and curler sets.

What I learned: This was my first lesson in the meaning of the word responsibility. Granted, I was young (13), but I was clueless about what it meant for someone else to count on you for something. I actually ended up getting a job with my friend bagging groceries and just stopped showing up at the salon. I didn't even give notice or call! It just didn't occur to me. A few years later I looked back and felt really guilty about that. Now that I have employees of my own I know how that feels. Learning to be responsible on the job and to take responsibility for my actions and choices has been a continuing lesson throughout my professional life, and it all started there.

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