Thomas “Haas” Some Advice... (Part Two)

Raindrops on roses, I look in Thom's kitchen
Bright cakes and danish, some warm chocolate fixin's
Brown fancy packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favourite things

Cream coloured stollen, gol-den scones, turnovers,
Flaky croissants, brioche, choc-lates... Moreover, 
Sugar and spices - my spoon even sings!!
These are a few of my favourite things

When the clock strikes
When the clock rings
When I'm feeling glad
I simply remember to buy all these things
And then I don't feel so bad!!!

www.thomashaas.com
www.glosays.com

Transcript

GLO 29:11
okay, Thomas, I just have to I hope you don't mind me saying this. But a few times during your story. You've said, Are you crazy? And that seems to be your maybe your tune that calls you like maybe if you hear that again. Are you crazy? That means it's a good thing that's you should go in that direction itself.

THOMAS HAAS 29:27
Yeah.

GLO 29:30
So whenever that whenever somebody doubts you, then I mean, I use my gut a lot. Like my gut feeling sorry. I use my gut feeling a lot of like, that feels right. I never shut off my brain. But, but my decisions are always coming from the from the gut feeling and that's like the 70% is like, that feels right. Yeah. And that that makes it kind of sense.

GLO 29:57
And always the challenge right? You're always in I like and

THOMAS HAAS 30:00
I like to challenge Yeah. And even when we came back from New York, and, and and we decided to do this one, one person who was established in his pastry business who heard about it, sent me a note and says like, we didn't make it, you won't make it. Nobody nobody's interested in in. High patisserie in in this part of the world,

GLO 30:24
yet whatsoever. actually sent you a note that said, Yeah, yeah. That's just a challenge. Like you're like,

THOMAS HAAS 30:33
oh, that just that fuels me like nothing. Okay.

GLO 30:39
So, so thank you mean person. 

THOMAS HAAS 30:43
Yeah, yeah, so I was humble. When we open I put a little bell in there. And, and it was actually electric. So a button like a like a door ringer. And, and there was like, four people in the kitchen, the two my two girls and and then we hired two other people over us to work at the Metropolitan with and myself. And I'm like, if somebody shows up, they can ring the bell, like, come out and make their coffee, I wrapped up pastry or their box of chocolates, and they can go that lasted about four days or five days and a steady stream of customer came in. And like seriously, it was just like fire alarm

GLO 31:19
at that point. It's just like a buzzer.

THOMAS HAAS 31:22
That's right. And, and so yeah, so it ended up that, I don't know, probably a year in. We went through 800 customers a day and on busy Saturdays, we would go through 1000 customers a day.

GLO 31:35
Yeah. Did you always keep those hours though? Because your hours aren't super long. I mean, or is that something that evolved? I'm just curious. Like the business owner. That's listening. Right?

THOMAS HAAS 31:49
the first thing was a little bit by default. So closing Sundays. And Mondays. We were close. I said, I need one day off. That's why we came back. It's my dedicated family day. And then and then I go back Monday. But then very quickly, early on demand days were so busy that I felt kind of anxious on Sunday of abolishing go in No, whatsoever. And in then I'm like, you know what? No, let's let's just do Sunday, Monday, and we focus on the five days we are open and do the best we can and, and work hard even though our stores only open from eight to 530 you're still working, sir. Yeah, exactly. So I still would come in at four and not leave until eight sometimes. There was dedicated focused goals of being with my kids. And I didn't need to be with my wife because she worked with me. So that was awesome. And so please, I can straight in the office, she was the biggest support right from the beginning. Like when he met and and and you know, you're young, and you have no clue where you're going. And all of a sudden, she got pregnant, then we're like, oh, did you have a baby, and then you're in New York was all good. Not too much worse, but you came back and I was just 30 coming back. And we had a mortgage. And I know, all of a sudden it's like, and she's like, you know, I just support what you set yourself out to do. And I'm like, Okay, let's talk in a year from now, if you still want to do that, and, and yeah, 20 years later, we still work together, she does the office, I do everything else. And and we see each other every day. And we made sure the kids were always taken care of by her or myself or Lisa's parents who came out to visit us a lot. And and so our goals why we left New York have been pretty much checkmarks and and so I felt internally I felt very calm and fulfilled and and driven because I did not see myself failing in those things which were important.

GLO 34:03
Yeah, no, I'm so impressed by that. Because you know, not many young people have that kind of sound of mind to put family first like people say it and they give it lip service but to do it is not so easy. I just wonder if it was partly because you didn't quite make it back home to Germany but you still were like family's important. So wherever that is, you have to make that

THOMAS HAAS 34:26
you know, it's it's all relative to I mean, I still work often 60,70 sometimes like at Christmas, I worked 100 hour, weeks and I'm not making this up and I'm not proud of it. But they were also energetic, driven weeks with high energy and and they weren't planned. They just happened to be that we were caught in such a bizarre rush and demand which we just didn't we just didn't expect and and and you have build up over here. If we would have such a commitment to your loyal customers that you don't want to fail, and and so, so I would be well, that's really fast forward of what just happened, but I would be like, I'm not gonna go home tonight. And then yeah, I was lucky that both of my kids, they are homeschooling University from online. And and they were done on the 18th. And I'm like, Can you guys just come down and help and and, and two of them plan to go skiing with with a friend where I think it was still allowed them. And and and I explained it to them and it took them a second to like, yep, we get it. So they came to work. And they were there 17 hours, go home for three hours, come back for 17 hours, go home for three hours, and then get a good sleep after the third day. So yeah, so. So there's been a lot of checkmarks along the way. Which which, which? Yeah, which I loved.

GLO 35:59
Yeah, amazing. You know, they say chocolate. I remember learning this in school that the business of chocolate was wasn't depression proof. It was something like that. I mean, the depression in the 20s. And then I think during wartime chocolate did well, too. So but now you know that it's COVID as well. I mean, in terms of business, obviously, chocolates, a good business to be in.

THOMAS HAAS 36:25
I just had this conversation with a supplier. She says all my high end customers doing really well. And the low end customers went out of business. So so it's it's the business of cocoa rather than the business of sugar, I think which is, which is the big difference. Yeah. Interesting.

GLO 36:43
Okay, yeah, yeah, I like that. I like how you made that. I was gonna say that's more granular. But anyway, great. Um, gosh, I you know, you have such an interesting story, I don't really have any questions for you could just keep talking Thomas, that's perfectly fine. Only come to like, what the mid 2000s. At this point, like, there's still another 20 years, or 15 years to talk with, no,

THOMAS HAAS 37:10
I won't, you know, there's a lot of repetition. Once you once you settle. Once you settle your business, where I think the biggest for the for the people who listen in, and if there's younger people who listen and then and I always say like, Don't be afraid, don't be afraid of failure. And, and don't be afraid of, for examples, not knowing what you're going to end up with, or what you want to do, it will come if you spend enough time thinking about it, one day, your light will go on and you will find something you will enjoy. And then if you find something you will enjoy, we're really hard on it, that you become really good at it. Because that will actually create the interest or this kind of really pressurized word of passion. So often, I would do I would do lectures, or teach at World Championships. And, and, and the young chefs who sit in and say like, Oh, I don't know if I can ever be, if I can ever be as passionate as you are. And, and I'm like, don't worry about it, just make sure you do something really well. And, and the interest will come and that commitment will come and it will turn into some sort of a passion, and you will get rewarded for it. Just believe in it and don't give up and put your time and put your efforts in. And and and i think that has worked with me, you know, you've become a kind of obsessed to, to that. It's a little bit of a drag of like people that I really like what you do, oh, can you show me this? Can you teach me this, and and you work harder and harder to be able to deliver and, and you go home fulfilled and happy and you don't count the hours. And that wasn't because it was working for myself, I had that same attitude working for somebody else. As long as there were, there was a strong purpose and, and a pride I saw in my daily doings. It gave me a lot of fulfillment. And I think you have to start with those two things, you know, which, which leads me often in in, in, in those in those are areas of of questions I get of, you know, how can you sustain that? And what were your fears? And did you have that vision? No, I didn't know what 30 were going to end up with 35. But what I know, every single day when I get up, I want to do my best and I want to challenge myself to do better. That's all I do. And that in itself is the biggest insurance or assurance where you can say that must propel me somehow forward in a good way. So that must give me Some protection for my future. And, and, and that's what? Yeah, that's, that's pretty much what has guided me over the years. Okay,

GLO 40:09
no, that's amazing. I mean, you have incredible work ethic. And as you've mentioned, you know, you have had great support from Lisa. Right? Yeah, their family, your children and great employees. What about? Like now though, it's a different would you say me the world is different? But, you know, and a lot of people might say, Oh, no, but you have to go into technology, or, you know, what I mean, you'd have you have to do something else, everything's modernizing. Maybe you have to go into chocolate? Like, what would your thoughts be on that?

THOMAS HAAS 40:44
I mean, I am, I can very much relate to this, because I've two children, they are 20 and 22. One is an engineering and the other one is in tourism and hospitality, which has been decimated. And, and while engineering has a lot of promising opportunities, hopefully, ahead, you know, I even teach them, or try to advise them if they want to listen, that, you know, see what, again, this is your time to explore to find something you enjoy. But you have to strip off your layers. Don't be, don't be one of them. First of all, you as a parent, me as a parent, don't be that, that that parent who says like, oh, why not become a doctor? You know, your grades have been good. become a doctor, you know, that has been the old fashioned way. And I'm like, well, strip down the layers. And see, I do believe that in a lot of kids, depending on their family, disposition of how they grew up, but there is a big DNA trickle down. And, and I'm not surprised when Taylor always knew he wanted to, he wanted to do something on his own. I brought it up a couple of times, they're like, hey, do you want to go to pastry school? And he's like, no, that and probably it's, you know, for, for young kids. It's big shoes to fill or any ended up from like, I want to do something challenging. And because he hears me probably talking that way. And he decided to go into engineering. And, and when so there wasn't much torque any than that. Because as a father, I'm like, hey, if that is what you think you have drive, and you enjoy, that's what you're going to explore. Because otherwise, I will never be happy myself. Not giving you that freedom and support. And and with our daughter.

THOMAS HAAS 42:36
She didn't know when some of her friends at school would at high school would say like, Oh, where are you going? Oh, you go to Montreal? Oh, I want to go to Madrid? What can we do in Montreal? Oh, so we can all be together? Or let's do Montreal to let's do this, this and this? And, and and I said, Well, don't follow that follow of, of who you are. So we strip down the layers in a card game, and we wrote down? Who are you? Do you like people? Yes. Do you like office work? No. Do you like computer work? No. Do you like math? Not really. Do you like socializing? interacting? Do you like travel? And so we've pretty much figured out and like we really should do what you mandate and some sort of what I did go into something probably tourism and hospitality related. not asking you to go to pastry school. But hey, I love working for the Four Seasons, and being able to travel the world a little bit, or all the places I worked before. These are did a similar thing. And like, yeah, there's a DNA trickle down effect, I think you might be excited. And we look through the whole program. And she's like, I think so she was the only one going to GUELPH none of her friends were there. And she was convinced that that's what she wants to do. And, and I was very happy for her. And, and so, so then then the future will tell you know, I constantly encourage them of like, No, just questions you have what? What makes you get up in the morning? And what do you feel like? And if you don't know, then just try out different things. But give it your best once you give it your best. And you don't ask for instant rewards of like, Oh, I work so hard this week? No, did you work so hard the last two years, and you don't have any rewards Something is wrong, might be your employer, you know, but but if you do get rewards, and you do get satisfaction and fulfillment and purpose that you're already up to something so less pressure, more try more exploring, but always with the same attitude of like, I want to do my best and and I want to figure it out and I want to be humble and stay open to what sometimes holds me back. And that's what I see. For example in business if I've worked with so many different people and I'm very much a people person to a default that I believe in, everybody has something strong going for them, even the ones who pays everybody off in your kitchen, because they are just not good team workers and like, oh, let me just work with you, we can figure this out. Probably one of my biggest weaknesses. But in general, you know, everybody has something where they can really, eventually thrive on, if they really give it a try and stay humble and stay open minded, and entrust you with the advice you give them, you know, like, Hey, you probably would move away, because you're talented, you have good hands in what you do, you're smart, but you're very hard to work with. So let's, let's just look at this. Because that will hold you back. Way more than, than anything hard work and get you far. But, but if nobody wants to work with you, that might be an issue. And there's, there's businesses where you are a solo person, and that might feed you, our place. It's all about teamwork. It is teamwork, teamwork, teamwork, and we stand up for each other, we go down with each other, and we start with each other and be finished. together. So so that's pretty much the philosophy and, and you have to figure out how you can can adapt in that. So it works for you and, and your hard work will be actually rewarded.

GLO 46:18
Yeah. You said so many good things. Because besides the work ethic, you've said things like being open to learning, right? being open to you know, even being corrected or consider other things. Working with people, I mean, you have to consider that you're going to work with people even despite COVID. You know, I think a lot of people who are natural introverts, they like they're like, Oh, I'm fine. I get to stay at home, and I don't have to deal with people. But actually, you still do, don't you, you still have to communicate by email on zoom. Even you and I can't see you right now you can't see me. But we still have to be able to communicate, right? It's, um, I think business is always going to be a people business. I think Anyway,

THOMAS HAAS 47:00
you know, D, I mean, I think he has a lot. I often hear from when I talked to small entrepreneurs, and they said, Oh, I love my job, and I love my business. But the people, the people, the people are like, you know what, no, I get it. But I don't accept it. I don't accept not embracing and open up everything I can towards the fact that I'm a people person, I'm in a people business, and I embrace everything that gets thrown at me, as this is what it is, and I got to make the best out of it. And if I can, to get the best out of you with all the support you deserve, then that makes me happy. However, that doesn't mean that everybody has to be like this. Like, I think it's totally respectable. If you say you are an introvert, and you love working from home, in your pajamas, doing zoom meetings, and, and this has worked well for you, then. So be it that isn't good for you. And if you can find fulfillment, and make it work, and, and, and it works, then I think you found a place where you can thrive in and find your own inner happiness. So there is definitely, like, just as I would say, if somebody says like, Oh, I want to run the shop, like you, there's so much energy, and it seems like so much fun. And I'm like, but you are not me. You know, if I know that person that I could say about their presence like that, from all I gather is like you don't actually really like working with people and for people. So I don't think this would make you really happy, you would go crazy, you know, because, you know, what you just see from the outside is not necessarily what you have on the inside. And and so my biggest advice is always learn first and most about yourself, spend time and question you Is that me? for engineers that try to change my habit of going in the morning and swim for an hour, because it's good for my back and it's, it would be a good start in the day. But I have to say I just don't like swimming. So I have a good swimmer, but I don't like swimming. So I have to so what I what my message here is, is basically, you know, learn about yourself. Learn that this is who you are, accept for what you are. And then also accept for, for for the reality research work. That's why but that's not what I want to be I really want to work on this and get better and then also look deep inside yourself. That's who I am. And I don't want to change it. You know, and I and I accept it and accept the consequences that come with it. They don't need to be drastic or negative. They will just be consequences. You know, you're an introvert, you're not going to run a business or a job where you have to be an extrovert. So you you are you You don't like stress, you're not going to go into an environment where it's very stressful, you don't thrive on that I thrive on stress and high pace and pressure. Some people, they drown it inside, don't choose that you will not be happy, you might, you might degrade up the greatest gift on earth in a, in an environment where you can thrive because you figured out of who you are, and you deserve and you deserve that. So spend a lot of time figuring that out. And, and you will be rewarded for a long, long time. Amazing. People will panic. So what was your business plan?

GLO 50:43
to work really hard that is a that's a strong?

THOMAS HAAS 50:46
There's a lot in my head going on. There's nothing on paper? And like, What do you mean? I'm like, No, I mean, I, I just said like, Okay, I have skills. And I going to put those skills to work. And I do, I do think that I've been given an experience as a child growing up in my parents business, you know, hard work, dedication, being social. And, and getting work done. days a little bit. I wouldn't be working. When I went. After my apprenticeship, I had to go to the army for two years. And I was eventually stationed at home, which was very lucky. So I would help my dad in the early morning hours. And he was running a two man show. And, and my parents are still the hardest working people I've ever, ever, ever met, like, literally the hardest one because they had nobody to replace them. So so I would work with him. And I don't know as a as a son. My dad drove me kind of crazy. But it all trickled in later. Because everything was timed. He would be I hope No, none of my none of my co workers listening right now. Because I have exactly the same note that I time, everything. But I'm constantly out of here this weekend improve that was the wrong move. If we eliminate this move that saves you this much, which then we can have more fun doing something else, you know, and so that mindset is really hard in getting into people. But I learned that early on. And I think being frugal and staying humble was another thing. My father always like, don't spend more money than you have. It's not worth it. Don't do it. And I'm like, No, I don't need it. It's okay. Don't waste anything. Be smart about don't waste anything. So I got that with me for sure.

THOMAS HAAS 53:04
There's a lot of there's a lot of common sense. I have been I probably have been gifted with but oh my god, there's a lot of things I wish I would have had been given to which I had to learn the hard way. But they never held me back. You know, so. So any any kind of setback was like, Okay, I got to work on this and, and march forward. And, and and I never gave it another option. Yeah. So for somebody, Gloria for somebody who wants to start out, and I mentoring quite a few people and people who used to work with us. And all I want is to see them because there's some people, they have so much talent, and such a good heart. And I want them to succeed. And and sometimes I do realize they want to be somebody they're actually not. And that means for example, risk taking. Was my risk taking big? Probably not so much. Because I know I bought a book Ws hard to mitigate my risks in order to not get some sort of anxiety of like, Oh my God, if this doesn't work out, I lose everything. But there has to be a little bit of an on if you want to be an entrepreneur, which people are like, Oh, you're an entrepreneur like no, I'm a pastry chef, trying to run a business. But has proven to run very well. Just because I use I think the gift of common sense, common sense and have run by God That makes no sense. Why would I do that? You know, and I questioned myself and everybody else to an extent, especially over the last year I have been always involved in every aspect of work. You have been in the kitchen in the chocolate in the pastry in the front with the customers wiping tables doing dishes. Yes, yeah. Doing this Creating new boxes making your recipes. But I've stayed away of micromanaging because I think it will suffocate to people who might be well COVID hit. And I became the master micromanager because all of a sudden we lost 75% of our kitchen stuff, which we supported because nobody knew what's going on. I think I knew what was going on, because it was very clear of where the issue is, you know, in care homes, but there was just so much uncertainty, there was so much fear in the message of the government, and there was so much support in the message of the government. That, yeah, I said to I said to my co workers, when they decided in week number to march 25, so do what you feel most comfortable with. And we will support it so we get food food vouchers until the Serb will kick in, only to realize that we unfortunately, never got them back in time as we got busier. Because older, their partners boyfriends girlfriends, were of work on the SERP. And, and, and, and then there was the message of fear and just stay home message and, and so we had to restart the business from scratch, hire new people, then I predicted wait until June, I'm sure someone to come back half came back. I was able to take them with the foresight that yeah, it will get busier, I think the tendency is there. But the last half of them and everyone I worked with his family, you know, it's like it was it was hard. It was it was hard. It was hard on all on all levels. So I became I became a micromanager in every aspect. And I think it drives some of my new co workers crazy. But they also see the benefit. Because we look at recipes we do for 510 15 years, I'm like, let's just look at this. I think there's two steps, which are not very logical, but they just have settled, but they haven't adopted that our recipes are bigger now. Or we have improved them. So I'm starting rewriting all the recipes on I would be in the dish. And I'm like, okay, I give you half an hour of a session, how we do dishes efficiently, clean, and smart. People would sit around and I'm like, this is for this reason. And and I think all those things. They contribute in some sort in some way.

GLO 57:21
I mean, it's all part of the good work ethic, right, all the details. You know, you could call it micromanaging. But on the other hand, you're a leader too, right? You're they're looking to you to lead them through all the different things so and Yeah. Where else to use all your jack of trades, right? Okay, I just want to end with a cut because I want to be mindful of your time. So I want to end with a couple of just fun questions. What is your favorite thing to eat at your cafe or at your shop?

THOMAS HAAS 57:49
Oh, that is a tough one. So. So that changes with the season. I can pride myself I have to admit, I've been terrible, like COVID has thrown all my discipline out of the window from being more vegetarian to eating bacon every night to to having one and a half crossovers of different variations every morning and a dessert in the afternoon. So but I just turn the corner of getting more balance in with fruit and yogurt in the morning and I have my dessert in the afternoon. And it goes with the season. So right now I can affirm you that since since it's on the menu until it gets off the menu every single day. I have a mom block, which is our our candy chestnut, blackcurrant dill rumba bargain, soft almond cake, dessert. And it came to terms that it's only good when you share it. So I shared it with one of my with one of my front goods yasumi son who loves mob law. And every day, every single day, we share our mobile phone together. And so that's going to get off the menu on February 1 and we come up with something new. I have a hazelnut there and if I have a breakfast pastry every morning then it would be the hazelnut Danish. That did that's consistent. Everything else goes by the season and by the mood and by my burn of calorie count.

GLO 59:20
Okay, so hazelnut. danishes like your favourite. Well, because I was gonna also ask you what's the most popular item in the store that you just can't make enough of and I'm going to hazard a guess. Okay, I think it's your web bait.

THOMAS HAAS 59:32
Oh, my goodness. Oh, okay. Yeah, you. You okay, pretty spot on. It's labor intense. And we do run out less so now because we've figured out like really dialing it in of making sure that this does not happen. Okay, but having said, when I get those questions besides that one, you know, I would think it's incorrect. credibly balanced. And that reflects, again of my, I don't want to be known for doing one good thing, but doing a lot of things very well. And so if we would look and I'm not a numbers guy, but our in our office, she would sometimes she would put a screenshot up from from, from our product of varieties and select Holy smokes, it's, it's pretty balanced, you know, it's like, I would challenge us like, okay, I want to take two cakes off the menu and replace them with two new creations. Okay, give me give me the weakest servers and she's like, there isn't any.

THOMAS HAAS 1:00:36
It's, it's very balanced, which makes me happy. Because, because we're here to, to, to make food not pleasing our ego but pleasing the wide cross section of our society or just enjoy something of very good quality. And and we were never there to shock and impress with Oh, I just did bizarre B and mustard seed with terragen I'm like, no, that sounds really interesting. But it's actually quite awful. So, so so so so so it's less surprising. more predictable, and, and consistent.

GLO 1:01:14
Yes. Okay. Well, you've done that very, very well. Everything at your place is fantastic. From what you drink to what you eat to you know what you can buy for a gift. So it's it's so great. And I'm so glad you're here. I didn't get a chance to ask you when you opened your second shot, but doesn't matter. I'm just glad you opened the one in Vancouver because it's close to me. So that's all that matters, really. To me.

THOMAS HAAS 1:01:38
That's it that happened in in 2010. And the reason was because we go back to our initial conversation, Danielle balloon, decided she got an offer from some very wealthy people to bring New York to Vancouver and an open takeover. Feenie's Lumiere and and so he went in there. And he asked me, he asked me and he asked me by email or phone calls. And Thomas, what do you think? And I'm like, No, Vancouver is not the world town like New York is. And especially you're in a neighbourhood and I think you if you want to come go to downtown, but not necessarily in Libya was good and successful. I just I just best days because Feenie was a local, and he did a very good job in the first few years. And people embrace that. It's a local boy. And I think I came across even though I now have to go to German accent school to refresh my German accent but being embraced as a load being embraced as a local and that's why we get so much support because my heart is Canadian. And it beats for Vancouver, and that's where I want to be. That's where I live, and that's where I'm going to die. And, and, and I think it just radiates something differently than if the picture from New York comes into town. So he was there for two years. It was so much fun. We shared a hallway, we get a session of onion towels over we brought in chocolate cakes and returned after after long days of work. I would take the team over there for steak and fried and appear on like, ah, and it lasted only two years.

GLO 1:03:21
that's what you said about him being your neighbor. But that sounds great. What a wonderful time you must have had.

THOMAS HAAS1:03:25
Yeah, it was amazing. Yeah.

GLO 1:03:27
Yeah. But you know what you what you said was perfect to end the show because this show is all about local, supporting local. So I loved your heart beats Canadian doesn't matter if you know you're born here or not doesn't matter. We claim you. You're from Vancouver. Thank you for all that you do. And thank you for your time. I really appreciate it.

THOMAS HAAS 1:03:47
Thank you so much, Gloria.

GLO 1:03:49
Okay. I will talk to you again soon. Talk to you soon.