An open letter: To Whom It May Concern.

One of the key elements to running a successful business is being able to remain convicted in your ethos and your absolute desires to become successful.

I have had the experience of working with some old friends over the past 18 months and all I have noticed is that there is no level of respect for the service which I provide. Black people or non-whites are always complaining about the ways in which white people treat them in the employment sector... How, though, do we treat each other in the same realm? LIKE SHIT I TELL YOU!

I started my catering company at the beginning of the year and slowly it has been growing. I have never been one to rush a process, so where I can, I make sure to tweak its development as I continue to work as a chef and study simultaneously. It has been in my experience that the people for whom I have worked have been among some of the most abusive employees of the century.

I have received numerous messages of one who rants in the middle of the night. I was thoroughly disturbed by when I went to work abroad. My client had failed to pay for our service which was being taken care of by my chef at home. I was told that my service is rubbish because it was not performed due to a lack of payment. I have been insulted for the format of my company's documents; I have reached my breaking point.

My most recent experience involves being yelled at by a client over the phone due to my advice given from a culinary perspective. It has been very disheartening to run a business and work for people who know you, always claiming that they want to propel your business. Well to me, this is bullshit. All I have come across is many groups of entitled, spoilt clients who have no clue what it takes to be a chef, work in the service industry or to cater for private events.

 Most people have an unrealistic view of how much food costs and what goes into preparing for any event that is centred on food. Clients are forever crying about their budget, but want miraculous ingredients to appear before the eyes of their guests. I am still trying to figure out whether or not this is the general attitude that people have towards the culinary industry as a whole or if people are so used to taking chances and cutting corners in South Africa, that they feel the need to become cheap when taking care of their nutrition and the private service that handles it. I am also wondering if I would have been treated as "the help" if my company were already at the top of its game... The answer is no, because people are fickle in that manner. They require your discounted service, but that comes with being disgracefully treated as if they are white people for whom we worked for in the 50's.

Many people believe that one should not work with those that they have personal relationships with, but what I truly believe is that it is a blessing to have seen how these particular individuals treat their employees and those who they pay to provide any service for them. Perhaps now, my company is still small, so they feel the need to try to control it; lacking any sense of respect for my work and the work of those who help me.

One thing I pride myself on is extreme honesty and where I have faulted, I have apologised and rectified the issue at hand. This is something that is extremely important to me as an entrepreneur and as a global citizen.

This is why so many chefs (and many other dreamers in the creative service field) in South Africa give up one their dreams, because there is no sense of appreciation for their work.  So the next time a "friend" calls in a culinary favour, it will be my desire to protect those who work with me and myself before adhering to their request(s)  because, if you as a client do not understand: what it is that you want, how to go about attaining your desire and what level of respect goes into working together, then I as an employee/entrepreneur will be of no service to your needs. I WANT THIS MESSAGE TO TRANSPIRE TO CLIENTS IN ALL INDUSTRIES. Just as #blacklivesmatter, and other such forms of activism took their own trending form this year, I am signing off the year by saying that #spoiltclientsmustfall.

 I have seen too many colleagues suffer abuse. I have seen too many employers take advantage of their employees over a variety of industries. It has to come to an end and I am not afraid to voice my disdain towards the way in which people in their employment are mistreated by their clients/employers. 

This is the beginning of the end of abuse my workplace and for those who feel that they recognise themselves within this article, perhaps you should reflect on yourselves, because it is unattractive and unnecessary to conduct oneself in a manner such as the one I have explained above. Always remember the words of Sir Richard Branson:

"If you treat your staff well, they will be happy. Happy staff are proud staff, and proud staff deliver excellent customer service, which drives business success."

Bonne Dimanche!

Khaleesi of the *Universe*

P.S. Never underestimate the power of an underdog!