Edwin Mills by Equator: The 3 Pillars of Success

Teddy Bedjakian opened Equator, a coffee house nestled in Old Town Pasadena. But Equator soon found itself stuck between a Starbucks and a Coffee Bean, feeling the heat, Teddy knew it was time to reinvent the brand. Thus, Edwin Mills by Equator was born and rebranded into a restaurant and bar.

Tackling a whole new type of business, Teddy remarked, “you have to be the people’s people.” He adds, “You have to be able to talk to people, take compliments and criticisms.” But success extends beyond this. Teddy speaks to his three pillars of success. “Your ultimate goal is the three things in this business. It’s the ambiance, service, and food.” Ensuring success in each of these areas is key. And there’s little room for error because Teddy notes that “with today’s social media, they’ll shut you down.”

In order to achieve these three pillars of success, reinvention is very important. To keep Edwin Mills by Equator modern and fresh and keep customers coming back for new experiences, Teddy reinvests in his business every few years. “Every three years, you should remodel. Every three years you should invest in your business. That’s the only way you’ll get to prosper.”

During one of these reinvestments, Teddy sought out a way to modernize his operations and keep better track of his customers. By partnering with Revel, Teddy said, “It allows me to see how many customers walk through the door, how many customers sat down, and what they spent their money on.”

And on the operational front, Revel has increased efficiency in the back of house. “It allows your staff to make sure the kitchen’s organized about it and the food gets to the customer’s table with the food runner knowing exactly which table it should go to,” said Teddy.

Teddy keeps a keen eye on his staff, and with Revel “it’s perfect because it’s helping me out with knowing which employee is good and what they are and are not pushing.” But it goes beyond just being a manager, “You’re a father, a mother, a therapist, a psychiatrist, a hands-on businessman, you’re the maintenance guy, you’re the dishwasher, and the bar back.” Wearing many hats, Teddy needed a Point of Sale that would help him breathe a sigh of relief. Thankful for Revel, he notes that “the Revel System ensures I’m on top of everything and not missing anything.”