Passing the Latte: Meghan Tezik, Incoming SCEO at Millersville University is Focused on Helping Team Members Build Careers

Meghan Tezik knows the next six months will be challenging. After working with Saxbys for the past year and really working hard to develop her leadership skills, Meghan is ready to take on the job of Student Cafe Executive Officer at the Saxbys cafe at Millersville University. It’s part of our Experiential Learning Program, and Meghan will be responsible for achieving mastery in our Three Pillars of Leadership: Team Development, Community Leadership, and Financial Management.

It’s a big job, but the junior from Philadelphia is up for the adventure. She hopes to create an inclusive work environment at the cafe and keep team members engaged with exciting community projects, like making peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches to feeding the homeless. She also wants to help team members prepare for their careers, and plans resume-writing workshops and professor visits after hours.

We sat down the Meghan before she began her SCEO journey to get her thoughts on the six months to come.

Overview

Are you excited to get started?

I’m so excited, so jazzed. During trainings, I’ve met a lot of other incoming CEOs and it’s been amazing to bounce ideas off each other. I think we’re all just really excited to get going.

How do your personal values align with Saxbys values?

Growing up, I was very involved with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America because my mom worked there. I saw the impact I can make with community cleanups or selling baked goods to raise money. Seeing a larger company like Saxbys being a “community serving a community” shows me that if enough people get involved you can really make a difference.


Did you receive any advice from Bryana Weston-Wyatt, the previous SCEO at Millersville?

She said “I have a list of things I did that you should not do” which is incredibly helpful. A lot of other CEOs have told me that sometimes it’s going to get overwhelming and that’s okay because of how big the position is.

Any thoughts on the team you’re inheriting?

The team is phenomenal. They’re such an energetic squad. I come in to open at 6 a.m. and they’re dancing to music and ready to go. I also love how they’re willing to develop. They always ask questions about what happened during a training at headquarters, if I’d learned anything new, and any new items are coming to the menu. Everybody is just so willing to work and grow. They all have the same goal in mind, which is to be one of the best dining services on campus.  

Team Development

How do you plan to build a culture based on your leadership style within 6 months?

As a team lead on shifts, I’ve always made it my priority to be approachable. I also don’t immediately go to punishments but instead use alternate routes like coaching sessions where we talk things out. When I found out I got the job as SCEO, I made it a point to ask everyone what they expected from me. I learned that people have ideas to improve the cafe but think they can’t speak up because they’re only a host or barista — not a team lead. I want them to feel as though no matter what position they’re in, their ideas count.

Any plans to help the team gel?

College students tend to work the same shifts with same people because their schedules coincide. It would be nice to have some kind of rotation so different team members have the chance to interact with one another. Maybe we’ll do a monthly kickball or dodgeball game — something outside of Saxbys so we can all relax and communicate with each other to build friendships and trust.

How do you plan to help team members develop as professionals?

I would love to have team resume workshops. We can get a local professor come into the cafe after closing and work on resumes with the team.

Community Leadership

What fresh ideas do you have for community leadership initiatives for the coming semester?

What if we had an event called “Jam with Saxbys” and we invited guests and our entire team to make peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches and then donate them to local food or homeless shelters? It would be a great way to bond with the team too because when we hang out it’s usually in the cafe going through rushes. But in this case we could talk about other things, hang out as a team and do good for the community at the same time.

How will becoming a community leader impact your cafe?

I think it’ll put Saxbys name out there. Community outreach helps Saxbys improve our image and leads people to reach out and see what we’re all about. I think we’ll recruit more and I think it’ll lead to more catering orders because people want to align with themselves with businesses that would give peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches to a homeless shelter or host an open mic night.

Financial Management

How do you plan to be fiscally responsible at the cafe to ensure your profit/loss (P&L) statement is a winner?

There can be a lot of waste if you’re not careful. Whether it’s portioning our milk correctly for each latte or handling our muffins or cookies so none drop on the floor or break. I’ll make sure we’re following the first-in, first-out method with food and drinks. Also, we have to make sure we’re not over prepping or under-prepping. During Common Hour, where everyone on campus gets a break, we’ll prep more. So it’s really just analyzing all our supplies, seeing where the rushes are, making sure we don’t overprep for breaks, and making sure we don’t underprep for the busiest times.

Final Thoughts

What are your career aspirations?

I have a few different things in mind. I’m definitely thinking about grad school at one of the local universities in Philadelphia. Maybe I’ll get a job in community relations or a non-profit. The community aspect of large companies is something that really interests me.