Boss Mode spotlights leaders in our community. Today we’re featuring Robin Smith-Salzman, who owns the new pickleball entertainment facility in Cornelius.

Name: Robin Smith-Salzman
Company: The Serve Pickleball + Kitchen
Job Title: Co-CEO

First thing you do when you walk into work? Greet our employees and then drop everything on my desk before making my first lap around the facility to continue greeting staff and guests.

Coffee, tea, or something stronger? Coffee first thing every morning for sure!

What part of your job would surprise people the most? The number of hours spent on scheduling staff each week. It is amazing how much time it takes to juggle groups of people and their requests. We are trying to cover almost 100 hours a week of guest time, so it takes some maneuvering to cover the hours efficiently. Our goal is always to provide a great guest experience, so this is important.

What small decision eats up way more time than it should? Style of staff uniforms. It may sound simple but, especially in our business, the options are endless. Shorts, skorts, T-shirts, golf shirts, hats or no hats—there are many options for fashion in a pickleball facility!

What’s always on your desk (besides a phone and computer)? A cup of coffee—usually cold. It is there for support to help me through the day!

Favorite quick lunch in town? The Serve, of course. Some of my favorites are the ahi tuna salad and the chicken sandwich made into a wrap. When my husband Jack is with me, he prefers the steak fajita bowl or the chicken quesadillas. Of course, if we need a break, we go visit our friends at Big Bite’z for the best Greek salad in town!

Best advice you’ve ever gotten about business? Surround yourself with great people; people that know more than you know. It takes a team that works hard together to be a great success. We experienced this at our last business, Lake Norman Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. We had over 20 years of teamwork with great people and it made the dealership one of the top performers in the country.

A daily habit that keeps you sane? Counting my blessings each and every day. I do this to kick off my days, and I circle back to it when I am feeling anxiety about the daily happenings.

What’s the five-minute task you refuse to delegate? Scheduling my own appointments. I just find it easier to handle my own calendar than to hand it off to someone else to manage.

What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self? Strive for excellence, not perfection. Perfection is just not attainable, and all it can do is cause stress, and stress is not good for the mind and body. Work hard and achieve excellence, and then celebrate!