Three hard goodbyes at The Queen's Cups
Renee Diaz
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It is never easy to lose a good employee. In May, I lost three. For varying reasons, the three of them, who worked for me for two or three years, moved on to another chapter in their lives. For each of them, exciting beginnings were on the horizon. For me, I was sad, but I always reflect back on the time I have had with them.
I was surprised with two out of the three, and even though I was sad, I completely understood their decisions. One of them, Vanessa Alan, had just graduated from Assumption University in Worcester with a degree in business management. Working our front of house and taking care of our social media was not what she had studied hard for over the past few years. She accepted a job at Hanover Insurance Group in Worcester, and I was elated for her. Vanessa worked for me for more than two years. I admired her determination to always learn something new at The Queen’s Cups. She started off just working as a cashier, and her role blossomed into social media, planning, and executing pop-up events and taking photos for us. Vanessa gave me a months-long notice and left us in the beginning of May. I know she will do well no matter what she puts her mind to. I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss having her around.
Hannah Gelman was a Worcester Polytechnic Institute student who graduated this past May with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and a master’s degree in management. Hannah was unlike any other employee I have ever had. In the two-plus years she worked for me, I never saw her in anything but an upbeat mood. She started off working in the front of the house. Last year, when another employee and I both became pregnant around the same time, we were in desperate need for help in the kitchen. Hannah always mentioned she loved to bake at home and without hesitation, she stepped right up to the plate and joined our kitchen team. Hannah was invested in The Queen’s Cups, and I always told her I wish I could replicate her. She loves my daughter and cares about my family. She wants to open a restaurant one day called Hannah’s House of Hamburgers. I told her I can’t wait to be her first employee! By the time this article comes out, she will have started her new position at Dell, which does not know how lucky it is to have her.
Sarah Comstock was the last one to leave our team. Sarah worked for us for almost two and a half years. When Sarah gave me her notice, I was surprised but also instantly sad. I don’t always cry, but I did with this one. Having moved to Connecticut last year, the 45-minute commute was taking a toll on her, and with gasoline prices, how could you blame her? Sarah is the type of employee that does not come around often. She can do everything! Bake, decorate, make French macarons, assist with cakes, and all at a lightning speed. I learned a lot from her, and I hope she learned a lot from us, too. Sarah is another person who will make wherever she works a better place.
In my 10 years of owning The Queen’s Cups, I have really grown in regard to how I handle it when employees leave. There have been times when I took it personally, other times I was thankful, and a handful of times when I have cried like a baby. But, I learned from my good friend Amy Lynn Chase it is normal for employees to move on after investing a few years at your company, even though some of them you want to keep around forever. Losing three of my favorite employees in a month was tough, but there are things about them I will never forget and will miss. I’ll miss asking Vanessa if she was awake yet, since she wasn’t much of an early bird. I’ll miss bringing out the cupcakes I made and telling her I make the best ones, to which she agreed because she had to. I’ll miss sharing my grapes with Hannah and hearing my dad call her Cookie when she would roll the baker's rack to the oven, even if it was just one tray. I’ll miss Sarah hoarding all the angled spatulas, making me like country music, and always giggling at her table. The three of them will always have a home at The Queen’s Cups, and I look forward to keeping in touch with them in the future and seeing them all reach their full potential.
Renee Diaz is the owner of Worcester bakery The Queen's Cups.
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