Supermarket Shift: An Inspiring Story (Storyline 1)

It was July in 2020 when Eric took in the envelopes from his mailbox. He saw that he had a utility bill for one thousand dollars due in a month.

He was thinking, “How am I supposed to pay this?”; “I’m unemployed!” Eric was really worried how he would get the money to pay off the bill since he got laid off from his job three months ago because of COVID-19. He could barely afford his basic necessities and he also struggled to put food on the table for his family. He had been surviving off his savings and had little money left. He knew many people had the same problems as him in these tough times. Eric realized that he needed to look for a job to sustain his family and himself.

After countless hours and days of searching for a job, Eric found an on-the-spot job interview for a nearby grocery store he used to shop at! Eric was excited at this opportunity and hoped he would succeed. “Ka-Ching!” Eric entered the store to the sound of many cash registers. His mind was racing with many thoughts filled with mixed emotions. He talked to an employee, and was then led to the interview room. Eric was very anxious. He could feel his heart pounding so fast and he thought to himself, “I really need this job!” Eric eagerly waited for the owner, who came in a few minutes later. The interview had officially started.

During the interview, Eric was asked several questions. He answered the questions very thoughtfully and felt good after the interview.

After the interview, the owner was impressed and offered Eric the job. He said, “Great job! When can you start?”

Eric excitedly replied, “Tomorrow!”

“Congratulations on the job! You can collect your uniform and badge from the staff room. See you tomorrow at 8 A.M. sharp.” the owner said.

Thanking the owner for everything, Eric exited the store. He was thinking to himself, “I’m so grateful for this job, especially in these times! Even if the pay is low, it’s better than nothing.”

The following day, Eric had arrived on time dressed in his uniform with his badge clipped on his shirt. He was ready to start his first day on the job, beginning his shift as a cashier. Over the next few weeks, Eric got the hang of the job and became more confident. He demonstrated good work ethics and earned trust from his customers. He also started receiving many compliments and tips from them. Because of this, Eric started enjoying his job and aspired to have his own supermarket some day.

In less than a month, after many hours of hard work, Eric could finally pay off his utility bill. This relieved the stress off Eric. Over time, he also learned many facts about a grocery store and skills to use: the placement; the layout of the aisles. But most importantly, Eric had learned how to manage one.

“Eric, I am so impressed with you! You have done such an amazing job in handling the store! You are declared the ‘Employee of the Month’ that comes with a bonus check” said the owner. Eric was elated and felt more motivated than ever to pursue his dream.

“I want to open my own supermarket and become an entrepreneur”, Eric thought to himself.

In August of 2021, when things were easing down with the pandemic, Eric finally fulfilled his dream of opening his own supermarket. Many people attended the grand opening of his supermarket. His store included all of the important components. Business was off to a great start! He started earning more as his business grew and never had to stress about paying his bills again. And after many months of determination and hard work, Eric grew his business and became a very successful supermarket owner. He worked really hard and also hired additional staff to help him with the daily operations of the store. Sometimes, he only managed to get a couple hours of sleep, but he knew this sacrifice would be worth it to improve his business in the long-term.

Eric had come a long way from struggling to get a job to finally opening his own supermarket. It was very inspiring to see his journey and all that he went through to become a successful supermarket owner, however, he always remained grounded and remembered one thing throughout: Responsibility and dedication are very important to achieve your goals in life. These values remained very close to his heart due to which he was able to fulfill his dream. It was now time for Eric to start his next shift at his supermarket!