Dream Job: Opening a Burger Joint

Brad Halsten always wanted to teach and coach, but it never worked out. Instead, he worked with kids who needed mental health treatment, trying to keep them out of institutions. "You felt for the kids, it was tough," Halsten says.

After 15 years, he was burned out. "First I started to think about how great it would be to be my own boss. Then I realized I wanted to own a restaurant," Halsten says. "I'd read about making your hobby your job, and that sounded right. Something I really enjoyed doing could be a lifelong career."

A Burger Joint is Born

Halsten loved to grill in the backyard and have friends over. Over time he developed skills, watching the Food Network and trying recipes. His kind of restaurant was obvious: a burger joint. "I've always been a huge burger joint fan. Not fast food. I remembered a great one where I went to California. This place –Billings, Montana – never had one, so I felt there was a niche here."

Halsten and his wife believed enough in their idea to quit their jobs and take a second mortgage on their house. "It had been my dream for years, and one day my wife said, 'Let's do it.'"

The concept for Halsten's restaurant, The Burger Dive, was fresh and local. "Nothing is frozen, nothing comes from cans. A local bakery makes buns just for us. We make all the sauces from scratch." There are garlic fries, and onion rings made with beer from a local brewery.

The Burger Dive has been in business a year and a half and things are going well. "We've been accepted since day one," says Halsten, who hasn't paid for any advertising. "I did a lot of social media, starting six months before we opened. The place has become a hangout and business is continuing to grow."

Flipping Burgers and Learning as You Go

Halsten had never cooked at a restaurant before. "I just jumped on the line and did it. Sure I wish I'd had more experience, but it became natural."

There's never a day he doesn't love coming to work. "I cook on the line. I make specials. I work way more hours but I enjoy it more."

His advice for anyone who dreams of opening a burger joint or restaurant: "Look at what you're interested in doing and see if your city has it already. If they don't, make sure it's something people want. We hit the nail on the head."

Just as important, "make sure you have your money lined up before you spend a cent. You can get in financial trouble really quickly."

Bottom line, Halsten says, "Follow your dream. I'm 100% behind it and happier than I've ever been."