You Don’t Have to Run Your Business Alone
Guidance, perspective, and actionable steps from people who’ve been in the trenches.
The Entrepreneur’s Reality
Running a business is hard. Late nights. Tough calls.
Moments when it feels like you’re carrying it all yourself.
Friends and family care—but they don’t get it.
Most consultants hand you spreadsheets or cookie-cutter solutions.
That’s not what you need. You need someone who’s actually lived it.
Growing Up in the Trenches
I didn’t just learn business in a classroom—I lived it.
As a third-generation entrepreneur, I grew up at our family’s dining room table, watching the business evolve, learning from wins and mistakes, and doing every role imaginable: cooking, washing dishes, managing operations, handling customers, staying late to solve problems no one else wanted to touch.
That taught me what it really takes to make a business work—and how heavy it can feel when you’re on your own. I’m here to help you take the next step without feeling stuck.
-- Jess
Meet Your Business Besties
Our story is rooted in Island View Waterfront, a family business that’s been growing and evolving for over 50 years. From the original Tom’s Tavern in 1969 to the Island View Waterfront Cafe,
our family has learned firsthand what it takes to run, pivot, and grow small businesses.
That experience is the foundation for how we help other entrepreneurs succeed today.
Together, we’re your Island View Business Besties: practical guidance, lived experience, and a human touch.
How We Work With You
1
Coffee & Clarity:
1-hour session to vent, brainstorm, or tackle a challenge
2
Next-Level Strategy:
Multi-month deep dive to turn ideas into action
3
On-Call Besties:
Monthly check-ins for accountability, perspective, and guidance
Why Island View Business Solutions
Our experience spans generations.
Bruce’s family has nurtured small business here since 1969, growing from Tom’s Tavern to the Island View Waterfront Cafe.
As third-generation stewards, we carry that legacy forward—using decades of lived experience to help other entrepreneurs grow sustainably, with clarity, confidence, and practical tools.
Island View isn’t just a brand—it’s a philosophy. A place where experience meets practicality, and where business owners finally feel supported, understood, and empowered.
Bruce Laing –
Accredited Business Consultant
Bruce Laing is a second-generation steward of Island View Waterfront, where he grew up immersed in the rhythms of hospitality and small business ownership. Over the years he’s earned deep expertise in restaurants, events, and boutique ventures—learning first‑hand what makes them thrive and where they often stumble.
Now an accredited business consultant, Bruce draws on decades of real-world experience to help emerging and established small business owners succeed. His approach is grounded, practical, and results-focused: streamlining operations, boosting customer experience, and guiding entrepreneurs through solid strategies that work in the real world.
Whether you’re refining a concept or scaling your operations, Bruce offers mentorship and insight rooted in experience, not theory.
His mission? To empower small business owners with clarity, confidence, and the tools to grow sustainably.
His Story
Bruce Laing’s connection to Island View runs deep. In 1969, his parents took over a beloved local bar, naming it Tom’s Tavern, and moved their family—Bruce, the youngest of six—to the property. Growing up in the bustle of a family-run business, Bruce learned early on the value of hard work, community, and hospitality.
After exploring other careers in the railroad industry and real estate, Bruce returned to Island View when his father passed away, taking over operations alongside his mother. Together, they transitioned the business into the Island View Inn, setting the stage for the next chapter.
In 2000, Bruce brought new life to the property, moving the original bar to the waterfront and transforming it into the Island View Waterfront Cafe, which thrived for more than two decades.
When it came time for the next generation to take the helm, Bruce guided his daughter in reimagining the space as today’s waterfront venue and café, keeping the family’s legacy alive while helping it grow.
Now, as an accredited business consultant, Bruce shares the lessons of a lifetime spent in small business—helping other entrepreneurs build lasting success, just as his family has done for over 50 years.
Contact
I’ve been where you are —
and I’m here to guide your next steps.
Phone 443-301-7041