Carl Smith reveals a business-building idea that's no pie in

As a kid, I used to love playing Risk ­ it was exciting. I'd scheme and find solutions to unpromising situations. The object of the game was to conquer the world. I adopt the same approach to building my food business. I think of it as I would a board game. How can I fill this spare capacity, attract customers and make profit? Some people get depressed if they're not doing well. Why? It's exciting to make something out of nothing, to pit your wits against your competitors. I like to adopt a positive attitude. There may be one segment of my business that's underperforming, but I have absolute conviction that a solution can and will be found. It's only a matter of time. My wife, Pauline, and I manage the Windmill in Mill Street, Mayfair. Although food sales have increased considerably (with the help of some great staff) evening restaurant trade could be better. We've identified that guests from the local four and five-star hotels are our potential evening market. Some of the country's best restaurants are on our doorstep but I still think there's room for us. Not every guest staying in a posh hotel wants a mega £50/60 meal experience every night. The British pub is unique, fancy Michelin star restaurants exist in practically every capital of the world. These thoughts have been in my mind for a while. But how do we make a breakthrough? How do we connect with hotel concierges so that they recommend the Windmill to their guests? I think I've got it! Pies! Yes, pies! It makes perfect sense! We are previous three times winners of the National Steak and Kidney Pie Competition. We often get calls from hotel concierges like Claridges, telling us, that an American guest has asked them to find somewhere that serves shepherd's pie. In January the real breakthrough came. Giles Coren wrote an article in The Sunday Times magazine about our neighbour, Pattersons restaurant. In the article he said that Pattersons is "next door to one of my favourite pubs in the whole wide world, ever: The Windmill, or, as we used to call it at Tatler, where I worked some years ago, The Institute of Pie Excellence'." That's it! The Windmill is the "Institute of Pie Excellence". Next month I'm going to tell you how we intend to make it happen. I don't want to conquer the world anymore ­ just fill my restaurant. l Carl Smith is licensee of two Young's pubs ­ the Guineaand the Windmill in Mayfair ­ and is a founder member and spokesman for the Campaign for Real Food