Wow! Next week’s calendar says, “Texas Spring Break” already. That means the time for owners of successful independent restaurant companies to get out and enjoy the success they have earned is NOW – not when they retire or sell (if they ever do). Last month, I met a restaurateur who has five units and had … Continued
I was having a drink with one of my clients and we were talking about the roles he and his wife were taking in their own business—which was very successful by any measure. They were working a lot. A lot. And seemingly forever. “We’ve decided we will work like dogs until we turn 50. Then … Continued
Every restaurant closing or personnel change has a backstory you never read about in a magazine. So much goes unsaid and unprinted. As an insider, I know. You may, too. Challenges in the Restaurant Industry I have heard a lot of talk and read a lot of texts lately about Brian Reinhart’s D Magazine article, … Continued
Are you working hard this holiday season – feeling the frustrated pull of your family asking you to peel a few days here or there so everyone can be together? Or are you more like many of my clients, who have structured their business so that trusted and responsible people are able to run it … Continued
Live your own life, not someone else’s. Customize your life. You have the power to do that. Most people who don’t feel they have that option would be shocked that you don’t choose to take advantage of it. Do This Now I can hear you laughing when I say that our industry is stable … Continued
Michael Jordan and Tom Brady had coaches. The CEO of Ford has a coach – I’ve met him (the coach, not the CEO!). However successful you’ve been, and no matter how talented you are, coaching will bring out even more from you. So, who coaches you? And who coaches the people inside your successful multi-unit … Continued
If you want to really improve your restaurants and your restaurant company, act like you just bought it. Instead of looking at it like the founder, developer, and shepherd you have been for years (or decades), look at everything with new eyes. When I begin working with new clients, I observe, learn, and respectfully question … Continued
If I asked you, “What kind of company do you own and operate?” how would you answer? Would you say, “A restaurant company”? Maybe if you’re a wise guy, but it doesn’t give me or you a whole lot to work with. It reminds me of when I ask my daughter what happened in school … Continued
For many of my most successful clients, it might have been several years – or even several decades – since they’ve worked in a company that wasn’t their own. That can result in a lack of perspective that holds them back. And sometimes, “It’s lonely at the top” is more than just a saying. The … Continued