Walt Disney did not say, “If you can dream it, you can do it” – no matter how many Web posts and truckloads of World Market, hardware store and Etsy-sold canvas wall art attribute that to him. The saying, “If we can dream it, we can do it” appeared at the entrance of Epcot Center’s … Continued
I’ve gone back and chosen five especially popular or meaningful posts from 2022 – a year of adjustment to new challenges and, on the whole, a successful year for the restaurants I work with. My clients and my readers told me that these messages turned out to be the ones that most helped them and … Continued
Often (unfortunately), when they’re asked to solve problems, too many management teams don’t have the information or education they need to solve them. If your managers remain P&L illiterate, don’t defend their P&L in a meeting of their peers and then go right back to their stores to make the next one better, you’ve failed … Continued
When you spend your whole day dealing with rising costs and a soft market, leadership development might be the last thing on your schedule. That’s a huge mistake. Why? Because leadership development applies to everything you do in operations. Restaurants really live in the branding business, while operations exists in the leadership development business. Matthew’s … Continued
The less qualified people available to work in your restaurants earn more money than ever before. So you only have two choices: Leave training and education alone, do it as you have always done it, and settle for a subpar guest experience as a result. OR Boost training and education efforts to develop people, treat … Continued
Don’t waste another year not handling chronic issues in your organization. Look at your calendar. The end of the year dictates that you have a plan in place for your company for next year. In a world that’s rapidly changing and uncertain, shorter ranges of strategy – quarterly and annually – become even more meaningful … Continued
Last week, Restaurantowner.com asked me to do a webinar on 2022’s five most valuable multi-location initiatives. You can view the webinar here. In a hurry? Short attention span? Read this summary of my message. Beat the competition by providing the amount of hospitality guests demand. In an era of robots and apps, we exist in a people business. True … Continued
If you’re feeling stuck, frozen, or worried about what happens next in the economy, you’re in danger of succumbing to short-term fears. Don’t do it! Stay focused on the big picture. Continue to build your company to support your long-term vision. Win the Marathon During the summer restaurants were concerned when sales declined 5-10% … Continued
Success creates the time for you to work on only those things you like to do – and what no one else can do. So it pains me to see restaurateurs who don’t take advantage of their success. Why do people miss this opportunity to transform their professional life? Do they not notice their surroundings, … Continued
Top restaurateurs spend less of their precious time knowing their organization’s numbers and more time ensuring that the people who run their restaurants have financial acuity. They develop people who tell them (their boss) about prideful action undertaken to provide great guest experiences, loyal and talented employees, and numbers that meet or exceed budget. The … Continued