Welcome to the Surrender News/Blog.  Get the latest news, trends, tips and information to help you succeed and thrive in the workplace.

How Amazing Restaurant Leadership Development Creates Success Stories in 2023

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

2022’s Top 5 Multi-Unit Restaurant Initiatives

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.  Over to you. Which one of this Top 5 offers the most benefit to you and your organization? How will you start?

Why Restaurateurs Never Trade Long-Term Vision for Short-Term Fears

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

How Restaurant Owners Stay on Top While Everyone Else Handles the Numbers

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

Why Today’s Young Restaurateurs Start With Strategy

Why do entrepreneurs in the incubation stage understand the need for strategy more than many successful owners of independent multi-unit restaurant companies?  Recently I spoke at the DEC@Redbird part of The DEC Network in Dallas, which is dedicated to delivering access to resources, education, and guidance to give a boost to those small businesses and startups who might benefit from them.  … Continued

Top Restaurants Strengthen Culture by Asking Tough Questions

People can work for years creating a healthy culture in their restaurants – then one false move destroys it all. On a recent Monday morning, Texas Rangers President of Baseball Operations Jon Daniels called a press conference to announce he was firing his direct report: manager Chris Woodward.  Two days later, Ray Davis, the normally reclusive team … Continued

Only 3 Worthwhile Places to Look When Developing a Healthy Restaurant Business

Do your guests smile, feel happy, enjoy their meals, and tell their friends about that? Do your financial statements appear predictable and healthy – making you proud? Does your culture deeply permeate your restaurants every unit, every shift, every table, every time? Do your people demonstrably improve – doing things today that they couldn’t do … Continued