My favorite time in the restaurant business is any period of growth. The future is exciting. Everything is possible. The smell of carpet glue and fresh paint is in the air. The chance to do it right from the beginning is intriguing and motivating. Common Threads of Restaurant Growth Right now I have clients growing … Continued
“Can you believe my company? I bet you’ve never seen anything like it.” I hear that all the time. “We have things we have not addressed for years. We are successful, but we could be doing so much better.” After almost three decades advising owners of successful multi-unit independent restaurant companies, I don’t see much … Continued
When you use one of my many suggestions to improve your business and your life, that makes it all worthwhile to me—and extremely gratifying. If you are regular reader of this newsletter, you are appreciated! Thanks for following my work, keeping in touch, and sending me your comments and topic requests. Missed a few of … Continued
If you really want to make progress, grow your company, preserve your free time, and build wealth and happiness for yourself and others, pay attention to the big decisions. In Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism, one graphic I really like illustrates how one big decision can have a much greater impact than an assortment of small … Continued
It turns out you can have your cake and eat it, too. In fact, you owe it to yourself! My clients prove that every day, when we improve their businesses and lives. After all, there is no point in being successful if you cannot enjoy your time at work as well as your time away … Continued
Do you know what a “five-tool baseball player” is? It’s someone with speed, arm strength, good fielding ability, and the ability to hit for both average and power. Put all those tools together and you have a player custom built for success. To succeed as a restaurateur, though, five tools just won’t cut it. There … Continued
Most of my clients, who are successful owners of independent multi-unit restaurant companies, do not have an MBA. And they never even cut their teeth in the corporate world—they just opened a restaurant and it went from there. Many of them are unconventional leaders. I have come to appreciate and admire unconventional leaders for their … Continued
As an owner of a successful multi-unit independent restaurant company it is important to understand what motivates you so you can be intentional in that regard as you develop your business. If you don’t know that, you could be working randomly — or, worse, against your own self-interest. Before you get into your day and … Continued
Why are restaurateurs better to their guests than they are to themselves? If you know me well, you know that is the question I suggest you ask yourself every day. The great Debi Saltzberg recently interviewed me for her podcast, Just Forking Around, and we talked about many aspects of that big question. You can … Continued
G. “Jim” Hasslocher — my client, who was founder and chairman of Frontier Enterprises in San Antonio — passed away back in November, 2015. Known to all as “Mr. Jim,” he began his hospitality career in 1947. Today, Frontier Enterprises operates 24 restaurants (most of which have been operating for decades) over four concepts. You … Continued