Top Things Professional Restaurateurs Refuse to Compromise On

For successful restaurateurs, there was a grueling period at the beginning when they really did have to work all the time.

The most debilitating mistake people make?

They don’t even notice when that time ends, so they keep running that schedule out of habit.

Life is full of compromise.

If you marry, have a family, have neighbors, live in a community, or generally live the life of a human being, you have learned about compromising and negotiating your way through life.

Now that you own a successful, multi-unit, independent restaurant company, you definitely know what you no longer have to compromise on. 

Watch Your Language Before It Comes True

When restaurateurs assemble, conversation can easily devolve into a pathetic pity party about all the challenges of our industry.

Conversely, restaurateurs who believe in possibilities understand that one of the benefits of their success involves no longer having to compromise.

That is thrilling.

And, as with most things, belief ignites change.

What these restaurateurs know:

1. You don’t need to work all the time to be successful.
2. If operations depend on them, that’s actually a flaw in their organization that must be corrected.
3. It’s important to make time for (and fund) important things they want in life without having to sell their business.

Not Going to the Beach Won’t Do You Any Good

I have a client who lives 90 minutes from a great beach.

I, however, live in Dallas. Spent my whole adult life looking for the local beach.

So I experience happiness for people who live closer to the coast.

Once, after a few days of working together, he drove me to the airport. I asked him how often he went to the beach.

An ashen look came over his face – not what I’d expected.

“I haven’t been there in a year,” he told me. “I used to go all the time – fishing or taking my kids – but it has been a while.”

We vowed to double down on our collaboration to raise up the general managers in his company and formalize cultural and operational systems and expectations – so he could leave when he wanted to. 

Amateurs Delay Gratification

Professionals know that – when you take a stand against compromising on the quality of your life, its flexibility, and doing only the things you want to do at home and at work – you figure out how to have a breakthrough.

Over to you. As a kid you learned summertime means running free and enjoying life. What compromises would you like to put an end to this summer?

How will you do that?