Jim Laube is joining us to discuss the most important numbers we need to consider when opening and running a restaurant. Sales to investment ratio, sales per square foot, prime cost, running inventory report, and open book management, what are these things and how can they impact our restaurant for the better?

Jim has served our industry for decades as a CPA and advisor to independent restaurants throughout the U.S. regarding operational, financial, cost control, and profitability issues. Today,  Jim serves as Founder and Publisher at RestaurantOwner.com. RestaurantOwner.com is an incredible resource consisting of business plan templates, operating systems & procedures, checklist, training manuals, and webinars.

In this episode, we tackle an issue that every restaurant owner seems to be up against. Turnover. 

I ask all of my guest mentors: Currently, what is your biggest challenge and how are you overcoming it? 

By far, the most common answer: finding and keeping quality employees. In other words, preventing turnover. 

So... What did I do? I brought in the big guns; Tom Henschel.

Tom Henschel is the president and founder of the executive development firm Essential Communications and the host of The Look and Sound of Leadership podcast. 

Tom expertise as a communications coach has taken him into executive offices at companies such as Amgen, BP Indonesia, CitiGroup, Ernst & Young, Lockheed Martin, Symantec, and Toyota. 

In this episode, we discuss creating a restaurant that is an extension of who you are, what can happen when you surround yourself with the right people, embracing technology, and why you just need to keep doing the work!

In 2015, a terrace house in South Melbourne that was formerly home to a burlesque club was overtaken by Shaun Quade and Mr. Harry.They set about creating a venue with the bones and soul of a restaurant but with a theatrical and multisensory approach. With a deep respect for produce and technique, Lume's team share an unrelenting desire to experiment.  They honor tradition, yet at the same time are hell-bent on building their own. Over the past 6 months, things have accelerated rapidly. In November they were named go-me-o Gault Millau Australian Restaurant of the Year and received their second Hat. They also headlined Taste of Melbourne festival, Good Food Month and Melbourne Food and Wine Festival; the quote "big three in Australia." 

In this episode, we discuss the differences between successful and unsuccessful restaurants, why you should focus on doing few things extraordinarily well versus many things ok, why you should over complicate your restaurant, and how technology, specifically technology that mines data is leveling the playing field.  Paul Hadfield is the founder of diningDATA.com and has been involved in helping small businesses for more than 14 years. Starting from a commission-only sales position at the age of 20 to growing multiple start-up organizations, he is as passionate about his client's ventures as he is his own. diningDATA.com allows Paul to use his extensive knowledge of payment technology while applying his love for restaurants and hospitality.

In this episode, we're learning on how to better understand and persuade people. Ross Jeffries has been described as someone who not only knows more than anyone in the world about how persuasion and seduction works, but more than anyone ever SHOULD know about these topics.For over 25 years, Ross Jeffries has taught 60,000 men how to use their language to tap deep into the unconscious processes for human connection, emotion, and decisions to find the women of their dreams.

Now, you're probably thinking "Eric's official fallen off his rocker! What's this have to with the restaurant biz?" Just trust me! I promise this all ties into entrepreneurship, sales, and marketing in the restaurant business

Today Dave Stachowiak is here to share with 5 ways you can empower the people you lead.Dave Stachowiak is the founder and host of Coaching for Leaders a top 10 careers podcast on iTunes. He was named in Forbes as one of the 25 Professional Networking Experts to Watch in 2015 and has also been featured in U.S. News & World Report.Dave has been recognized multiple times with international business awards by Dale Carnegie Training. His credentials include a doctoral degree in organizational leadership from Pepperdine University, senior instructor certification with Dale Carnegie Training, and a Coach U graduate.Dave has taught years of graduate courses in leadership and education at Vanguard University and serves on the board of the Global Center for Women & Justice