Jessica Marshall is a talented restaurant designer with 15 years of experience. Her company, Brass Rose Studios, is based out of the Sacramento, California area. Today will be a deep dive conversation regarding the 3 most common restaurant design mistakes.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Live it!"

The 3 Most Common Restaurant Design Mistakes are:

1. Getting into a lease and not understanding the cost and lead-time that come with it
   • Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing costs
   • Planning ahead
   • HVAC prep
   • Knowing what you need and if your lease covers it
   • Avoiding inhibiting your ability to scale
   • Everything TAKES TIMES so budget your time properly
2. Trying to do it all yourself without hiring experts/specialists
   • Everything a restaurant needs is too much for one person
   • Budgeting and coordination is key
   • Impossible to balance personal life and restaurant buildouts during crunch time
3. Remembering who you are why you started
   • Don't forget why you wanted to open a restaurant in the first place
   • Build up a team to help you build or give advice
   • personal life/work balance
   • Write down you "why"

Today's sponsor:

BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant’s website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more.

Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you’ll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable. 

Wisetail’s user-friendly platform focuses on engaging, growing, and empowering your workforce while enabling your culture to thrive in multi-site businesses. It is easily configurable to an organization's brand and technical specifications. In addition, Wisetail provides a social community for their customers to share best practices and continuously improve the learning experience.

Contact info:

Brass Rose Studios website

Email: j.marshall@brassrosestudios.com

The first five RU listeners to reach out to Jessica will get a 20% discount!

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Jessica Marshall for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

Chef Oliver Ridgeway, was born and raised in Sussex, England. For Ridgeway, life in the kitchen began in his father’s restaurant, where his own passion began to emerge. After studying cooking at Crawley College, Ridgeway worked in multiple hotels and even a cruise ship before landing in U.S. where he held multiple chef positions and even cooked for VIP's during the Olympics. In 2011 Ridgeway made the move Sacramento where he took the Executive Chef Role at Grange Restaurant & Bar, and Camden Spit & Larder in 2018.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Do it nice or do it twice."

In today's episode with Oliver Ridgeway we will discuss:

• Born into the industry and staying with it
• Traveling there ENTIRE world and what you learn
• Cutting your teeth on a cruise ship kitchen
• Hotel kitchens
• Airport restaurant kitchens
• The importance of world travel
• The importance of connections
• Working as a chef at the olympics
• You have to give a shit
• Standards, expectations, and aiming points for your team
• Accountability
• Keep your ego and temper in check
• How to let team members go during hard financial times
• You don't know everything so surround yourself with people who know things you don't
• Resentment in the industry

Today's sponsor:

BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant’s website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more.

Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you’ll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable. 

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Leading by example
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Addressing the issue of team members who try hard but it isn't hard enough
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • What makes you happy? What drives you?
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Telling good people that they aren't good enough
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Working with efficiency and urgency
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Making "no" sound like "yes"
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   • Setting the Table by Danny Meyer
     GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
8. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Look at the long road rather than just the immediate
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
   • Resy | Homebase | Toast
10. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    • Be kind
    • Cook from the heart
    • Do it nice or do it twice

Contact info:

Camden Spit & Larder website

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Oliver Ridgeway for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

Boulder City, NV, native, Chef Michael Thiemann, got his industry start in the city that raised him, Sacramento, CA. He went on to work all over the world, including New Zealand, Hawaii, and San Francisco. After Serving as the right-hand-man to Chef Tyler Florence, Thiemann returned to his home city of Sacramento, where one year later he opened his first Restaurant Mother, which was followed by Empress Tavern.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "It's all about working hard and not being a dick."

In today's episode with Michael Theimann we will discuss:

• Starting out in the industry as a dishwasher (like many of us)
• Find your voice
• Learn fast and hustle is KEY
• Restaurant social media
• Staying/feeling young in the industry
• The chef learning curve
• Dealing with tension and resentment in the kitchen
• Being homeless and jobless in a foreign country and making it work
•  Adaptability
• Restaurant scene in New Zealand
• Restaurant scene in Hawaii
• Ego
• Maintaining good relationships, especially in a small community
• Learning the hard way, new and uncomfortable environments
• Restaurant scene in Sacramento
• Mentors
• Regrets/mistakes
• Your restaurant is a theater and your team is the cast
• You won't get what you want unless you make it know that you want it
• The truth about pictures of food on Instagram
• Self-awareness

Today's sponsor:

BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant’s website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more.

Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you’ll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable. 

Wisetail’s user-friendly platform focuses on engaging, growing, and empowering your workforce while enabling your culture to thrive in multi-site businesses. It is easily configurable to an organization's brand and technical specifications. In addition, Wisetail provides a social community for their customers to share best practices and continuously improve the learning experience.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Saying yes
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Saying yes
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Outside interests besides cooking
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Keeping restaurants open is hard
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Just be nice
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Just be nice
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   • American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
   • GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
8. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Check in on your brand, what you're about
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
   • Slack
10. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    • First of all, I don't feel like I'm successful
    • Separate yourself and your profession
    • Hard work

Contact info:

Instagram:

Mother: @mothersacramento

Empress Tavern: @empresstavern

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Michael Theimann for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

After attending the Scottsdale Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Chef Justin Brunson Scored an internship with Chef Michael DiMaria at Michael’s at the Citadel. In 2004 Brunson made the move to Denver, CO where over the next 4 years he worked with key mentors Richard Sandoval, Frank Bonanno, and Alex Seidel.

In 2008 Brunson opened Masterpiece Delicatessen to rave reviews. The Delicatessen was followed by Old Major in 2013, which won numerous "best of" awards. These hits were followed with Culture Meat and Cheese in 2016, River Bear in 2011 and Royal Rooster in 2018 and the newest concept Folsom Foods in Boulder.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Just Go."

In this episode with Justin Brunson we will discuss:

• Food halls
• Growing up in a farming community
• Respecting food
• Agression
• Learning respect
• Enthusiasm vs. extremism
• Communication is key
• Don't be a hothead
• Minimizing stress
• Differences between family-owned and run vs. corporate chains
• Testing the market
• Trying things out before going all-in
• Opening at ultra-low cost
• Opening mistakes and how to avoid them
• Opening new locations, closing them, and why
• Offering health insurance to your staff and team
• Be weary of partners
• Getting burned by partners
• Trust AND track
• Be a caring boss

Today's sponsor:

BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant’s website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more.

Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you’ll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable. 

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Be good and kind to people
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Being too kind to people
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Worst work experience and how you handled it
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Finding good employees
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Clean your shoes
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Push hospitality to the max
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   •  Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
   • GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
8. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Take take of themselves
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
   • Hire good IT people
10. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    • Do what you say you're going to do - integrity
    • Don't be late
    • Make sure your knives are sharp

Contact info:

Email: jobs@brunsonconcepts.com

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Justin Brunson for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

Originating from Denver's Five Points Community, Matt Selby got his start in the restaurant industry at the once-popular, Rattlesnake Grill. His skill in the kitchen and ability to lead others was quickly recognized by those in the industry. It was clear opportunities were inevitable. Those Opportunities came in 1997 when Selby was approached by Josh Wolkon to Join Vesta, a Secret Sauce restaurant concept.

Selby parted ways with Secret Sauce in 2013, and has been earning a living as a consultant, opening restaurants, overseeing multiple locations as culinary director, and occasionally serving as a line cook.  He's recognized for being key in contributing Denver's Culinary foundation, not only for his skills in the kitchen but more importantly for his patience and passion to serve as a mentor to the next generation of professionals.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Kindness is everything."

In this episode with Matt Selby well will discuss:

• Leadership skills
• Passion
• Bring up your team
• Give value
• Thew difference between customers and guests
• the difference between commanding and demanding respect
• What will get you through the hardships of the industry
• Inherent leadership
• Engage with people always
• The pros and cons of consulting
• Speak up for yourself while giving leeway to others
• Best inventory practices
• Reducing waste in the kitchen
• Marijuana in the industry

Today's sponsor:

BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant’s website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more.

Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you’ll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable. 

Wisetail’s user-friendly platform focuses on engaging, growing, and empowering your workforce while enabling your culture to thrive in multi-site businesses. It is easily configurable to an organization's brand and technical specifications. In addition, Wisetail provides a social community for their customers to share best practices and continuously improve the learning experience.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Kindness
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Kindness to a fault
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Motivation
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Getting out of bed
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Professionalism/directness
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Pay attention, be proactive
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   •  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
   • GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
8. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Pay attention
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
   • DoorDash
10. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    • Giving back
    • Being kind
    • Working hard

Contact info:

West of Surrender website (current client)

Email: selbymatt5@gmail.com

Get in touch: 720-387-5311

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Matt Selby for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

As a teenager, Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson starting working in restaurants St. Louis, Missouri. After graduating from Colorado State University, Mackinnon-Patterson set out to fulfill a dream and moved to Paris in 1999.

He obtained his Certificate d’Aptitude Professionnelle at the renowned Ecole Gregoire-Ferrandi. Upon returning to the states in 2001, he worked at Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry, where he met future business partner, Bobby Stuckey.

Mackinnon-Patterson and Stuckey opened their first restaurant, Frasca Food and Wine, in 2004 in Boulder, CO. In 2007, the partners launched Scarpetta Wines. In 2011 they opened Pizzeria Locale, which in 2014 they started rolling out a fast-casual version of throughout Denver, CO.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• Be a better listener than you are a talker."

In this episode with Lachlan Mackinnon Patterson we will discuss:

• Living and learning to cook in France
• Setting high standards
• Getting the right mentors
• What you get from studying culinary arts outside of your home country
• Treat your job like you own it
• Partnerships
• FOH and BOH partnerships
• Put ego aside and figure out what you are best at
• You can't do it all
• The true meaning and business models of "fast food"

Today's sponsor:

BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant’s website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more.

Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you’ll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable. 

Contact info:

Frasca Food and Wine

Pizzeria Locale

Scarpetta Wines

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

Born in San Diego, Eric Skokan was raised in Virginia and is a graduate of The University Virginia. Upon graduation Skokan traveled, working in some of the nation's greatest kitchens. In  2006, Skokan, and his wife, Jill, opened Black Cat Farm Table Bistro, which was following by the 130-acre, Certified Organic, Black Cat Farm, one year later. In 2012  the couple opened their second restaurant, Bramble & Hare. On top of all of this Skokan is the author of Farm, Fork, Food: A Year of Spectacular Recipes Inspired by Black Cat Farm.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Hey what could possibly go wrong?" A lot. But you have to be okay with failure.

In today's episode with Eric Skokan we will discuss:

• Every one fails before succeeding
• Love of cooking
• Ambition
• Your mood has an impact on everyone you work with
• Big lessons learned from working under 3 great chefs/owners
• Health food v. healthy food
• Work/life balance
• Living intentionally
• From restaurant to garden to farm
• Finding your passion
• Scaling into your dream restaurant (start small)
• Aiming for no surprises in the kitchen
• Give your team empowerment

Today's sponsor:

BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant’s website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more.

Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you’ll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable. 

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Flexibility
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Too interested in change
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Level of excitement
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Recruiting staff
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Talk about what you need and listen intently to the needs of others
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Unconditional service
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   • Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig
   • Farm, Fork, Food: A Year of Spectacular Recipes Inspired by Black Cat Farm
     GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
8. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't do well enough or do often enough?
   • Mentor their staff
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
   • Alto-Shaam
10. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    • Become attached to success but not to the method of achieving it
    • Leave the world a better place than how you found
    • Force yourself to celebrate all the little successes

Contact info:

Email: ericskokan@aol.com

Come visit the farm

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Eric Skokan for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

In this episode, I went solo! What a year it's been! I had some big plans and frankly... I fell short. I'll take you through how through the last year, what I've learned from my experiences, and how I want the future of Restaurant Unstoppable to look.

Additionally, I share my vision for the future. I' d like Restaurant Unstoppable to grow beyond just myself. The way you grow anything is by injecting yourself in an entity. Injecting your mission, vision, values, then letting it share beyond you. Sharing it with others who resonate, slowing growing community and support over time.

In this episode (and below),  I share my mission, vision, and values with you. If what I share with you resonates, join the unstoppable community!

Show notes…

Mission

To inspire, empower, and transform the restaurant industry. 

Vision

We will be a network for the most respected and successful hospitality thought leaders to selflessly share their stories, knowledge, values, and ideas with those who are eager to learn. 

Realizing the full potential of the collective - access to expertise, support from their peers - we will drive a new era of humanity and empathy in the restaurant industry. 

Core Values

1. We are a purpose-driven organization.
   • Our aim is to be the most trustworthy source of transparent information to help the restaurant and hospitality industry find balance and self-awareness.
2. We put service to others ahead of our own ambition.
   • We place the good of the tribe before our own personal gain.
3. We are students of life.
   • We are hungry for ideas and knowledge and surround ourselves with smart people. We will constantly be learning.
4. We will frequently check the status quo, including our own.
   • Restlessness and open minds lead to great discovery. There is more information in the world than one individual can ever know; no one has all the answers.
5. We value integrity over expediency.
   • The easy road will not tempt us. We will be consistent and deliver on our promises.
6. We understand that outer growth begins with inner growth.
   • We can only improve others by improving ourselves, first. We will measure success by the quality delivered, and the lives made better.
7. We will make it all painfully authentic.
   • a.k.a. cool, tight, bitchin’.

Today's sponsor:

BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant’s website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more.

Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you’ll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable. 

Restaurant365 is a cloud-based, all-in-one, restaurant-specific accounting and back-office platform that seamlessly integrates with POS systems, payroll providers, food and beverage vendors. It generates accurate real-time reporting and analysis in user-friendly dashboards, facilitating immediate, data-driven decision making. Restaurant365 eliminates manual, error-prone processes and is designed to help restaurant businesses grow with functionality that helps optimize labor costs, reduce food costs and increase revenue.

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

Over the last two decades, Robert Thompson, has opened more than a dozen restaurant concepts, experiencing a number of successes and a few failures. At one point, Thompson was ready to get out of the restaurant industry completely. However, his irrational stubbornness had other thoughts. Thompson decided to give everything he had – personally and financially - to develop a new dining and entertainment experience.

In 2012 Punch Bowl Social,  a multifaceted, surprisingly intimate, social gaming, and dining space was born.  As of today, Punch Bowl Social consists of 19 locations with an additional 6 slated to open in the next 14 months. 

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

"is this was your last day on earth what would you do?"

In this episode with Robert Thompson, we discuss: 

• The intricacies of growing an iconic brand. 
• With 19 restaurants, Thompson still doesn't feel like a success. 
• How better than average design and concept, still won't make up for bad real estate. 
• While it's good to be confident, over-confidence can lead to arrogance.
• Staying humble. 
• recovering from failure. 
• Starting with the end in mind; who is your target market?  
• knowing your market. 
• Reconnecting with the guest.
• Injecting your presence into the brand. 
• Using technology and data to select your location. 
• Transitioning into a new neighborhood gracefully.
• How Punch Bowl Social compartmentalizes its space to balance events and standard guest. 
• Thompson's plan to maintain their authenticity as the scale beyond 19 location. 

Today's sponsor:

BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant’s website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more.

Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you’ll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable. 

Restaurant365 is a cloud-based, all-in-one, restaurant-specific accounting and back-office platform that seamlessly integrates with POS systems, payroll providers, food and beverage vendors. It generates accurate real-time reporting and analysis in user-friendly dashboards, facilitating immediate, data-driven decision making. Restaurant365 eliminates manual, error-prone processes and is designed to help restaurant businesses grow with functionality that helps optimize labor costs, reduce food costs and increase revenue.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Grind
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Grind
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • People pipeline
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Try to find out if they're competitive. 
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Zero tolerance for abuse.
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Moral obligation. 
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
   
   • Double Your Profit in Six Months or Less. 
8. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Not thinking about the guest. 
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
   • e-sites. 
10. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    1. Look to the horizon
    2. Remember that you could die tomorrow
    3. Kiss your kids and wife. 

Contact info:

robertceo@punchbowlsocial.com put "Restaurant Hall-of-Fame" in the subject line if you want a job! 

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Robert Thompson for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!