Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Hailing from Ranchi, India, Akash Kapoor started studying business communication, law, finance, and economics in the mid 80's. In the summer of 2009 after being inspired by Roi Choi’s Kogi BBQ trucks, Akash and a few of his friends immediate got to work planning their Indian street food concept. Two months later, Curry Up Now was officially in business. 10 years later, Kapoor and his team has scaled the operation to, at one point 5 food trucks, 6 brick and mortar locations and the team also started accepting franchisees into their model. To date they are developing 41 total locations.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

"Status quo sucks. There has to be change."

"If you don't get better you get worse."

In this episode with Akash Kapoor, we discuss:

  • Challenging the status quo. don't just accept things how they are.
  • When developing your brand, really digging at what makes you different.
  • Why its worth taking care of your employees.
  • Never turning people away, even if you're closed.
  • How in today's market, it has never been easier to exceed guest expectation, because they bar has been set so low.
  • Some of the reasons why the bar for hospitality and service has been set so low.
  • The story behind Curry Up Now.
  • Having a, "failures not an option mentality." and just knowing in your gut that it will work.
  • Scaling into your business VS going all in on day one.
  • Being super cautious about hiring the right people. Imagine who your perfect employee is, then hiring for those attributes.
  • Having clear expectations.
  • Staying ahead of the curve with your brand.
  • Being mindful of how you can remove barriers the barriers between your guests and your food.
  • How to maintain the quality of your brand and culture while you scale.
  • Using technology to keep your presence and values top of mind at all of your restaurants.

Today's sponsor:

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

BentoBox helps restaurants grow their business through a connected suite of tools, offering them an integrated website to connect with their guests and drive revenue online. Restaurant owners and operators are able to easily update menus, promote specials, take catering and event inquiries, sell merchandise, gift cards and more.

Revel Systems integrates front of house and back of house operations into a single dashboard. Designed to increase security, stability, ease of use, and speed of service, Revel’s streamlined ecosystem provides businesses with the right tools to grow. Learn more at revelsystems.com/unstoppable.

  1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
    • Getting better everyday.
  2. What is your biggest weakness?
    •  Having high expectations from his team.
  3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
    1. They have got to love food.
  4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
    1. Making sure there is someone in each one of his restaurants who cares about as much as he does.
  5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
    • If you take care of people the people will take care of your P&L.
  6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
    • Touch your guest at least 5 times (fast casual concept).
  7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
    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 care of their guests.
  9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
    1. Revel
    2. C-tuit
  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. getting better with your values
    2. taking care of your employees and they will take care of your guest. Akash Kapoor Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast

Contact info:

CurryUpNow.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 Akash Kapoor 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!
Direct download: 585_Akash_Kapoor_mixdown1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30am EDT

Hailing from Boston, MA, and a Graduate of Boston University Questrom School of Business,  Sam Hellman-Mass has previously worked at the Montagna Restaurant at the Little Nell Hotel in Aspen, where he met Bryce Gilmore and later moved to Austin and helped him open Barley Swine, and Odd Duck. Under Hellman-Mass's leadership, The Odd Duck received much acclaim. With this success in his back pocket, in 2017 Hellman Mass broke off on his own to open Suerte, a Mexican restaurant specializing in house-made masa . Just this past year Suerte was one of 50 Nominees for Bon Appetit's "Best New Restaurant."

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

"If you do what you love and what you're passionate about, you'll always end up finding the most success."

In this episode with Sam Hellman-Mass, we discuss:

  • How to follow your passion.
  • Going after what you want, head first.
  • Making the most of your job experiences by asking questions, being curious, and constantly creating learning opportunities for yourself.
  • That when you take the time to be the teacher you eventually become a master.
  • How to balance being a boss and a friend with relation to your team members.
  • When managing relationships, coming from a place of caring.
  • How working hard doesn't only create opportunities, but it also improves your skill, making you even more valuable.
  • Having a way to settle disputes in a partnership. It could be a system or a personal that determines the final outcome.
  • Advice for managing partnerships.
  • Advice for managing team members.
  • How you'd be surprised at what people would be willing to share with you if you show an interest in them and what they're up to.
  • Focus on being the best at one thing. Have a "Unique Selling Proposition".
  • Be mindful of the story you are telling on your quest to be the best. Use that story to develop your brand.
  • Build a restaurant where you have roots.
  • When making financial decisions for a restaurant, keep them simple.
  • The benefits of being empathetic, open minded, and considerate of other peoples feelings and thoughts.

Today's sponsor:

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

BentoBox helps restaurants grow their business through a connected suite of tools, offering them an integrated website to connect with their guests and drive revenue online. Restaurant owners and operators are able to easily update menus, promote specials, take catering and event inquiries, sell merchandise, gift cards and more.

Revel Systems integrates front of house and back of house operations into a single dashboard. Designed to increase security, stability, ease of use, and speed of service, Revel’s streamlined ecosystem provides businesses with the right tools to grow. Learn more at revelsystems.com/unstoppable.

  1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
    • Following his passion.
  2. What is your biggest weakness?
    • Being annoying.
  3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
    • Will this person still be here when it gets tough?
  4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
    • Trying to keep his people happy.
    • He's combating this by constantly asking his people what they want/need.
  5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
    • Be nice to people.
  6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
    • Try to make it a "yes."
  7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
    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 a day off.
  9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
  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. A good meal always starts with good ingredients.
    2. Serving food that fulfills you, first.
    3. Be nice.

Contact info:

suerteatx.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 Sam Hellman-Mass  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!
Direct download: 584_Sam_Hellman_Mass_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30am EDT

Benjamin Seabury Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast

A retired semi-pro football player, Ben Seabury has been managing and owning food and beverage operations for over a decade. He's scaled a cupcake concept, served as Executive Chef, GM, Direct of Operations, and Founder. Seabury's current title is President of the 1100 Group. The 1100 Group consist of 4 unique concepts, event management, catering, and a consulting division. On top of this Ben also owns Wheelhouse construction, a commercial construction company specializing in restaurants and commercial kitchens.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

"A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." 

In This episode with Benjamin Seabury, we discuss:

  • How you can get the equivalent of a degree in business, by just going to work for the best. 
  • Leveraging technology to get dialed in on labor expenses. 
  • The importance of taking the high road when departing a business for new opportunities. 
  • What Seabury learned about respect; treat your employees as an equal. 
  • Why it is so important to respect your body and health. 
  • Some hidden challenges of operation a food truck.  
  • Some hidden challenges that come with operating a commissary kitchen. 
  • If you're going to do it, make sure you are the best at it. 
  • Find partners who are strong where you are weak and sharing equity to attract the right people. 
  • Advice on how to scale a restaurant group.  
  • Before accepting a lease on a space, make sure the space will support the volume you'd need in order to afford the space. 
  • When your head chef shows up on day one drunk... don't let them back for day two.  
  • Knowing what you know and sticking to what you know.  
  • Why our industry need to experience change. 

Today's sponsor:

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

BentoBox helps restaurants grow their business through a connected suite of tools, offering them an integrated website to connect with their guests and drive revenue online. Restaurant owners and operators are able to easily update menus, promote specials, take catering and event inquiries, sell merchandise, gift cards and more.

Revel Systems integrates front of house and back of house operations into a single dashboard. Designed to increase security, stability, ease of use, and speed of service, Revel’s streamlined ecosystem provides businesses with the right tools to grow. Learn more at revelsystems.com/unstoppable.

  1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
    • Transparence and active leadership. 
  2. What is your biggest weakness?
    •  Overextending himself. 
  3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
    • Hire from your gut. 
  4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
    • Being able to take risk and not think twice about it. 
  5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
    • expect trouble and be ready to respond to it. 
  6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
    • Be uniquely you. 
  7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
    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?
    • They treat their employees like people often enough. 
  9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
  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. Be kind.
    2. If you're going to do something, be the best at it. 
    3. Spend time with family. 

Contact info:

1100group.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 Ben Seabury 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!
Direct download: 583Ben_Seabury_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30am EDT

 

Evan LeRoy Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast

As an Austin native and graduate of Texas Culinary Academy, Evan LeRoy has garnered international acclaim as a top tier barbecue chef cooking at NYC's Hill Country Barbecue Market and Austin's Freedmen's Bar. He's traveled as far as Russia and Australia to train and teach his skills. In 2017, he and business partner, Sawyer Lewis, opened Leroy and Lewis and was quickly identified as one of the best BBQ options in Austin.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

 "BBQ may not be the road to world peace, but it's a start." 

In this episode with Chef Evan LeRoy, we discuss: 

  • Why LeRoy transitioned from writing about food to cooking food. 
  • That culture comes from the top down. If you want people to respect and work well with each other you need to respect and work well with your people. Set the tone.  
  • How the best restaurants ask their people to treat the business like they own it. They also teach them how to own it. 
  • Using photos and videos to maintain standards, especially with recipes and plating. 
  • How to create a high level of accountability.
  • How you really don't know something until you can teach it. 
  • If you want to be the best at something, go to work for the people who are the best at what it is you want to do. 
  • Taking care of your people AND the numbers. 
  • Joining teams that have the same standards as you.
  • Creating a team of people who compliment you well. 
  • Using pop-ups to create buzz.  
  • Using double-and-out-loans to start your business. 
  • The realities of operating a food truck. 
  • The power of finding a niche' or a "unique selling proposition"
  • Why a mission is so important, not necessarily for attracting business, but to keep you and your team going.  
  • Creating repeat guests by pushing them out of their comfort zone with samples, specifically, samples that are unique to your business. 
  • Finding the fine balance between controlling the business with systems while also giving your people freedom to exceed expectations.  

Today's sponsor:

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

BentoBox helps restaurants grow their business through a connected suite of tools, offering them an integrated website to connect with their guests and drive revenue online. Restaurant owners and operators are able to easily update menus, promote specials, take catering and event inquiries, sell merchandise, gift cards and more.

Revel Systems integrates front of house and back of house operations into a single dashboard. Designed to increase security, stability, ease of use, and speed of service, Revel’s streamlined ecosystem provides businesses with the right tools to grow. Learn more at revelsystems.com/unstoppable.

  1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
    • Being able to see the big picture.
  2. What is your biggest weakness?
    • Organization.
  3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
    • LeRoy asks himself, "Can I see this person doing the dirtiest job?"
  4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
    • Combating the constantly changing weather. Especially when estimating what needs to be purchased. 
  5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
    • Good communication.
  6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
    • Be willing and patient to explain everything on the menu.  
  7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
    GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
  1. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
    • Most restaurant owners or either connected to the money or connect to the work, but in oder to be successful you need to be connected to both. 
  2. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
  3. 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. Work together.
    2. It's better to be different than the best.
    3. operate honestly. 

Contact info:

@evanleroyBBQ

@Leroylewis

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 Evan LeRoy 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!
Direct download: 582_Evan_Leroy_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30am EDT

 


This is Justin Elliott's second time on the show. For Justin's full story head over to www.restaurantunstoppable.com/557.

Having worked in some of the best bars in Austin, Elliott has consistently produced forward-thinking bar programs that have been recognized by Bon Appetit, Playboy, Texas Monthly, Zagat, Southern Living Magazine, Imbibe, Food Republic, Star Chefs and many more.

This past year Elliott joined Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits where he specializes in helping Bars and Restaurant develop their cocktail menus.

Today, Elliot is here to take us through his creative process of designing a cocktail menu.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

"Fight chaos every day!"

In today's episode, Justin Elliott shares:

  • Where the creative process starts: The physical space should be a crucial place to begin.
  • How the physical space ties back to the menu.
  • What signifiers are and how you can use them to make your menu pop.
  • Why you should not feel compelled to list every ingredient on you cocktail menu.
  • Your objective, when writing a cocktail menu, being to entice the guest to drink what you've created; not to show off what ingredients went into the drink.
  • The level of detail that goes into an award winning cocktail program.
  • Understanding what your employees like.  
  • A couple cocktail trends to be aware of going into the future. 

Resources mentioned:

Today's sponsor:

Cashflowtool.com  A simple powerful and predictive cash flow companion for Qickbooks. Simple, because it requires no data entry, is always up to do and works on any device, anywhere. Powerful, because with it's built-in cash flow calendar, activitiy feed and anomaly detector, you instantly know all aspects of your cash flow with no surprises. Predictive, because you'll know your cash flow today and anticipate it tomorrow.

Contact info:

 @jdanelliott

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 Elliott 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!
Direct download: 581_Justin_Elliott_2_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:07pm EDT

 

After early influences at his Uncle’s deli, a stint as a professional drummer and a decade of experience at restaurants like New York City’s Gramercy Tavern, Roberta’s in Brooklyn, Franklin BBQ and Bufalina in Austin, TX, Chef Tedesco opened  L’Oca D’Oro in 2016 with business partner Adam Orman. The duo is going into their 3th year of delivering gracious hospitality. Tedesco and Orman are also making waves with their forward thinking no tipping policy. 

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

Be gracious. Be kind. Listen. 

In today's episode with Fiore Tedesco, we discuss:

  • How Tedesco got into the industry. 
  • How, with no prior experience, Tedesco landed a stage at Gabrielle Hamilton's Prune. He did it with pure persistence.  
  • Why it is so important to have confidence in yourself, especially when taking a chance. 
  • How powerful a vision and purpose can be. 
  • The mindset you need to be a good employee.
  • Why Tedesco and Orman chose to implement a no tipping policy. 
  • The challenges of transitioning to a no tipping policy. 

Resources mentioned:

Today's sponsor:

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

BentoBox helps restaurants grow their business through a connected suite of tools, offering them an integrated website to connect with their guests and drive revenue online. Restaurant owners and operators are able to easily update menus, promote specials, take catering and event inquiries, sell merchandise, gift cards and more.

Revel Systems integrates front of house and back of house operations into a single dashboard. Designed to increase security, stability, ease of use, and speed of service, Revel’s streamlined ecosystem provides businesses with the right tools to grow. Learn more at revelsystems.com/unstoppable.

  1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
    • Trusting his intuition. 
  2. What is your biggest weakness?
    • Being wildly erratic. 
  3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
    • Can I trust you to be a good compassionate people around you. 
  4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
    • Trusting that the sun will come up tomorrow. 
  5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
    • Regardless of your race, gender, or orientation we are all the same. 
  6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
    • Take care of your team first and you'll be better prepared to take care of the guest.  
  7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
    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?
    • Regonizing where you sole lives and being able to connect people to it. 
  9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
  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. Faith in man kind is only progressed by continuing faith in mankind. 
    2. You can only achieve what you dream. 
    3. Love the people around you. 

Contact info:

www.locadoroaustin.com

Fiore@locadoraustin.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 Fiore Tedesco 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!
Direct download: 580_Fiore_Tedesco_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30am EDT

Hailing from a small German town, Horst Schulze knew from the age of 5 that he wanted to work in the hotel industry. So he got his start, like most of do, as a dish washer. From the bottom rung he climbed his way to the top, traveling the world and working in 5 star hotels along the way. In 1983 he cofounded the Ritz Carlton and set the standards for the service industry going forward.

Schulze joins me to dive into how he got his start and the mentors who influenced him along the way. Then we dive into his newly published book, Excellence Wins: A No-Nonsense Guide To Becoming The Best In a World of Compromise.

This is one you surely won't want to miss! 

Show Notes

Success quote or mantra

"Whatever it is you want to do in life... Do it with excellence." 

In this episode with Horst Schulze, we discuss: 

  • How Schulze got into the hotel industry, like many of use, on the bottom rung. 
  • How he learned from his mentor, Karl Zeitler, if you approach everything you do with excellence, no matter what is, you can be important. 
  • The impact one person can have on another on their career path. Be mindful of your influence on others. You could change someones life.   
  • How excellence starts with a decision. 
  • Using constant reminders, like messages on a mirror, to remind you to be excellent. 
  • How you need to be able to lead yourself before you can lead others. 
  • Where Horst Schulze got his inspiration to write, Excellence Wins: A No-Nonsense Guide To Becoming The Best In a World of Compromise 
  • How creating an environment where people WANT to do the work, comes from great leadership; not great management. 
  • How great customer service starts with identifying guest needs then creating processes to meet those needs. 
  • How to handle guest complaints; with the objective to never lose a guest.
  • The 3 fundamental expectations a customer has.  
  • How to get your people to care for your guest. 
  • While process is important, it can't shadow a clearly defined vision and mission.
  • How too many systems can stunt the human element of creativity and soul. 
  • Whats most important to your employees.  

Today's sponsor:

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

BentoBox helps restaurants grow their business through a connected suite of tools, offering them an integrated website to connect with their guests and drive revenue online. Restaurant owners and operators are able to easily update menus, promote specials, take catering and event inquiries, sell merchandise, gift cards and more.

Revel Systems integrates front of house and back of house operations into a single dashboard. Designed to increase security, stability, ease of use, and speed of service, Revel’s streamlined ecosystem provides businesses with the right tools to grow. Learn more at revelsystems.com/unstoppable.

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 Horst Schulze 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!
Direct download: 579_Horst_Schulze_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30am EDT

David Scott Peters is the founder of TheRestaurantExpert.com, a company specializing in coaching and training independent restaurant owners.

He is the developer of SMART Systems Pro, an online restaurant management software designed specifically for independent restaurant operators.

David is a regular speaker at food industry events all over the country, is a regular guest contributor to restaurant industry publications, and enjoys teaching restaurant owners how to live their passions while also operating a profitable business. 

This is David's 3rd time on the show! I HIGHLY suggest you check out his first 2 interviews:

Today we're here to discuss budgeting. Specifically, we'll cover:

  • Why a budget is so important,
  • Why Most Restaurant Owners Don't have a budget,
  • The benefits of having a budget, and
  • How to build a budget the right way
  • Also we'll discuss the first steps you can take to getting a budget

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

"Trust the process."

In this episode with David Scott Peters, we discuss:

  1. Why a budget is so important to controlling costs. 
    • Responsibility to be profitable.
    • Roadmap to profits.
    • Goal setting and tracking.
  2. Why Most Restaurant Owners Don't have a budget. 
    • Follow their gut.
    • Think they know their number in the head.
    • Don't want to give up control. 
    • Don't want to share their numbers.
  3. Benefits to having a budget.
    • Reactive VS Proactive.
    • Recover From Unexpected road blocks.
    • Management bonuses.
    • Labor Controls.
  4. How to build a budget the right way.
    • Right tool- Budget Creator Pro.
    • Prime cost, the prime cost formula.
      •  Materials and labor involved in it is production, excluding fixed costs. Rent? 
    • Where to get the numbers.
    • What to do if you don't have the numbers.
    • Budget Webinar

Resources Mentioned

    • Smart Systems Pro 
      • CALL 1-877-457-6278 EX 106 MENTION "RESTAURANT UNSTOPPABLE" AND GET Smart Budget Pro FREE!

Today's sponsor:

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

BentoBox helps restaurants grow their business through a connected suite of tools, offering them an integrated website to connect with their guests and drive revenue online. Restaurant owners and operators are able to easily update menus, promote specials, take catering and event inquiries, sell merchandise, gift cards and more.

Revel integrates front of house and back of house operations into a single dashboard. Designed to increase security, stability, ease of use, and speed of service, Revel’s streamlined ecosystem provides businesses with the right tools to grow. Learn more at revelsystems.com/unstoppable.

 

Contact info:

1-877-457-6278 EX 106 Mention "RESTAURANT UNSTOPPABLE" get Smart Budget Pro software free, and be sure to learn more about Smart Systems Pro

The Restaurant Expert Youtube Channel

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 David Scott Peters 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!
Direct download: 578_David_Scott_Peters_budgeting_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30am EDT

Today is a big day! It marks Restaurant Unstoppable's 5th year of producing content! To celebrate, I've ask my good friend and new partner, Brandon Hull, to flip the table on me. 

Side note: Brandon will be joining Restaurant Unstoppable as my new DOO and CMO. I couldn't think of a better person to join the team. 

The purpose of todays conversation is to reflect on the past 5 years and the biggest lessons I've learn. Not only to we reflect on major take-aways, but we also dive into some of the struggle I've experienced and how I overcame those challenges. 

Lastly, pier into the future and discuss what we want Restaurant Unstoppable to become. 

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

"Behind every great restaurant is a great person. If you want to own a great restaurant don't focus on making the restaurant great, focus on making yourself great."

Sponsors

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

BentoBox helps restaurants grow their business through a connected suite of tools, offering them an integrated website to connect with their guests and drive revenue online. Restaurant owners and operators are able to easily update menus, promote specials, take catering and event inquiries, sell merchandise, gift cards and more.

Revel integrates front of house and back of house operations into a single dashboard. Designed to increase security, stability, ease of use, and speed of service, Revel’s streamlined ecosystem provides businesses with the right tools to grow. Learn more at revelsystems.com/unstoppable.

 

Contact info:

Eric@restaurantunstoppable.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 Brandon Hull 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!
Direct download: 577_5_year_reflection.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30am EDT

Graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder, entrepreneur, health enthusiast, and engineer who likes to build businesses that make the world a more interesting and sustainable place, Anthony Pigliacampo is the founder and co-CEO of Modern Market.

Modern Market opened its doors in 2009 with the mission is to serve delicious, healthy food that moves us forward.

Since it's first location almost 10 years ago, Modern Market  has scaled to 28 restaurants in 5 states with many more in development.

Show notes…

Success quote or mantra

"Onward and upward." 

"Treat every day like day one."

In today s episode with Anthony Pigliacampo, we discuss: 

  • How Anthony broke into the industry. 
  • What he learned about the food system and food economics while working as an engineer for MacDonalds. 
  • How Anthony wanted to create a restaurant that wasn't only economically healthy, but that also served healthy food. 
  • The benefits of treating your small business like a big business from day one.
  • How to raise money for a restaurant with no prior experience in the restaurant industry. 
  • "Blocking and tackling" projects and challenges. 
  • Having cash reserves in the bank to live off during the early lean days. 
  • When tackling challenges, starting with the end in mind and reverse engineering a solution.  
  • The benefits of having a partner to divide and conquer the work load. Especially, in the early days when you're developing, and fine tuning your systems while managing and growing relationships with guests and team members. It is a lot to do by yourself. 
  • Staying dialed into your numbers, so you can track the impact of your efforts and keep your thumb on progress.  
  • The significance of trust in a partnership.  
  • How partnerships hinge on agreeing to the same long-term goals. While you must agree on the long-term goals, it is actually healthy to disagree on the day-to-day decisions. 
  • Why you need to be fully committed to removing yourself from the day-to-day, if you desire to scale. 
  • How prioritizing, blocking, and tackling plays its role on removing yourself from the day-to-day.
  • Creating a culture where your line staff is encouraged to speak up and share when they see something being done wrong or something that could be done better. 
  • If you want people to buy in, then do what you say you're going to do.  
  • Scaling  culture:
    • Using technology to expand your reach and presence; Anthony holds live chats that anyone who works for him can attend. 
    • Taking the extra time and effort to hire people with the same values as you.   
  • Why capitalism is the solution to effective change. 

Today's sponsor:

Cashflowtool.com  A simple powerful and predictive cash flow companion for Qickbooks. Simple, because it requires no data entry, is always up to do and works on any device, anywhere. Powerful, because with it's built-in cash flow calendar, activitiy feed and anomaly detector, you instantly know all aspects of your cash flow with no surprises. Predictive, because you'll know your cash flow today and anticipate it tomorrow.

 

Knowledge bombs

  1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
    • Grit.
  2. What is your biggest weakness?
    •  Disorganization.
  3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
    • Energy.
  4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
    • Scaling his culture at the same rate he's scaling his business. 
  5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
    • The power of "yes". 
  6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
    •  Instill the level of service that a full service restaurant would deliver in a casual quick service environment. 
  7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
    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?
    • They don't think about the impact their food has on the health of their guests. 
  9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
  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. People need food that makes them feel good.
    2. The people make the restaurant. Success is just as much about serving your team as it is about serving your guests. 
    3. The industry will never change if you're going to leave it to the accumbent.  

Contact info:

ModernMarket.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 Anthony Pigliacampo 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!
Direct download: 576_Anthony_Pigliacampo_mixdown.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:03pm EDT

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