Learn more about Matt Louis here.

Key Takeaways

1. If it's impossible for your restaurant to safely and efficiently turn to take and delivery, don't do it; close.
2. Don't play games with public health; take this seriously
3. If you  feel uncomfortable operating amid COVID-19 concerns then don't do it
4. Don't go forward with takeout/delivery unless you have solid plan; don't wing it
5. Your staff could be in the most-at-risk demographic
6. Matt is running a marathon on his treadmill as a fundraiser for his staff so…GET CREATIVE!
7. Once again: Plan for WORST-CASE scenario

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• None

Chef Krimsey Ramsey graduated with a bachelor's in Petroleum Engineering from Louisiana State University --Krimsey also has her MBA From Texas A&M Corpus. After 5 years as a Petroleum Engineer, Krimsey had an extreme awakening and decided to change her life into one of positive activism through opening a restaurant. In 2017 Krimsey's Cajun Kitchen in North Hollywood, CA: The World's First 100% Vegan Cajun Restaurant, was born! Today, they'er about to go into their second location with their mission is to spread "Good Voodoo" for themselves, our Earth, and all our planet's inhabitants.

Check out RestaurantOwner.com as mentioned in today's episode.

Check out Episode 437 with David Scott Peters about menu engineering as mentioned in today's episode.

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

• Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel
• Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group
• Krimsey's Pop-up Checklist
• Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!)

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "I remind myself everyday that I'm going to die."

In today's episode with Krimsey Ramsey we will discuss:

• Recognize mortality
• Veganism
• Activism
• Be welcoming
• Lifestyle changes based on morals
• Women in male-dominated professions
• Working with family
• Second-generation spaces
• Stay small in the beginning so you can pivot
• Testing the market in festivals and pop-ups, farmer's markets
• How to break into a festival for a pop-up
• Testing your market in your back yard
• Costs and budgets in the early days
• Burning out in the early months of opening
• The importance of collaborating with others in your community
• YOU have to set up you employees to succeed
• Rating your employee's performance as a specific incentive to make more money
• Substance abuse as an escape from restaurant industry stress

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.

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.

P&G ProfessionalTM offers innovative total foodservice solutions featuring trusted brands such as Dawn® Professional, Cascade® Professional, Spic and Span® and Comet®. We are unique in that our total solutions are founded in customer and patron understanding, superior products that help save time and cut overall costs, and a five-star service group that is compensated based on customer satisfaction, not commissions. Visit www.pgpro.com for the latest information about P&G Professional's solutions and services.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • "Being myself and having that translate into the business."
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • "Telling myself I suck too often."
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • "Find out if they're engaged and connected."
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • "Focusing on one thing at a time."
   • Check out Nir Eyal's book "Indistractable" as mentioned here 👆🏽
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • "Be transparent and connected."
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • "Be playful and connect with guests. Have a good time."
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
   • Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions by Russell Brand
8. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • "Telling your team EXACTLY what you want."
9. Name one service you've hired.
   • David Scott Peters - Food and Labor cost tracking
10. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influenced operations?
    • Google Docs
11. 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?
    • Everyone go get a therapist
    • Listen to people when they talk, put the phone away and be present
    • Go outside more

Contact info:

Instagram @krimseys

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 Krimsey Ramsey 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!

Chronicle # 28: Start rebuilding NOW! - Jim Laube & Joe Erickson- RestaurantOwner.com

RestaurantOwner.com is giving owners and operators 90 days of FREE membership. Email Jim at Jim@restaurantowner.com Let them know I sent you. 

Audio here

Key Takeaway

1. The resources the RestaurantOwner.com is providing its members. 
2. Understanding that we're in this together. 
3. Is April 12 a realistic time to get back to business? 
   1. Plan for longer
4. Hows the landscape going to change? 
5. Who will recover quicker? Larger operations or smaller operations? 

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• RestaurantOwern.com/covid19
• Email Jim or Joe to get 90 days free 
  • jim@restaurantowner.com
  • Joe@restaurantowner.com 

Key Takeaway

1. During hard times it's always amazing to see the unqique ways come together. 
2. Donald sayers created a way to tip bartenders and servers when you have a drink. Its called ServiceIndustry.tips 

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• ServiceIndustry.tips

Find out more about Patrick Mulvaney here.

Key Takeaways

• Dealing with mental health during these anxious times. 
• Stepping up and being there for those in your community who need you. Patrick and Mulvaney are preparing 400 meals a day. Don't wait for funding, just take care of people... they'll take care of you. 
• being mindful of social distancing while you serve your community. 
• Holding family meals to maintain business culture. 
• Using your unique skills and network to serve your community and farmers.
• Use this as a time to love, learn, and build each other up. We'll come out stronger. 

Resources Mentioned:

• None

Find out more about Jillian and Suerte here.

Key takeaways

1. Maintain culture by staying connected with your team while physically separated
2. Suerte chose WhatsApp because it's less concerned with “work”
3. WhatsApp and communication with your team allows you to get to know each other better and become closer while physically separated
4. WhatsApp has a Coronavirus Information Hub on their website which makes this easier
5. Suerte has a tri-weekly newsletter given to everyone on their team
6. Suerte had to lay-off their staff so they are providing meals to those who got laid-off
7. Suerte has decided to close temporarily in order to take care oft heir people first
8. File a mass-unemployment application for your entire staff
9. Keep up team morale as best you can during this time

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• WhatsApp group chatting
• Slack for group communication more related to work
• In the Weeds Facebook group (Austin Service Industry)
• Seasoned App

Key takeaways

1. How their drive-through burger stand was up 39%
2. Why Erica still decided to make the hard decision to close, despite the willingness of her staff to continue working. 
3. We ask,  "Is it the socially responsible thing to stay open?"
4. Staying in contact with your people via social media. 
5. Working ON the business during this slow time.   

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• None

Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Jason Berkowitz is a hospitality veteran dedicated to team development and operational excellence.  Jason credits his Psychology degree from Michigan State University for helping shape his unique approach to hospitality and team management.

His career spans more than 40 restaurant openings from fast-food to fine-dining. He's held a number of posts, including VP of Operations for Umami Burger and COO for Tocaya Organica. Today Jason serves as CEO and Founder of ArrowUp Training, a stylized safety, anti-harassment training and supervisory coaching n program for restaurants.

Catch Jason's book Please Don't Sleep With The Host: And 49 Other Tips For Managing A Functional And Profitable Restaurant

Check out Jason's previous episode: #703!

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

• Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel
• Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group
• Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!)

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Be nice."

In today's episode with Jason Berkowitz we will discuss:

• The inspiration for writing the book
• The 15 Tips discussed today are:
  1. Be the best "YOU" that you can be
  2. Dress everyday like it's your first day of work
  3. Work like you own the place but remember that you don't
  4. Know the 5 things the owner checks when he walks into his restaurant
     • Vibe
     • Lighting
     • Temperature
     • Cleanliness
     • Gross sales
  5. Know the difference between a "Wow" and a "Holy shit" customer
  6. Embrace the law of averages
  7. Please don't sleep with the host
  8. Embrace your staff's ambitions, support them
  9. Provide you new hires with proper training and materials
  10. Lower the bar
  11. Respect your chef and their kitchen
  12. Take care of your feet
  13. For every problem you kill, another will rise in their place
  14. People fire themselves
  15. The noose fits just as easily on the hangman's neck

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.

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.

P&G ProfessionalTM offers innovative total foodservice solutions featuring trusted brands such as Dawn® Professional, Cascade® Professional, Spic and Span® and Comet®. We are unique in that our total solutions are founded in customer and patron understanding, superior products that help save time and cut overall costs, and a five-star service group that is compensated based on customer satisfaction, not commissions. Visit www.pgpro.com for the latest information about P&G Professional's solutions and services.

Contact info:

www.arrowuptraining.com

Email: jason@arrowcertificztion.com

Social handle: @jdberko

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 Jason Berkowitz 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!

Find out more about Rudy Miick here.

Key takeaways

1. You must confront your fear
2. Hotels kitchens are also moving to pickup only
3. The solution is not black and white
4. Find out what you can do with the cash you have on hand
5. Domino's is hiring 20,000 workers this week
6. Everyone's sense of cleanliness and sanitation will improve
7. The restaurants that give to and help their communities will come out of this better than they entered it
8. Keep healthy while quarantined; eat healthy and stay active

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• Check out Rudy's and Bruce Irving's online Pizza Summit here

Chronicle # 22: Have multip

Find out more about Kristen Corral here.

Key takeaways

1. Make multiple plans
2. Shuttled down- Just too unsafe for staff. 
3. Chatbots have been helpful 
4. Work on your recovery strategy now. 
5. Keep the conversation online going. You need to stay top of mind.

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• none

Find out more about David Scott Peters here.

Key takeaways

1. We’re a cashflow business and we don't have the cash flow to survive 
2. Establish a 12-week cash flow budget
3. Depending on what your cash flow budget tells you will determine how you handle this situation.
4. Become a grocery store. 
5. Our restaurants may be closed, but there is still work to be done. Work ON your business. Continue to nurture relationships. Continue to serve your community

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• David Scott Peters Cashflow tool - Email David for tool 
• RestaurantOwner.com- COVID-19 Resources Page 

Find out more about Patricio Wise here.

Key takeaways

1. Farmers and grocery stores need help right now
2. Don't just default to unemployment
3. Closing your doors and leaving your employees on their own is irresponsible
4. Surviving is enough right now
5. Reinvent yourself based on the circumstances
6. Don't cut corners
7. Don't do delivery unless you already have insurance; if you don't have it GET IT!
8. Offer things like toilet paper and essentials to your customers and employees

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• Toast POS for delivery/pickup

This session brought to you by Seasoned.co/unstoppable – You don't always need an employee- You don't always need a job- You always need community. Seasoned has got it all.

Find out more about Carrie Luxem here.

Key takeaways
Furlough or lay off? Do what you can to keep your employees with you
Treat employees like family
Make sure to check in with your team
Even if you don't know what to do, you must communicate that to them
There is no such thing as a small concern, every concern matters to the person asking the question
Get away from the chaos if you can
Metal health is key
Designate one person as a point of contact for your team
Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

Carrie's Website RestaurantHRGroup.com

Families First Coronavirus Response Act
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LmnNaqAUTLBfhJRvfHQ3S1vvPwuUSbGBYZNbJhwpASk/edit?usp=sharing

Tell Congress to Support Restaurants
https://actnow.io/33vA1gB?fbclid=IwAR0CnjULAWQPiUgr-o8tBEX2iamyl-490xm7Kvc8m2g7CjGPRxkGcMf2FjU

Danny Meyers Interview with CNBC’s Squawk on the Street https://www.cnbc.com/video/2020/03/20/shake-shack-founder-danny-meyer-on-how-coronavirus-pandemic-is-decimating-restaurant-industry.html

This session brought to you by Seasoned.co/unstoppable - You don't always need an employee- You don't always need a job- You always need community. Seasond got it all

Find out more about William Lo here.

Key takeaways

1. The purpose of the curbside challenge is to encourage people to follow the COVID-19 guidlines
2. Lo's restaurant has decided to close to flatten the curb
3. Pay the staff early if you can
4. Before closing, give all your food to you employees
5. COVID-19 is growing by over 100,000 weekly worldwide
6. The struggle some of us are going through: stay open and make money or do the right thing and shutdown?
7. Reach out to your city/town and ask about reducing your taxes to pay your staff
8. Still need to plan for worst-case scenario
9. You MUST be creative in these times

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• #curbsidechallenge on Facebook

This session brought to you by Seasoned.co/unstoppable - You don't always need an employee- You don't always need a job- You always need community. Season got it all.

Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Jason Berkowitz is a hospitality veteran dedicated to team development and operational excellence.  Jason credits his Psychology degree from Michigan State University for helping shape his unique approach to hospitality and team management.

His career spans more than 40 restaurant openings from fast-food to fine-dining. He's held a number of posts, including VP of Operations for Umami Burger and COO for Tocaya Organica. Today Jason serves as CEO and Founder of ArrowUp Training, a stylized safety, anti-harassment training and supervisory coaching n program for restaurants.

Check out Harri - Talent Technology Software for the Needs of Hospitality -  as mentioned in today's episode!

Catch Jason's book Please Don't Sleep With The Host: And 49 Other Tips For Managing A Functional And Profitable Restaurant

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

• Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel
• Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group
• Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!)

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Show up. For your team. For yourself. The hustle is real."

In today's episode with Jason Berkowitz we will discuss:

• Emphasis on community
• Taking responsibility
• The psychology of managing others
• Going deep with training
• The importance of empathy
• Impose your values on those around you to be consistent in operations
• Be humble
• Keep kitchen work in perspective; you're not saving lives on the operating table
• Give your team the tools and attitude to thrive and then get out of their way
• Attention to detail in all aspects of the restaurant experience
• Lean in and listen
• Be yourself when dealing with guest, don't be fake
• Take a step back and coordinate
• Efficiency in the dining room
• The restaurant is an art installation
• Importance of confidence when leading
• Quarterly reviews vs quarterly reviews
• HR
• Positives of online scheduling
• Accountability
• Being sustainable

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.

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.

P&G ProfessionalTM offers innovative total foodservice solutions featuring trusted brands such as Dawn® Professional, Cascade® Professional, Spic and Span® and Comet®. We are unique in that our total solutions are founded in customer and patron understanding, superior products that help save time and cut overall costs, and a five-star service group that is compensated based on customer satisfaction, not commissions. Visit www.pgpro.com for the latest information about P&G Professional's solutions and services.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • "My energy" "use it like a tool, not a weapon."
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • "Get lost in the office. Need to be in the weeds more."
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • "Passion" Question about something they love
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • California laws changing unexpectedly
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Understanding
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Be authentic, don't say things you don't mean
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
   • Traction: Get a Grip on Your business by Gino Wickman
   • Please Don't Sleep With The Host: And 49 Other Tips For Managing A Functional And Profitable Restaurant
8. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Side work sheets, addressing when things aren't being done properly
9. Name one service you've hired.
   • Aaron Colby at Davis Wright Tremaine LLC Also, check out Episode 702 with Aaron Colby
   • ArrowUp Training
10. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influenced operations?
    • Harri - Talent Technology Software for the Needs of Hospitality
    • Plate IQ - Automate Your Restaurant's Invoice Processing
11. 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?
    • Laugh first, laugh at yourself
    • Hold the door open for people more often, literally and figuratively
    • Say thank you more often

Contact info:

www.arrowuptraining.com

Email: jason@arrowcertificztion.com

Social handle: @jdberko

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 Jason Berkowitz 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!

Key takeaways

1. Join the Facebook group Industry United
2. We need to think of the restaurant industry as an aligned industry going in the same direction
3. Mental health is key to this situation
4. It’s important to realize for your mental health that you are not alone in this
5. We need to start spreading GOOD information
6. Reach out to insurance brokers and landlords
7. Stay liquid as long as possible
8. Apply for an SBA loan

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• Industry United Facebook group
• Greg Hill Foundation
• SBA website
• www.pickupfixe.com
• Mental health hotlines

Find out more about Chris Dimmick here.

Key takeaways

1. Opened first concept on Thursday and Dayton shut down restaurants on Sunday
2. Support your Government leaders to shut down - it’s the right thing now
3. Make your team the priority
4. Offered employees $10 per hour to volunteer at Dayton Food Bank
5. Turn on all revenue opportunities
6. Get loud on social media
7. Take gift card purchases and give it to your team
8. Help your team with unemployment
9. How to delivery alcoholic drink - Ohio allows this
10. Embrace social media advertising
11. Only focus on what you can control

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• Toast POS - online ordering
• Slack - team communication

Find out more about Brad Cecchi here.

Key takeaways

1. How to adapt
2. How to optimize curbside pickup
3. Developing a website for pickup - pickupfixe.com
4. Fine-dining world is the worst-case scenario for pickup/curbside-only
5. Add to your menu for pickup and curbside, get creative
6. Shelter-in-place in Sacramento-what is it like?
7. Try to get rent relief in any form from your landlord
8. Look into getting catering contracts with hospitals - people on the front lines need to eat well
9. Can community support and goodwill dry up?
10. Farms and vendors are affected just as much as restaurants - try to make mutually beneficial deals with them

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• Stripe - Online Payment Processing for Internet Business
• www.pickupfixe.com

Find out more about Akash Kapoor here.

Key takeaways

• A city in full lock-down: San Fransisco
• The biggest Corona Chronicle operation yet: 46 locations in development/4 opened in the last few weeks
• Franchised locations and how they are affected
• Best practices for gift card purchases at this time
• Loyalty, gift cards, POS right now and always
• Trimming the fat, making sure the people who can't work now have a job to come back to when it's over
• Serving free, hot meals for staff who aren't working currently
• Who will be affected more? Big or small operations?
• Plan for the worst and hope for the best

Key takeaways

• 45-day survival mindset. 
• Straight to the "save money" mindset. 
• "Cut the fat." Keep who needs you the most.  
• Speak with the people you owe the most money to, first, for a deferment; you want to stay as liquid as possible.
• Talk to the bank about a loan deferment. 
• Negotiate terms with the landlord. 
• Adopt delivery  (the ordering app).
• Meal deal.
• Don't discount. 
• Take care of your restaurant brothers and sisters. It's time to come together.  

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• TheOrdering.app

Find out more about Brooks Tanner here.

Key takeaways

• Create fresh canned products to sell. The point is not to profit, but to slow the bleeding and get cash flow to your team. 
• Let your employees know grocery stores are hiring.
• Got extra toilet paper and other dry goods in storage? Supply and demand, baby- Sell it. 
• Get on regular conference calls with other operators in your community.
• Sell gift cards and forward the cash to your staff. 
• Think out of the box. Ask, "what other services can I offer?"
• Keep your mind wide open.  

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• Coronavirus COVID19 Global Cases by Th Center for Systems Science and Engineering. 

Find out more about Nathan Ares here.

Key takeaways  

• The latest on Phoenix and Tucson 
• It's not about competition, it's about supporting the community/team members and getting through this. 
  • Collaborate with other business to put together Grocery bags
• Create TV dinners. The idea is not to be profitable, but to give an opportunity for cash flow for your employees. Slow the bleeding. 
• Advice on how to talk to the landlord get an extension on paying your rent.
• Advice on how to talk to your employees; don’t be negative
• How to speak to your community
  • Nathan and his team are sharing recipes for the frozen vegetable they’re guests are buying at the grocery store. 
• Don’ talk about it.

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• None

Find out more about Juliette Gust here.

Key takeaways

1. The similarities between 9/11 and COVID-19
2. Give staff the opportunity to work out their reduced schedule themselves
3. If an employee is more in need of work, give him/her privilege
4. Become aware now of opportunities for fraud and theft
5. Be sensitive to employee needs in this particularly stressful time
6. Be present, be aware of what's happening with all your staff
7. You may be busy trying to save your business but you are also a leader; you must lead

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• Find the Ethics Suite hotline here.

Aaron Colby is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Southwestern University of Law. 

Today he’s practicing law at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP where he represents employers in single-plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, and class action disputes involving allegations of wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wage and hour issues such as overtime, meal and rest breaks, and off-the-clock work.

 Aaron defends organizations on public accommodations claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act and California Unruh Act, and claims of defamation, trademark, and other business-related matters.

Today we’re going to cover the "Top 20 Employee Legal Hotspots" restaurant owners and operators struggle with when it comes to compliance.

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

• Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel
• Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group
• Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!)

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Be direct and know your audience."

• The 20 Employee Legal Hotspots

  • Hiring Decisions and Process 
  • 1. Use of Staffing Agencies and Joint Employment
    • Gig economy
    • Hiring vs. contracting
    • Unfair vs. against the law
    • Document when an employee does something wrong so you can prove it later on
  • 2. Independent Contractor (1099) v. Employee (W-2) Classification
    • The difference between independent contractors and employees - defined by the law
  • 3. Form I-9 Compliance
    • You need to make sure someone is legally allowed to work in the United States
    • Be vigilant
    • Ask relevant questions - know what they are
    • Get the I-9 BEFORE they start working
  • 4. Hiring - Background Checks and Criminal History Inquiries
    • Highly regulated
  • 5. Employee Arbitration and Class Action Waiver Agreements
    • Why do you need it?
    • You can make it mandatory
    • Is it a red flag if an employee doesn't want to sign it?
  • Wage and Hour
  • 6.  Non-exempt (Hourly) v. Exempt (Salary) Employee Classifications
    • Everyone is qualified for hourly but not salary
    • Some salary workers still require over-time
  • 7. Local Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave Regulations
    • City, county, state laws all apply - NOT only state
  • 8. Equal Pay
    • Everyone deserves the same pay for the same job
    • Some states don't allow employers to ask applicants past payment
  • 9. Timekeeping for Non-Exempt Employees
    • You MUST keep records for all work done
    • No insurance for time-keeping in business
    • Don't ignore it - address it
  • 10. Travel time
    • You MUST be paid for it
    • Delivery functions
  • 11. Meal and Rest Breaks
    • You MUST provide the opportunity to all employees
    • Police it vs. Provide it
    • Not just IF you took a break but also when and for how long and was there an interruption?
  • 12. Paystub and Payroll Practices
    • Federal is baseline - states individually break it down more specifically
    • Paystub requirements
  • 13. Commission Agreements and Bonus Plans
    • Overtime is much more complicated than "time and a half"
    • Anything outside of hourly is complicated and must be understood
  • 14. Expense Reimbursements
    • No federal laws - all state-by-state
    • Driving, getting, phones, insurance - if it's required for the job you must reimburse by state law
  • 15. Uniforms and Tools
    • If you require someone to wear something, you have to reimburse for it
  • 16. and 17. Tips and Service Charges
    • Voluntary
    • You must categorize them
    • Tips are state-by-state
    • Tips belong to the employee not the business
    • Service charge is demanded by the business
  • Harassment and Conduct
  • 18. Anti-Harassment Training and Policies
    • Major differences from every other work environment
    • Some states have harassment training requirements
  • Leave of Absence
  • 19. Leave of Absence
    • Different in restaurant industry than all other industries
    • You need to know what rights the employee has
    • Get a doctor's note
  • Termination Decisions
  • 20. Termination Decisions
    • All the categories where you're unable to fire someone
    • EVERYONE can be protected by discrimination laws
    • Separation agreements
    • Have policies in place before firing someone for a made-up policy

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.

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.

P&G ProfessionalTM offers innovative total foodservice solutions featuring trusted brands such as Dawn® Professional, Cascade® Professional, Spic and Span® and Comet®. We are unique in that our total solutions are founded in customer and patron understanding, superior products that help save time and cut overall costs, and a five-star service group that is compensated based on customer satisfaction, not commissions. Visit www.pgpro.com for the latest information about P&G Professional's solutions and services.

Contact info:

Aaron Colby @ Davis Wright Tremaine LLP 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 Aaron Colby 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!

Find out more about Doug Mullins here.

Key takeaways

1. Ouita Michel Restaurants operates 10 restaurants; 5 are currently closed - 150 employees are on leave
2. The real issue is tipped employees
3. They have set up a fund for tipped employees filled by donations from the community
4. Taking this time to deep-clean the closed restaurants as if they are closing for a season; will be like new when reopened
5. Donating food they cannot use to local food pantries
6. Open restaurants are preparing free family meals for employees who cannot work
7. Usually, these events cause us to want to be there for each other but in this case, that is the worst idea, what else can we do?
8. One of the lessons: always have savings for situations like this
9. Employees AND many restauranteurs are paycheck-to-paycheck, two bad weeks can bury us - why is that?
10. What to do to generate cash flow for this specific situation
11. Be flexible whether you're staff or an operator

Find out more about Eric Cacciatore here.

Key takeaways

• Extend the runway, stop the money-loss
• Amend and revise your insurance plan
• Get in touch with your broker
• Have your broker work for you to get the best outcome
• Develop a new plan for the future
• Document EVERY loss during this time

Find out more about Aaron Colby here.

Key takeaways

1. Employee attorneys and what we need now
2. What are restaurant lawyers dealing with now?
3. The differences between laid-off, unpaid leave (furloughed), unemployment
4. What is the WARN act?
5. Restaurants want to retain their staff but these are hard decisions to make
6. You can run into problems based on who you decide to furlough vs. lay off
7. Reduced compensation - cannot go below the minimum wage
8. Sick-leave due to COVID-19

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• Learn about the WARN Act here

Find more about Paul Callahan here.

Key takeaways

• Plan for worst-case scenario
• Coronavirus creating opportunity in the industry?
• Will it disrupt Paul’s future opening of his farm
• How are farmers affected?
• How are farmers markets and pop ups affected?

Chronicle # 5: Curbside Pick-Up Best Practices/Talk to Your State Officials- Anna Tauzin- Texas Restaurant Association- Austin, TX

Find more from Anna Tauzin Here

Key takeaways

1. If your business isn't already set up for delivery that ship may have sailed. Instead, focus on curbside pickup
2. Curbside picks up best practices: 
   • Be sure to have enough paper products
   • Plan for efficiency in your location
   • Make sure you're giving accurate pick-up times
   • Structure staffing for peak delivery times. 
   • Separate hot and cold food items when packages. 
   • Double Check orders
   • Get specifics on make and model of car. 
   • Use SMS platforms to communicate with your guests. 
     
     • SlickText <-- Affiliate link
     • Simple Texting
     • Pro Texting <-- Affiliate link
3. Third-party delivery promotions
4. What to communicate to your start representatives
   • Funds
   • Tax deferrals
   • Emergency eviction protection
   • Rent mitigation 

Maria Campbell Founder of Cooks who Care in Philadelphia, PA has put together a master document filled with resources to help you get through these hard times.

It's call: Food industry Coronavirus Collaboration Resources.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ylmm7zTFJkqGfcZHDMOYvOxSgspSjDxF9UEJJMHHU9o/edit

Chronicle #3: Paul Tuennerman- New Orleans, LA

Find out more about Paul Tunnerman here.

Key takeaways

1. We will get out of this better
2. The Waren act and how it applies
3. Business interruption insurance
4. Survive to serve another day
5. New Orleans has allowed only delivery and curbside pickup
6. Everyone wants you to survive so reach out to banks and landlords to find out how they can help
7. What opportunities exist because of this?
8. Reach out to others in the industry

Connect with Paul

Chronicle #2: Kathryn Lott- Southern Smoke Foundation- Houston, TX

Find out more about Kathryn Lott here.

Key takeaways

1. You have to look to the future
2. But you have to wait before you see the actual damage
3. Fear is the biggest problem here
4. Do not kick anyone out of a building-family or business-while this is happening

Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• Find out more about 501(c)(3) foundations here.
• Learn more about Southern Smoke Foundation here.
• Learn more about Atlanta's The Giving Kitchen here.
• Learn more about Portland's Family Meal here.

This is the first of many Coronavirus Chronicles. I've been wanting to dedicate an entire episode to this for a bit now, but everything is moving too fast. It's far better to create and publish content in real-time as everything unfolds. 

In my research and understanding of this pandemic, the single most important takeaway I've garnered is that we need to get aligned. Not just the industry, but globally. 

The quicker we can spread good knowledge. The quicker we can come out of this and get back to business as we knew it. 

Find out more about Jonathan Horowitz here.

Key takeaways

1. We got to pull together and be there for our communities- that's what we do in the restaurant industry.
2. Transition to more takeout and delivery.
3. Figure out how to take care of your people the best you can.
   • help them find new employment.
4. Utilize social media to share your story about how you are adapting to the hard times and what your guests can do to help.
5. The measure to which we've adapted already to overcome this challenge being so impressive and promising.
6. Talk to the local representatives and make sure they know how important it is that we lobby for potential aid.

 Resources mentioned in this Chronicle:

• Get in touch with your elected official here.

Jae Kim got his start in the food and beverage industry as the owner of a coffee shop --  while in college! Unfortunately, that business failed, but it left him with a burning desire to try again. In 2010 Chi’Lantro was founded. Chi'Lantro started as a food truck serving a fusion of Korean and Mexican cuisine. Today, there are eight restaurants, two food trucks, and two trailers under the Chi’Lantro brand in Austin, Texas.

Check out Business Plan Pro as mentioned in today's episode.

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

• Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel
• Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group
• Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!)

Favorite success quote or mantra:

"To be dedicated, to be authentic, to be resilient, and be thankful."

In today's episode with Jae Kim we will discuss:

• From a food truck to 8 brick-and-mortar locations
• EOS - Entrepreneur's Operating Systems
• Location is key
• Stay focused
• Take the leap
• Take action, stop dreaming
• Business plans
• The power of planning and physically writing things down
• You must reach out to mentors
• Food truck start-up advice
• The potential power and impact of social media
• Loyalty programs - Kim's opinion on the three best:
  • Paytronix
  • Thanx 
  • Loyalty3
• Realities of food trucks
• Inventing a food item - Kimchi fries
• Shark Tank TV show
• Learning from mistakes
• Franchising
• Consulting - should you hire outside?
• Discipline

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.

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.

P&G ProfessionalTM offers innovative total foodservice solutions featuring trusted brands such as Dawn® Professional, Cascade® Professional, Spic and Span® and Comet®. We are unique in that our total solutions are founded in customer and patron understanding, superior products that help save time and cut overall costs, and a five-star service group that is compensated based on customer satisfaction, not commissions. Visit www.pgpro.com for the latest information about P&G Professional's solutions and services.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Grit
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Organization
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Culture - do they fit your culture
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Growth
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Dedicated, authentic, resilient, thankful
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Customer first always
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
   • Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE by Phil Knight
   • The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned From 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Bob Iger
   • Principles: Life & Work by Ray Dalio
8. Name one service you've hired.
   • Interior Designer Kim Lewis - Austin, TX - www.kimlewisdesigns.com
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influenced operations?
   • Restaurant 365
   • Google Docs
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?
    • Have fun
    • Live in the moment
    • Love

Contact info:

Chi'lantro BBQ 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 Jae Kim 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!

Mario Del Pero grew up in his family's meat processing business. He would go on to study International Relations at the University of Southern California and was on the path to becoming a career lawyer. Instead, he took a job at a Mexican grill where he started as a barback's back. Eventually, he became the Director of Operations at that Mexican grill. In 2005, Mario, along with his wife, Ellen Chen, opened Mendocino Farms Sandwich Market in Southern California. 15 years later they've grown their business to 17 locations.

This is my second interview with Mario Del Pero. CLICK HERE to get caught up with Episode 414!

Check out Episode 613 with Horst Schulze where we discuss his "24 standards of service" as discussed in today's episode!

Check out Episode 632 with Nick Marsh as mentioned in today's episode!

Check out The Lean Startup by Eric Ries as mentioned in today's episode.

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

• Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel
• Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group
• Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!)

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "If it was easy everyone would be doing it."
• "Good is the enemy of great."

In today's episode with Mario Del Pero we will discuss:

• Restaurant success is a team sport
• Many people are good, few people are great
• Looking back to look forward
• What we can learn from greatness (even professional athletes)
• Your competitors are essential to your own success
• The "unstoppable" mindset
• Surround yourself with people who compliment you
• "Evolve of die"
• You must mingle with you fellow restaurant owners
• The 3 ways to scale culture
  • Recruiting and assimilating the right team
  • Living the rituals
  • Coaching
• Mario Del Pero's new book "The Coaching Cure"
• Retain the magic while scaling
• Staying IN your business
• The difference between city and suburban dining when scaling
• Franchise or no franchise?
• Reasons against franchising for Mendocino
• Conscious capitalism

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.

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.

P&G ProfessionalTM offers innovative total foodservice solutions featuring trusted brands such as Dawn® Professional, Cascade® Professional, Spic and Span® and Comet®. We are unique in that our total solutions are founded in customer and patron understanding, superior products that help save time and cut overall costs, and a five-star service group that is compensated based on customer satisfaction, not commissions. Visit www.pgpro.com for the latest information about P&G Professional's solutions and services.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Inspiring others
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Not paying attention to the downside
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Asking about their coaching styles
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Not watering down your "whys"
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Selling happy.
   • Don't do standard food.
   • Living a higher purpose of creating transformative relationships.
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Can I make some talking room
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 

   • Fundamentals: 9 Ways to Be Brilliant at the New Basics

   • Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business

   • The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary into the Extraordinary

   • Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business

   • Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else
8. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Stay hungry, don't reinvent themselves, get beyond mediocrity
9. Name one service you've hired.
   • Michael Antochi - third party vendor/purchaser
   • Architects
10. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influenced operations?
    • Facepay - in the future
    • Virtual Drive-Thru - in the future
    • Flyby
11. 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 a student of life
    • Seek out mentorship
    • Start with you "whys"

Contact info:

mario_delpero@yahoo.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 Mario Del Pero 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 student at the University of Texas, Kyle Gorden developed a romance... with quesadillas. In 2006, At the age of 23, Kyle decided to pursue his dream to open his own restaurant-- not just any restaurant-- a quesadilla restaurant. He did what I would advise anyone to do; he sought out a mentor and employment with a high-performing restaurant team. For Kyle, the high-performing team was Raising Cane's. Kyle went on to spend 7 years with Raising Cane's before leaving to open his dream quesadilla restaurant, Dillas in 2013. Today, Dillas has scaled to 4 locations  and two additional locations on the horizon.

Check out Episode 513 with Paul Tuennerman as mentioned in today's episode!

Check out Contagious Culture by Anese Cavanaugh as mentioned in today's episode!

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

• Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel
• Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group
• Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!)

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Leap and the net will appear."

In today's episode with Kyle Gordon we will discuss:

• Fear is the obstacle
• Making quesadilla's the main course of a restaurant
• Underserved markets
• Intentionally seeking out a mentor
• Everyone has ideas; it's not enough to have an idea; you must be able to execute
• Interview best practices
• Tough on standards, easy on people
• Systems
• Strong focus with complicated/elaborate menu items
• Scaling
• "Flow cooking"
• Efficiency
• Listening to customers to form your menu
• Family investors
• Opening struggles
• "Phase training"
• Fix your current problems before expansion
• Stay humble

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.

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.

P&G ProfessionalTM offers innovative total foodservice solutions featuring trusted brands such as Dawn® Professional, Cascade® Professional, Spic and Span® and Comet®. We are unique in that our total solutions are founded in customer and patron understanding, superior products that help save time and cut overall costs, and a five-star service group that is compensated based on customer satisfaction, not commissions. Visit www.pgpro.com for the latest information about P&G Professional's solutions and services.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Enthusiasm, energy, great listener, genuine heart
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Procrastination
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Eye contact, smile
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Staffing
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Professionalism, integrity, language, maturity
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Attention to details
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   •  The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer
   • GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
8. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • One-on-one's and operational audits
9. Name one service you've hired.
   • Nick Ouimet - Bird Dog Supple Chain
10. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influenced operations?
    • Oracle POS
    • Jolt - Operations Platform
11. 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 unconditionally happy
    • Happy them where they are
    • Invest your time; don't waste it

Contact info:

kylegordon@dillas.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 Kyle Gordon 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!

Iliana and Ernesto married in Mexico City and shortly after moved to Oaxaca, where Iliana had deep family roots and where she wanted to open a restaurant specializing in Oaxacan cuisine.  The restaurant flourished until 2006, when the community experienced a period of political unrest, causing Iliana and Ernesto to sell their restaurant and move to the United States.

Not long after their arrival to Austin, Ernesto began planning the El Naranjo trailer as a first step to learn about the Austin market and its culinary scene. In May 2012, El Naranjo Restaurant & Bar finally opened, and they've consistently been recognized as one of the best traditional Mexican Cuisine restaurants in Austin.

In 2014, the Mexican Government granted de la Vega with the prestigious Ohtli Award in recognition of her work in furthering Mexican gastronomy. The Ohtli is the greatest award given by the Mexican Government to Mexican citizens living abroad. In the same year, she was named the Hispanic Female Entrepreneur of the Year by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

• Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel
• Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group
• Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!)

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Hard work. Be true to yourself. Be honest."

In today's episode with Iliana de la Vega we will discuss:

• Growing up cooking in Mexico
• Importance of partners
• Business partnership with your spouse
• Oaxacan cuisine
• Early mistakes and how to fix them
• Presence in the kitchen as an owner
• Turmoil in Mexico in the early 2000's
• Political upheaval and strikes interrupting business
• Moving to the USA as a Mexican
• Testing a market
• Retaining staff
• Training staff
• Patiently educating you customers
• Rising costs

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.

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.

P&G ProfessionalTM offers innovative total foodservice solutions featuring trusted brands such as Dawn® Professional, Cascade® Professional, Spic and Span® and Comet®. We are unique in that our total solutions are founded in customer and patron understanding, superior products that help save time and cut overall costs, and a five-star service group that is compensated based on customer satisfaction, not commissions. Visit www.pgpro.com for the latest information about P&G Professional's solutions and services.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Honesty
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Don't get enough sleep
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Eye-contact and honesty
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Make the restaurant happen for REAL, success
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • The best service is the one you don't notice
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Know the menu perfectly, must know all terms and meanings
7. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Be present in the restaurant
8. Name one service you've hired.
   • Tabulate accounting
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations?
   • Open Table
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?
    • Work hard
    • Study
    • Be open to learn more

Contact info:

El Naranjo 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 Iliana de la Vega 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!

Co-owners Roberto Espinosa and Eric Wilkerson both went to the University of Texas and met after Espinosa opened the original Tacodeli location in Austin, TX in 1999. Over the past twenty years, Tacodeli has expanded their menu while still making sure to source ingredients locally whenever possible. Founder Roberto Espinosa was born and raised in Mexico City and the menu shows these roots, from the ingredients, to the cooking techniques they use. They now have 11 locations with 6 in Austin, 4 in DFW and 1 in Houston.

Check out "Jolt - The Operations Platform for Any Business" as mentioned in today's episode!

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

• Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel
• Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group
• Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!)

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Don't just be the best at what you do, be the only who does what you do."

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

• Important to enjoy what you do
• It's about relationships and experience; not just food
• Accountability is key in an owner/operator
• Spanish/Mexican food restaurants
• Learning about the industry before diving in
• Starting small
• Choosing a location
• Going from consulting to opening/operating
• Be close to the work and appreciate it
• Getting your staff ready for expansion
• Business models for expansion

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.

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.

P&G ProfessionalTM offers innovative total foodservice solutions featuring trusted brands such as Dawn® Professional, Cascade® Professional, Spic and Span® and Comet®. We are unique in that our total solutions are founded in customer and patron understanding, superior products that help save time and cut overall costs, and a five-star service group that is compensated based on customer satisfaction, not commissions. Visit www.pgpro.com for the latest information about P&G Professional's solutions and services.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Give it our all, make people feel we truly care, gratitude
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Over-think, over-analyze
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Personality
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Responsibly growing their business, labor pressures
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Be yourself
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Development and cultivation of relationships with guests
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   • The Richest Man in Babylon by  George S. Clason
   • GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
8. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • See a macro-level perspective of our industry, be less reactive
9. Name one service you've hired.
   • The Butler Bros. in Austin, TX for help with branding
10. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influenced operations?
    • Clipboard, physical clipboard with checklists
11. 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?
    • If it was easy, everybody would be doing it (restaurant-specific)
    • If you're feeling stressed, take a step back, it's only a taco (restaurant-specific)
    • Stay humble (restaurant-specific)
    • Slow down and enjoy life (personal-specific)

Contact info:

eric@tacodeli.com

Tacodeli 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 Eric Wilkerson 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!