So today’s episode is all about the different reasons people start restaurants, their varying “zones of excellence” and degree of knowledge that is either advantage or hindrance. Where they might excel and where they’ll run into trouble without the necessary expertise. Stay tuned as Thea (Restaurant Rockstars Co-Founder, V.P. and My Wife) and I offer opinion and fact. As always, food for thought…
In my book, there are three “Foundational Fundamentals” to running a successful, highly profitable restaurant or hospitality enterprise. Much like the foundation of a building, they are each supportive and reliant upon each other for maximum strength. Listen to today’s episode as the numerous ideas Jaime Oikle (runningrestaurants.com) and I discuss will be a new foundation to greater success for your business.
Restaurateurs can be somewhat biased about their operation, thinking “I’ve got this”! To be honest, I was like that too for many years, but came around to fresh thinking. That is, taking a big step back from the place and seeing what the guest sees. This is the first step in building and sustaining a powerful brand! Give this episode a listen, then sit down with your team and discuss fresh ideas. From mild to wild, change is good, You can be sure your customer will notice and spread the word.
This past weekend, my young daughters and I traveled to Jackson Hole, WY where we experienced far differing service and value at many different types of businesses, restaurants and hotels included. Granted this is a high-traffic year-round tourist destination, and certain businesses may mistakenly believe that repeat business is not as essential as it is in any-town USA, but in the age of on-line reviews this is dangerous thinking. In two of our experiences, these blatant “misses” were so obvious that even my kids were surprised. They had words to say both to me and in online review sites for these businesses.
I have known Mr. Fred Forsley for over 20 years and have watched in awe and admiration as he has built a hospitality empire, from restaurants, to brewery operations, partnerships with the biggest names in beer, to inns and real estate projects on a national and international level. You’ll hear his early inspirations and success, major deals gone awry, optimism for future projects and how he maintains direction with his partners and hundreds of employees across numerous operations.