Last week, I wrote about life after the restaurant kitchen. In that issue, I talked about what and why I transitioned from management to my new business as a restaurant coach, author, speaker, and podcaster. This week I'm going to share how I did it. Trust me, it hasn't been easy, but I want to share that journey in hopes of helping you overcome all the challenges and avoid making the mistakes I made.
About 2011. When we got home from the restaurant, his wife said, “You should see this show.'' So I sat down and watched the episode. The show was Restaurant Impossible. Then her wife added, “You can do exactly what Robert Irvin can do.'' Around this time, I was learning about personal branding and was fascinated by shows like Fixer Upper and Restaurant Impossible. Around the same time, my wife and my friend Shanna Bresnahan started working for Stu McLaren and she encouraged me to start her own consulting firm. I realized that I too am a personal brand.
But I was stuck in the mindset of safety over freedom. In other words, another nine years were wasted. When I say it's a waste, I don't want to understate what I learned and how successful I was in running a large restaurant group, but if I had started then, I would have been much further along than I am now. I feel like that. Instead, like most of my colleagues who wanted a better work-life balance, I considered options such as wine and spirits management positions. One of the benefits of staying in operations was learning how to balance work and family.
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The impetus for me to start my coaching company was the tragic impact of COVID-19. In 2020, my position was eliminated and I was out of work for most of the year. I was ready to start deviating from my restaurant management career in a new direction, but had no idea what that would look like, how to get there, or how to market myself. did. All I had done up to this point was write his LinkedIn blog called #Restaurateur. I had no money, no Facebook, no Instagram, no YouTube, no his TikTok page.
I made a lot of mistakes before I really understood what I'm about to share with you. These are things I learned and I hope you find them useful if you are on your life journey through restaurants and kitchens.
1. Know who you are, what you do, and who you serve.
Ask someone you trust to share their thoughts about who you are, what you're good at, and what you're bad at. Next, ask them to define what you do and how you provide those services. Be clear about who you are, how people see you, and what your talents are.
Ask yourself what challenges you faced to get to where you are today. Dig deep. Did you have a hard time? How did you overcome those difficulties? What lessons did you learn? What was your problem point? Be real and vulnerable. Let your confusion be your message. Then look around you. Is there anyone in the midst of a conflict like you? They are your ideal customers. They are fighting what you have overcome.
2. Narrow down and define your niche
Don't try to solve too many problems. Focus on the things you discovered you were good at and the things you overcame. Once you start gaining customers, make sure he stays in that lane for at least a year before increasing what you offer and who you serve. Russell Brunson, who started Click on His Funnel, says that until he makes his first million in a niche, he stays focused on one thing.
When I started, my client avatars were a married couple in their early to mid-40s with children who owned a restaurant and worked there all day every day. I started putting in place a framework to help these clients work on their business, not in it, so they could create some leeway in their lives. I can relate to this because I was burnt out early in my career. I was able to recover from burnout and become successful, which made me employable.
Over the past four years, my work has expanded. Currently, my client is a restaurant owner who operates between 1 and 5 restaurants with a minimum of $1 million in revenue per location. They need my help to work on the business, not within the business, to make a living or expand their restaurant to 10-20 locations. The solution is the same. Establish procedures and develop reliable personnel to operate those systems. Build infrastructure to replace you.
3. Focus on adding value and serving others
I believe in symbiotic relationships. I work hard to add value to others by serving, supporting, and encouraging others. Just like in a marriage, no one wants a relationship where it's just them and the other person doesn't care. If you can deliver value this way, you'll be a huge success.
4.Create
In the four years I've been coaching clients, I've given away a lot of information for free. I wrote a blog every week for two years. After that, I started writing columns, making videos, and providing more content. People saw that I cared about them, that I knew something about their suffering and that I was willing to share solutions.
5. Connect
I connected with people on LinkedIn and grew to over 30,000 followers. I started attending conferences and speaking to provide more content. I met people online through LinkedIn and then met them in person at conferences. I built an inner circle of people who believed in me and believed in me. I have developed deep and meaningful friendships.
6 Cooperate
2023 was a breakthrough year for me. I worked a full-time job as a managing partner at a restaurant in Tampa while adding value, serving others, creating free content, and connecting with rock stars in the industry. .
And in 2023, I stepped away from my day job to focus on my coaching business full-time. We were able to do this because we started collaborating.
I started working with people in my inner circle. For example, I partnered with FSR Magazine and Danny Klein on my column “Shift Happens'' and spoke at his conference “NextGen Restaurant Summit.'' I partnered with my friend Jay Ashton to launch the podcast Restaurant Success Club. I partnered with my friends Michael Tipps and Brian Meredith from Maverick Theory to create speaking and promotional opportunities. I'm working on a new project with my friend Matt Rolfe, and we'll be launching it in the next few weeks.
I partnered with Scott Turner and a second time with Matt Rolfe on some really cool things happening later this year. Thanks to my good friend Nicole Hayes, I'm attending Bar & Restaurant Expo. I'm working on a new project with my friend Christian Fischer and my friends Julian Gomez and Matthew Joyner from Restaurant 365.
Collaboration was the final element that helped my business grow exponentially. This was the biggest part of my success. I wish we had started collaborating four years ago. Working with these amazing friends has not only helped my business grow tremendously, but I also have a lot of fun just hanging out with them to contribute to our industry.
So if you're wondering what else I would be doing if I wasn't involved in running Rise and Grind restaurants, the first thing I'd say is: You can do it. about it. There's life behind the restaurant kitchen. Don't let self-doubt hold you back. And when you start…
7. Don't quit
I wanted to quit several times. It's hard work, but it's worth it. You will doubt yourself and feel like a fraud. Hooray. But let's get up and dust ourselves off. There are many people in our industry who need you. Find and learn from people who have already gotten to where you want to be. Add value by serving others. Be generous with your knowledge. And find allies and work together for the benefit of the industry.
If you are a restaurant owner and want to make a reservation, free calls Click this link to discuss my coaching program.
https://calendly.com/montesilva/free-one-on-one-30-minut-call-with-monte?back=1&month=2024-05
If you wish, free copy Click here for my hospitality ebook.
Editor's note: This is the 39th article in a new column by restaurant expert Monte Silva. Learn more about the series here. The first article is about why underpaying restaurant workers is a recipe for disaster. The second question is “Why marketing costs nothing.'' The third topic is human-centered leadership. The fourth one is about “Why working 70 hours a week at a restaurant is not the answer.'' The fifth is about how to deliver hospitality in a high-tech, low-touch world. The sixth installment is about the “convertible culture” in restaurants. Part 7 is about “Why the old P&L model caused restaurants to fail.” Part 8 is about “How to grow your restaurant business when you only have one person.” Click here for the ninth article, “The secret to finding and keeping great employees doesn't have to be difficult.'' Click here for Part 10, “What kind of culture do you really want in your restaurant?” Click here for Part 11, “Your Restaurant Should Serve People, Not Products.” The 12th installment is “Don't let your shiny new toy distract you from the restaurant and forget what's most important.” Click here for Part 13, “Why a restaurant's value shouldn't be based on price.” The 14th article is about “Hyperfocus Menu''. Click here for Part 15, “This is how your restaurant can survive beyond 3 years.” The 16th episode is about “the difference between a restaurant coach and a consultant.” 17th, Restaurant Tech He What is a stack? How do you know if you have built the right stack? Click here for Part 18: “You can't hold someone accountable if you haven't held them accountable.'' Click here for Part 19, “Memo to restaurants: Service and hospitality are not the same.'' Click here for Part 20: Why a Penny Saved at a Restaurant Isn't Always a Penny Earned. The 21st installment is about “Why You're Never Too Old for Greatness.” Click here for Part 22, “Why consistency is the only way to keep a restaurant open.” Click here for the 23rd article, “The restaurant industry is not lacking in manpower – it's lacking in leaders.'' No. 24 Do restaurant employees have rights now? It is here. Click here for Part 25, “Should hotels reconsider how they view restaurants?” Here are his 5 priorities for restaurant owners to follow in order to run a successful restaurant. Here is the 27th article: Why your restaurant needs an “abundance mindset” in 2024. Click here for Part 28, “You can't run a successful restaurant without persistence.'' Click here for Part 29, “Why investing in yourself as a leader is the best way to grow your restaurant.” Click here for Part 30, “Gaining Momentum and Why Restaurant Success Grows Over Time.” Click here for Part 31, “In restaurant leadership, how you finish is more important than how you start.” Click here for Part 32, “Why success in labor management is about saving time, not servers.'' Click here for Part 33, “What is a Beverage Program? How do I develop a great Beverage Program?” Part 34 is about “Why upselling isn't gouging if it improves the guest experience.” Part 35 is about how independent restaurants can beat the big chains. Part 36 is, Is Dynamic Pricing Right for Your Restaurant? It's here. The 37th edition of “Disruption—Is Your Restaurant Ready for a Mind Shift?” is here. Click here for Part 38, “Everything about your restaurant improves based on your leadership.” Click here for Part 39, “Micromanagement and Human Resource Development: There’s a Big Difference in Restaurants.” And the 40th installment, Life after the Restaurant Kitchen: Part 1, is here.
