Restaurant Leadership Podcast: The Show for Multi-Unit Operators Ready to Scale

Curious about how restaurants can effectively implement NA beverage programs?

Join us for a transformative conversation as Dana Bonelli, a veteran in the wine and spirits industry, unveils the evolution of inclusivity in the non-alcoholic (NA) beverage space. Discover how the hospitality sector has shifted from exclusive, patriarchal beginnings to a more welcoming and inclusive environment. Dana reflects on her journey starting in the mid-90s and provides a comprehensive look at the industry's progress in response to technological advancements, cultural changes, and increasing consumer demand for wellness-oriented options.

Chapters:
00:00:08 - Inclusive Hospitality Evolution in Non-Alcohol Sector

00:07:57 - Shift to Inclusive Non-Alcoholic Beverages

00:19:28 - Expanding Non-Alcoholic Beverage Categories

00:34:50 - Navigating Non-Alcoholic Beverage Programs

00:43:04 - Crafting a Non-Alcoholic Beverage Program

00:48:54 - Future of Non-Alcoholic Hospitality

Dana shares invaluable best practices, from staff education to legal considerations, ensuring these offerings seamlessly enhance the dining experience. We explore the rise of diverse NA beverage subcategories, such as functional beverages, cannabis-infused drinks, and de-alcoholized wines, highlighting their potential to cater to a broader audience and elevate menu offerings. Dana underscores the importance of these trends, emphasizing their long-term viability and transformative impact on the hospitality landscape.

Finally, Dana offers a glimpse into the future of NA hospitality, encouraging industry professionals to embrace and integrate these inclusive practices. We discuss the strategic benefits and positive momentum of investing in high-quality NA options, with practical advice tailored for restaurant operators. Tune in to gain a deep understanding of how the NA beverage movement is reshaping hospitality and why it’s here to stay, providing a roadmap for creating more inclusive, welcoming dining experiences for all.

Resources:
Dana Bonelli
Wine Company of Minnesota
St. Agrestis Phony Negroni
CHOW
12 Day Leadership Challenge
Guinness
Stella
Three Spirit
Curious Elixirs

P.S. Ready to take your restaurant to the next level? 

• Get the Independent Restaurant Framework that's helped countless owners build thriving multi-location brands. Grab your copy at https://www.IRFbook.com

Here is my calendar link so you can book time with me: 

• https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/christin-marvin-personal-calendar-r1jjarmnw

Podcast Production: https://www.lconnorvoice.com/

I didn’t plan to get emotional talking about sobriety, but one question on a recent guest interview hit me right in the chest: what was the hardest part about deciding to stop drinking? Five years later, my answer is clear. It wasn’t the alcohol itself. It was grieving the life I’d built around it, the image of success I thought I wanted, and the community I assumed I couldn’t replace.

I walk through how alcohol becomes “normal” in restaurant life and hospitality culture, from wine education and cocktail training to happy hours, late-night decompression, and the constant accessibility that comes with the industry. I share what the first year looked like in real terms: learning how to say I don’t drink, planning ahead for non-alcoholic options, and facing the anger and shame that I hadn’t processed yet. Then we fast-forward to what sobriety gave me back: steady energy, better emotional control, fitness goals that keep expanding, a rebuilt community, a simpler relationship with money, and a deeper sense of presence in my work and relationships. 

If any part of this resonates, share it with a leader who needs it, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next, and leave a review so more restaurant owners can find the show. What’s one thing in your life that’s draining your energy right now?

Here are Links to the Communities that Continue to Uplift Me: 

Colorado Restaurant Association Women in Hospitality

Leadership Intensive (for EatDenver members)

P.S. Ready to take your restaurant to the next level? 

• Get the Independent Restaurant Framework that's helped countless owners build thriving multi-location brands. Grab your copy at https://www.IRFbook.com

Here is my calendar link so you can book time with me: 

• https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/christin-marvin-personal-calendar-r1jjarmnw

Podcast Production: https://www.lconnorvoice.com/

The quickest way to weaken a restaurant isn’t a bad week of sales, it’s the quiet decision to tolerate what you know needs to change. We start with a real quarterly planning story where an owner does something rare: he names the negativity; eye rolls, and the “why it won’t work” energy he’s been allowing on his leadership team. That moment opens up a bigger conversation about restaurant culture, accountability, and why “convenient” tolerance always comes with a cost.

From there, we break it down by role. For restaurant owners, we challenge the habits that set the tone during service, especially the temptation to jump back into day-to-day operations as the “fast fix.” For directors of operations, we talk about how people-pleasing and overwhelm can quietly erase standards, and why a system like a recurring walkthrough checklist creates alignment without making it personal. For general managers, we get concrete about restaurant management realities: keeping a high performer who is corrosive, letting sidework slide, avoiding conflict, and even tolerating small time and attendance issues that turn into real labor cost bleed.

If you lead a multi-unit restaurant group or you’re building toward one, you’ll walk away with a sharper lens for leadership development and a simple challenge: pick one behavior you’re tolerating and do something about it this week. If this helps, subscribe, share it with a fellow operator, and leave a review so more restaurant leaders can find it.

P.S. Ready to take your restaurant to the next level? 

• Get the Independent Restaurant Framework that's helped countless owners build thriving multi-location brands. Grab your copy at https://www.IRFbook.com

Here is my calendar link so you can book time with me: 

• https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/christin-marvin-personal-calendar-r1jjarmnw

Podcast Production: https://www.lconnorvoice.com/

Turnover after the holidays can feel like a punch to the gut, especially when it hits key leaders and you’re already tired from the busiest shifts of the year. We step back and look at the real issue most restaurant operators miss: hiring without a clear, measurable definition of what “the right person” actually is. When your managers rely on instinct instead of standards, you get inconsistent execution, weak ownership, and a constant stream of questions that drag you back into day-to-day firefighting.

Then we get tactical: how to design values, test them against current operations, roll them out with your team, and turn them into core value interview questions, job descriptions, one-on-ones, and performance reviews. We also cover the nuance of coaching through tough personal seasons while still holding standards, plus how often to revisit values as your business evolves. If you want a hiring and coaching system that scales and keeps great leaders longer, subscribe, share this with another operator, and leave a review so more restaurant owners can find it.

P.S. Ready to take your restaurant to the next level? 

• Get the Independent Restaurant Framework that's helped countless owners build thriving multi-location brands. Grab your copy at https://www.IRFbook.com

Here is my calendar link so you can book time with me: 

• https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/christin-marvin-personal-calendar-r1jjarmnw

Podcast Production: https://www.lconnorvoice.com/

Running multiple restaurants can turn you into a full-time decision machine, answering everyone’s questions while your own focus gets shattered into a hundred pieces. That’s exactly where Brandon Sharp finds himself as the owner of three Chapel Hill restaurants, and it’s why this coaching conversation gets so real so fast: he wants to stay present with his managers and guests, lead like a CEO, and still protect the parts of the work that bring him joy.

The biggest takeaway is a clear trade-off every multi-unit restaurant owner eventually faces: you cannot be responsible for key kitchen shifts and also build the systems, delegation habits, and leadership bench that scaling requires. Brandon leaves with a plan to align his executive team, protect presence, and model letting go so long-tenured managers stay engaged and empowered.

If you’re working on restaurant leadership, delegation, team accountability, and scaling without burnout, subscribe, share this with an operator friend, and leave a quick rating and review. What’s one responsibility you need to let go of next?

P.S. Ready to take your restaurant to the next level? 

• Get the Independent Restaurant Framework that's helped countless owners build thriving multi-location brands. Grab your copy at https://www.IRFbook.com

Here is my calendar link so you can book time with me: 

• https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/christin-marvin-personal-calendar-r1jjarmnw

Podcast Production: https://www.lconnorvoice.com/

What if you're leaving half a million dollars on the table over your career — and don't even realize it? Coach to CEOs and law firm leaders, Katy Goshtasbi reveals the hidden patterns keeping women from owning their value and teaches you exactly how to ask for what you're worth.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

1. Why leading with gratitude instead of data costs you money — and the two-sentence formula for asking for a raise.
2. How to negotiate an offer letter without letting your nervous system hijack the conversation.
3. Why owning your feminine energy is a strategic advantage, not a liability.

Get the book — Multiunit Mastery: www.irfbook.com
Connect + learn more: www.columbinehospitality.com

Workshop Resource: Katy's live Apology Tax Workshop is August 29th in San Diego (limited to 10 women). Contact her directly at [email protected] for a complimentary 60-minute coaching session to see if it's a fit.

P.S. Ready to take your restaurant to the next level? 

• Get the Independent Restaurant Framework that's helped countless owners build thriving multi-location brands. Grab your copy at https://www.IRFbook.com

Here is my calendar link so you can book time with me: 

• https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/christin-marvin-personal-calendar-r1jjarmnw

Podcast Production: https://www.lconnorvoice.com/

You can feel it when a restaurant cares, and you can feel it even sooner when it doesn’t. I took a trip to Santa Fe and had a dining experience that stopped me in my tracks, not because of flashy gimmicks, but because every touchpoint was intentional. From a single phone call that offered me options and made me feel welcome, to a dining room designed with purpose and comfort, the team proved that excellence is built long before the first bite.

If you want a clear, trainable playbook for guest experience and restaurant leadership, hit play, share this with your team, and leave a review so more operators can find it. What’s the one touchpoint in your restaurant you want to improve first?

P.S. Ready to take your restaurant to the next level? 

• Get the Independent Restaurant Framework that's helped countless owners build thriving multi-location brands. Grab your copy at https://www.IRFbook.com

Here is my calendar link so you can book time with me: 

• https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/christin-marvin-personal-calendar-r1jjarmnw

Podcast Production: https://www.lconnorvoice.com/

The people pleaser saboteur is one of the most common — and most costly — patterns in hospitality leadership. In this episode, we break down why saying yes to everything is burning you out, what boundaries actually look like at every level of your organization, and how to start protecting your time and your team today.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

1. The people pleaser saboteur thrives in hospitality — and it's costing you in burnout, turnover, and inconsistent culture.
2. Boundaries start with clarity: schedules built in advance, expectations in writing, and a culture where "no" is respected.
3. You can't expect your team to set boundaries if you don't model it yourself — it all starts at the top.

Get the book — Multiunit Mastery: www.irfbook.com
Connect + learn more: www.columbinehospitality.com

P.S. Ready to take your restaurant to the next level? 

• Get the Independent Restaurant Framework that's helped countless owners build thriving multi-location brands. Grab your copy at https://www.IRFbook.com

Here is my calendar link so you can book time with me: 

• https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/christin-marvin-personal-calendar-r1jjarmnw

Podcast Production: https://www.lconnorvoice.com/

Guests: Jeff Keesel (Outgoing CEO, Restaurant Technologies) & Alyssa Partee (Incoming CEO, Restaurant Technologies)

This episode tackles one of the most requested topics from restaurant operators: succession planning. Not the glossy version, but the real one where founders have to look in the mirror and ask, "Am I still the right person to lead this business?" Jeff Keesel shares his 21-year journey building Restaurant Technologies and the intentional process of transitioning leadership to Alyssa Partee, who spent four years building the people and culture infrastructure before stepping into the CEO role.

1. Don't Fall in Love with Yesterday
What got you here won't get you there. Change readiness and adaptability are essential. The business that worked last week might need a different approach this week.

2. Start Succession Planning Before You Think You Need To
Jeff began thinking about succession before their 2022 sale process concluded. The first question from the new board: "Are you going to continue as CEO into your late 60s and early 70s?" That conversation accelerated everything.

3. Look Inside Before Looking Outside
They spent 18 months interviewing external candidates before realizing the right leader was already in the building. Internal successors bring institutional knowledge, cultural alignment, and established trust that external hires can't replicate.

4. Develop Leaders by Treating Them as They Should Be
Jeff's philosophy: "I'll treat you as you should be, not as you think you are." The most talented people rise to higher expectations. Throw them in the deep end with a safety net.

5. Collaborative Tension Builds Better Decisions
Jeff and Alyssa want the same outcomes but often disagree on how to get there. That healthy tension, grounded in trust and transparency, produces better decisions than constant agreement.

6. Hire for Grit
Jeff's go-to interview question: "What's the hardest thing you've had to overcome? How'd you do it? What'd you learn?" People who have overcome real struggles bring resilience that can't be taught.

7. The Transition Should Be Invisible
When they announced the change internally, the response was cheers and excitement. No surprises. The team had watched Jeff and Alyssa work side by side for years. Where Jeff was, Alyssa was. The handoff felt natural because it had been happening gradually all along.

• [00:00] Introduction: Why succession planning matters for independent restaurant owners
• [03:15] Jeff's story: When succession planning became real
• [08:42] The external search: 18 months of interviews and what they learned
• [14:30] Alyssa's journey from CPO to operations to CEO
• [21:15] Collaborative tension: How healthy disagreement builds better leadership
• [28:00] Identifying grit in the hiring process
• [35:45] How to know when your organization is ready for change
• [42:30] The emotional side of stepping back as a founder
• [48:00] Advice for restaurant owners: What Jeff and Alyssa wish they'd known earlier

1. Who are you developing right now? And do they know it?
2. If you stepped away tomorrow, would your business survive without you?
3. Are you building something that can outlast your daily involvement?
4. When was the last time you had healthy tension with a leadership partner that led to a better decision?

• Episode 90: Alyssa Partee on "Do You Know Your Business Well Enough to Change It?"
• Book: Multi-Unit Mastery by Christin Marvin (free copy at IRFBook.com)

• Christin Marvin: christinmarvin.com/contact
• Restaurant Technologies: restauranttechnologies.com

The Restaurant Leadership Podcast coaches independent multi-unit restaurant operators to build systems that drive profitability and reclaim time, so they can scale with confidence and spend their energy where they want to, not where they have to.

P.S. Ready to take your restaurant to the next level? 

• Get the Independent Restaurant Framework that's helped countless owners build thriving multi-location brands. Grab your copy at https://www.IRFbook.com

Here is my calendar link so you can book time with me: 

• https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/christin-marvin-personal-calendar-r1jjarmnw

Podcast Production: https://www.lconnorvoice.com/

Ever hit that five-year itch wondering what's next after restaurants? You're not alone.

In this episode, I sit down with Jim Taylor, founder of Benchmark 60 and creator of the Blueprint program—a framework designed specifically for restaurant professionals who want to transition out of operations and into consulting, coaching, or advisory work.

We get real about:

• Why your experience alone won't generate business (and what actually does)
• The mindset shift from "hire me based on my resume" to "here's the result I can get you"
• How Blueprint members collectively signed over $1 million in consulting engagements last year—most starting from zero

Key takeaways:

→ Imposter syndrome is a signal you're leveling up. Lean into it instead of running from it.

→ There's no magic bullet. Business is an experiment—content, conversations, workshops, podcasts—you won't know what lands until you try.

→ Independent consultant is now the 7th fastest-growing entrepreneur title in the US. The market is there. The question is: are you positioned to capture it?

→ Fractional roles are exploding. Rising restaurant costs mean owners need expertise without full-time payroll.

We also announce that I'm taking over the Blueprint program—bringing it under Columbine Hospitality with Jim's continued partnership.

If you're considering the leap: Grab a free copy of Jim's book at BoldConsultingBook.com or reach out at ColumbineHospitality.com/contact to explore the program.

P.S. Ready to take your restaurant to the next level? 

• Get the Independent Restaurant Framework that's helped countless owners build thriving multi-location brands. Grab your copy at https://www.IRFbook.com

Here is my calendar link so you can book time with me: 

• https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/christin-marvin-personal-calendar-r1jjarmnw

Podcast Production: https://www.lconnorvoice.com/