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

“Great job” is easy to say, and it’s also easy to forget. When the holiday rush hits and your team is carrying stress, tight labor, tight margins, and higher-than-ever guest expectations, generic praise won’t change performance or culture. I’m kicking off a coaching skill series for restaurant leaders and multi-unit operators, and we’re starting with the one skill I’ve personally had to work hardest to build: acknowledgement.

I walk you through the real difference between a compliment and an acknowledgement that sticks. The shift is simple but profound: we stop praising only tasks and start naming who someone is being, with specific proof from the shift. That kind of leadership coaching makes people feel seen, builds trust fast, and strengthens employee engagement and retention in a way that posters and pep talks never will. I also share a framework we use with clients to make hard conversations easier: acknowledgements are deposits, so tough feedback stops feeling like an overdraft on a relationship you never funded.

You’ll also get three clear moments to watch for, plus a step-by-step method you can use within 24 hours, even at 9 p.m. on a Saturday. I share a real coaching story about a young executive chef “Marcus,” and how one well-placed acknowledgement and a little championing can accelerate growth, culture, and consistency across the restaurant.

If you lead people in hospitality, try this once and see what changes. Subscribe so you don’t miss the next skill, share this with a manager who needs it, and leave a review if it helps you lead with more clarity and less burnout.

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/

Non-alcoholic drinks stopped being a “nice to have” and started becoming a measurable profit lever. We sit down again with Dana Bonelli to pressure-test what’s changed since 2024, what’s accelerating right now, and what restaurant operators should do next if they want their beverage program to keep up with how guests actually order.

Dana brings the hard numbers: adult non-alcoholic has crossed $1B in US revenue and forecasts are pointing toward $4B by the end of 2027. We unpack what that means for menu strategy, from the continued dominance of non-alcoholic beer to the surge in ready-to-drink non-alcoholic cocktails, non-alcoholic spirits, and rapidly improving non-alcoholic wine. We also dig into functional beverages as the innovation edge, especially functional RTDs with complex flavor profiles that don’t just imitate traditional drinks.

The most useful operational takeaway is how “mixing” is now normal. Dana shares the stat that 94% of people who buy adult non-alcoholic also drink alcohol, which explains why guests toggle between NA, low ABV, and full-strength cocktails in the same meal. We talk labor realities, when packaged NA makes sense, how single-serve reduces waste, and why glassware, ice, and garnish matter if you want guests to happily pay premium prices.

We close with the bigger forces shaping demand: wellness culture, wearable tech, transparency around calories, GLP-1 medications, and what Europe signals about where the US is headed. If you’re building a modern non-alcoholic beverage program or redesigning a low ABV menu, you’ll leave with clear next steps. Subscribe, share this with an operator friend, and leave a review with your biggest NA win or challenge.

Listen to Our First Conversation with Dana Here: 

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/55-the-future-of-non-alcoholic-hospitality/id1711679834?i=1000670372209

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2yzEhwE8igo47I0p9MMhOA?si=c4c810e6534c403f

Buzzsprout:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2220802/episodes/15787499

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/