In this special encore presentation of a conversation published on Take-Away earlier this year, Sam talks with Lauren Bailey, cofounder and CEO of Postino Wine Café. This was one of Sam’s favorite conversations of 2022, particularly because of the many practical tips Lauren has for younger restaurateurs on how to scale their businesses (including how she compares a restaurant’s early years to the band Foo Fighters’ first album).   

In this conversation, you’ll find out why:

• Running a restaurant is both an art and a science
• Your first big challenge as an emerging restaurateur is learning that you can’t be everywhere at every time 
• Forced creativity is vital to the life of an emerging brand leader 
• If you want to maintain that creativity, you have to be intentional about it
• Think about raising capital when you don’t need money
• Know what you want to accomplish with your concept — and whether you can do what it takes to get there
• Don’t waste the gift that is your younger years

Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].