I probably don’t need to tell you this, but business is not always rainbows and butterflies. And entrepreneurship can be hard af some days. 

 

But if you truly love your business and what you do, that in and of itself can help pull you through those hard seasons. Because here’s the thing: entrepreneurship truly is a choice. We all choose to have this crazy life –and it is tough to do all the things if you don’t love or fall out of love with your business. 

 

When you’re passionate about your business and what you’re doing, people will see it and feed off it. And that’s powerful, friends. 

 

Today’s guest knows this, and over the years, he’s used his insatiable passion to grow and scale a business that he LOVES. And he’s telling us all about it!!

 

Matt Miera is an ‘02 WSU grad (Go Cougs!) and the owner and operator of the world-famous Marco Polo Bar and Grill in Georgetown –aka THE WSU Coug bar on the west side of Seattle. 

 

Matt has been doing his thing since 2006 when he took over ownership of Marco Polo Bar & Grill (a 73-year-old tavern, btw!), and he’s sharing all the lessons, pivots, and decisions he’s made along the way!

 

We talk about how tough the bar and restaurant industry is, the benefits of seeing everything as an opportunity, why nontraditional marketing methods still work, and why being a resilient and adaptable business owner matters. Plus, Matt shares stories on the power of community, collaboration, and brand recognition.

 

Friends, I am PUMPED for you to hear Matt speak! He’s truly charismatic, and you can hear the passion and love in his voice when he talks about Marco Polo Bar & Grill.  

 

Did I mention Matt’s also a marketing wizard, and he’s filled with great advice and insights on how to run a successful business and love (almost) every minute of it!?! 

 

Seriously, don’t wait. Hit that play button, and let’s go!!!

 

Leave a 5 star review on iTunes! 

 

Episode Highlights:

[1:16] How he used the bar industry as a stepping stone to get his foot in the door

[3:00] Why resilience is the key to opening, running, and keeping up a successful bar

[6:10] How Matt used the  CougsFirst! community to catapult his business

[7:31] Why community is so important

[8:35] How he knew it was time to buy off his partners

[12:05] Where he turns to for motivation and business support

[15:04] How he stays memorable through quirky and obscure marketing tactics

[18:51] Where he learned to talk and connect with people so authentically 

[20:00] The power of working with the competition, not against them

[21:23] What his increase in sales has looked like from the buyout to today

[23:00] How he navigated and pulled through during COVID with innovative ideas

[26:24] The biggest lesson he learned running his business

[31:14] Reflecting on why he started a bar and what he learned along the way

[33:00] The highs and lows of running a business

Connect with Matt:

Website: https://www.marcopolopub.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcopolobarandgrill

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