How I Built a Multi-Unit Franchise Operation Without Leaving My Day Job
How I ran a top-performing franchise while traveling as a full-time speaker — using smart systems, strong leadership and a lot of trust. Key Takeaways I’ve spent decades as a business and management keynote speaker, presenting to leaders about performance, leadership and building strong teams. But early in my career, I started to feel a little […]
Stop Guessing What Restaurant Guests Want. Your Employees Already Know.
Walk into any restaurant and you’ll see it, if you know where to look. A server clearing plates with untouched sides. A line cook working around a prep process that slows everything down. A cashier answering the same guest question again and again. These aren’t isolated moments. They’re signals. And behind each one is insight […]
AI Won’t Solve Your People Problems: Insights For Franchises and Frontline Teams
I recently wrote this article for Entrepreneur because I’m seeing so many franchise leaders struggling with the same issue: using AI in places where emotional intelligence is still essential. Here’s the full piece with a little more context for my own readers. As an hourly workforce management author and trainer, I spend most of […]
Most Companies Stop at Good Service — But the Real Growth Multiplier Is Something Else
Every business is in the hospitality business—because customers don’t just remember what you did, they remember how you made them feel. When people hear I speak in the hospitality industry, they usually assume I’m talking about hotels or restaurants. And yes, I’ve spoken to plenty of those groups. But I always remind audiences: every business […]
This Quiet Shift Is Helping Founders Build Fierce Customer Loyalty
Most businesses are busy scaling. Few are making people feel anything. That’s your edge. Cold, scripted, forgettable. That’s your competition. You? Be the opposite. Earlier this year, I asked a flight attendant for an extra graham cracker. She came back with three. A small, inexpensive gesture for the airline, but one that stuck with me. […]
Franchisees Need Better People Management Skills — And Franchisors Need to Help
“Franchisees don’t need mandates — they need tools. And if we want to strengthen our brands, we have to strengthen the people leading them.” In franchising, we’re relentless about systems. We obsess over marketing strategies, scrutinize operational procedures, and invest in technology to boost efficiency. We plan national campaigns and fine-tune development pipelines. But when […]
Using AI to Write Help Wanted Posts that Actually Work
How to use artificial intelligence to craft emotionally compelling, human-centric job ads that attract the right people. Recruiting hourly employees is harder than it used to be. Competition is fierce. Attention spans are short. And let’s face it — many job seekers are numb to help wanted ads that all sound the same. That’s a […]
How Better Leadership Boosts Employee Engagement, Retention, and Culture
If it feels like managing people has gotten harder, you’re not imagining it. Gallup’s new State of the Global Workplace report shows employee engagement slipping again — dropping from 23% to 21% in just one year. Manager engagement — meaning how fired up leaders themselves feel — fell even harder, from 30% to 27%. And the impact is huge: disengaged employees are […]
Why Hospitality Still Matters
A Business Strategy for Better Customer Experience and Team Engagement I’ve learned as a hospitality speaker and business owner that in today’s fast-paced business world, it’s easy to confuse customer service with hospitality. But they’re not the same — and if you’re in franchising, quick-service restaurants, retail, or home services, this distinction could be costing you loyalty, sales, […]
How to Have Tough Conversations with Underperforming Employees
For some managers, holding employees accountable is second nature. For others, it’s a nerve-wracking challenge. They don’t want to come across as mean, risk pushback, or damage relationships. One manager recently told me, “I don’t want to seem too hard on them.” Another admitted, “I’m a people pleaser.” Ironically, these same managers don’t resent their […]
