Leadership | KRG Hospitality

August 2, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

5 Books to Read this Month: August 2023

5 Books to Read this Month: August 2023

by David Klemt

Our inspiring and informative August book selections will help you and your bar team take your front of house and bar program to the next level.

For this month’s list we’re showcasing the 17th annual Spirited Awards finalists in the Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book category. So, below you’ll find the top-four nominees in that particular category, plus an additional self-improvement book.

To review the book recommendations from July 2023, click here.

Let’s jump in!

The Bartender’s Manifesto: How to Think, Drink, and Create Cocktails Like a Pro

First up, this book from June 2022 by Toby Maloney with Emma Janzen. Not only has this book won a James Beard Award, it took home this year’s Spirited Award for Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book.

From Amazon: “Take a raucous romp through the essential stages of fashioning cocktails and learn the hows and whys of bartending with acclaimed mixologist Toby Maloney and the team from The Violet Hour. When the pioneering cocktail bar opened in Chicago in 2007, it set a high standard with an innovative training program that teaches not just how to replicate classic cocktail recipes flawlessly, but how to embrace ingenuity, make smart decisions, and create original, inspired recipes from rote.”

Pick up the hardcover here.

Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails with 60 Recipes

Next, Mindful Mixology by Derek Brown, with a foreword by Julia Bainbridge. As all operators should know by now, low- and no-ABV cocktails are here to stay. From aperitivo hour and zero-alcohol to simply drinking less but better, consumers are changing their relationships with cocktails. This book will help operators and their teams navigate the moderation movement.

From Amazon: “Creating these drinks isn’t as simple as removing the alcohol. No- and low-proof cocktails still have to be balanced and still have to be delicious, but they don’t operate exactly like cocktails with alcohol. The drinks Brown presents in this book are meticulously choreographed around taste, texture, body, and piquancy to result in surprisingly complex ‘adult beverages’ minus the booze.”

Grab the hardcover today.

Modern Classic Cocktails: 60+ Stories and Recipes from the New Golden Age in Drinks

Robert Simonson is also a James Beard Award-winning author up for a 2023 Spirited Award. Not only are there more than 60 cocktail recipes in Simonson’s book, he explores what it means for someone to create a modern classic cocktail. No, your bar team can’t simply “invent” a new drink and declare it a modern classic—there are actual considerations, like public opinion, that make it so.

From Amazon: “What elevates a modern cocktail into the echelon of a modern classic? A host of reasons, all delineated by Simonson in these pages. But, above all, a modern classic cocktail must be popular. People have to order it, not just during its initial heyday, but for years afterward. Tommy’s Margarita, invented in the 1990s, is still beloved, and the Porn Star Martini is the most popular cocktail in the United Kingdom, twenty years after its creation.”

Make sure to get your hardcover copy today.

The New York Times Essential Book of Cocktails (Second Edition): Over 400 Classic Drink Recipes With Great Writing from The New York Times

If you want hundreds of cocktail recipes and amazing writing, this is the book for you. There are more than 400 recipes in this book, from classics to modern craft drinks. Oh, and there are essays from an array of fantastic writers, including Rebekah Peppler, David Wondrich, Robert Simonson, and Jim Meehan. There are also interviews with icons like Ivy Mix and Sother Teague.

Truly, this is one of the most comprehensive cocktail books every printed.

Pick up this book in hardcover format now.

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

A couple of weeks back, we had a KRG Hospitality team meeting about habits. Habits we’re proud to have developed, habits we’d like to focus on developing, and habits we’d like to work on losing. This book, from James Clear, is one of the resources we talked about.

From Amazon: “Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, listeners will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field.”

Order the paperback today.

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash

July 7, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Hospitality Mindset: Bar Edition

Hospitality Mindset: Bar Edition

by Jennifer Radkey

Messages about the importance of mindset flood our social media feeds but what exactly does the word mean, and why is it so important?

You’re told you need to have a growth mindset to be successful. You must have a positive mindset for a happy and fulfilling life. Both are true statements, but what do they mean?

Simply stated, mindset is an individual’s usual attitude or mental state. It reflects someone’s way of thinking and motivates their actions. So, why is it important to be aware of your mindset?

Well, if your mindset is your usual attitude or how you show up in your life each and every day, it will influence all parts of your life. Your thoughts about yourself, others, your business, your opportunities, and your challenges are all influenced by your mindset. Your mindset can either hinder or promote your overall well-being and success in life.

The interesting thing about mindset is that it can change—if you want it to. Your mindset can also be influenced by your environment and those around you. These facts led me to question if the different sectors of the hospitality industry face unique mindset challenges.

To find answers and gain further insight, I decided to turn to our team at KRG Hospitality for their thoughts. In turn, I’ve begun a series of hospitality mindset articles.

In this first article I’ll explore the bar industry, with thoughts from master mixologist Jared Boller. Follow the series as I explore mindset in restaurants, hotels, and start-up operations.

Let’s dive in!

The Bar Industry

In the US, the bar and nightclub market is valued at an estimated $36 billion for 2023. The industry as a whole employs close to 600,000 people.

With businesses built off drinking culture, what unique challenges do operators and those working inside these establishments face?

Successful Operators

Operating a successful bar takes a certain mindset. You need to be flexible, open-minded to growth strategies, mindful of your market and competition, and compassionate to the needs of your team.

Interested in what makes a bar operator stand above their competition, I asked Jared what makes a bar operator successful.

“First and foremost, I think that every bar owner needs to understand their product and how they are going to differentiate themselves from the competition. Ultimately, it is up to the owner to realize what their goal is in owning a bar. It requires digging deep into themselves to ask what they want out of their business.

“Are you looking for a way to make extra cash? Are you looking to provide a local hangout for you and your friends? Do you want to win awards and have a buzzworthy place everyone wants to visit? This is a tough business that requires a lot of time and energy, and thick skin.

“Be organized, clean, a good leader, efficient, and provide a home that your employees want to come to. Try to know all aspects of the business: financials, technology, culinary, bar, service, management, etc.”

Operator Challenges

Operators need a resilient, positive, growth mindset to be successful. It’s the only path forward to running a bar they are both proud to work in and enjoy working at every day.

This is a mindset that will need tending to as there are challenges that will affect your daily thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes.

When asked what specific challenges bar operators face that may affect their mindset, Jared shared his thoughts.

Labor Shortage

Dealing with labor shortages as an operator can create feelings of frustration, stress, and resentment.

“It’s getting increasingly difficult to gain a competitive edge because of numerous factors, one of the biggest being labor shortage. It’s not a labor shortage where there’s not enough jobs, it’s an unwillingness to work and/or want to work in the hospitality industry because, quite frankly, ‘It’s tough.’

“I think that with inflation happening in the world, as well as the majority of establishments working off the Tips Blueprint, it doesn’t allow people to know what they’re making day in and day out. People are turning to different jobs or jobs outside of hospitality because they don’t want to be on their feet everyday working long hours and not knowing their future.”

Competition

If a bar operator isn’t careful they can very easily become lost in the game of comparison.

Yes, it is important to know what your competition is up to, but if the constant comparison leads to negative feelings about you, your team, and your establishment without any action for improvement, this is a surefire way to hurt your mindset and chances of success.

If you truly want to be competitive without getting lost in the comparison game, focus on your team.

“The time of pumping out commercial food and drink is gone, and legitimate professionals who are educated and professionally trained are few and far between. Additionally, there’s even a creative youth movement with ambition, but they have not been classically trained in their respective outlets.

“It’s difficult to be competitive without education, training, and bringing together a group that can keep an establishment afloat with similar perspectives. It takes an army to be competitive with everyone speaking the same language, understanding the establishment inside and out, and able to execute night in and night out with the same integrity.”

Social Media/Online Reviews

As a bar operator, you rely on your reputation within your community for the success of your business. This also holds true for your online community.

How you react and your thoughts about online reviews can affect your mindset. A negative online review can very easily incite feelings of anger, disappointment, and blame.

“We live in a world driven by star ratings, thumbs up, and everyday critics writing novels about how there was ‘too much ice in my drink,'” says Jared. “If you read too many negative comments, that could affect one’s mental health and hurt confidence.”

Coming up with a strategy for dealing with negative social media posts/reviews is critical for keeping a clear perspective and maintaining a positive mindset.

Employee Challenges

Your team experiences their own unique set of challenges that can effect their well-being and mindset as well.

Being aware of these challenges is important if you are hoping to create a culture of respect, collaboration, and trust.

When asked what specific challenges bar staff face, Jared had some insights.

Long Hours/Physicality

Bars are often open late into the night, with bartenders in particular being front and center at all times. This can lead to both physical and mental exhaustion if appropriate breaks aren’t provided.

“The physicality alone will eventually take a toll on the employee who is shaking drinks for eight to ten hours a day, working doubles, having minimal break times, and standing on their feet for the same amount of hours. On top of that, you are constantly on stage and typically in a vantage point of someone either sitting across from you at the bar or observing from a table. You are constantly having to engage, take care of, and put on a happy face even if you might be dealing with something in your personal life. Not being able to take a step away or breathe can make you feel claustrophobic or trapped at times.”

Job Security/Growth

If you are working in an unsupportive environment that does not feel safe and makes you feel as though your future with the business is unsure, it can create feelings of discomfort, resentment, anger, worry, and even fear.

Bar employees need to feel respected, heard, and valued.

“Every employee—pending they do the job well—should feel safe in their workspace. I also believe that employees should be able to grow in their workspace if they have the desire to learn and/or be promoted in the future.

“I think that if an employee does the work, and has mastered the role, they should be considered for advancement. Employees in this industry need to identify what speaks to their personal interests and try to master that. I personally wanted to master the craft of bartending so that’s the path I took. Employees should never be scared if they’re interested in growing with the brand.”

Harmful Beliefs in the Bar Industry

How you feel about the people you work with and/or work for can have major impacts on your overall mindset.

If your daily thoughts regarding your team are negative, it suddenly becomes very challenging to create a successful bar with a team who shows up wanting to do their best each and every day.

The bar industry has a few specific common harmful beliefs that are prevalent in many establishments. Being aware of these and knowing what to do with these beliefs to change them is critical to creating a more positive work environment.

Paranoia

When I asked Jared what one of the most prevalent harmful beliefs operators have about their team, he discussed the belief that everyone is taking advantage of you. Many owners believe that everyone is stealing from them.

“In all of my years working in bars and restaurants there was always this sense that employees would be taking money from them or pouring ‘free products’ off to their friends/family. Truth be told, it happens, but I think that employees wouldn’t do that if they were offered a simple ‘comp tab.’

“I’m not saying that offering a free drink here and there to a friend is right, but I think for an owner to say, ‘Buy your friends a drink every now and then to show you appreciate them coming here,’ is a nice gesture.

“I’ve worked in places where owners are transparent, honest, and trustworthy with their employees, and the employees are happy so they don’t go behind the owner’s back. I think ownership needs to be realistic and give back to their employees and visitors every now and then, because that will boost morale.”

Feeling Unappreciated

When it came to harmful beliefs that staff have about ownership, Jared shared that employees feel that ownership does not care about them. While in some cases these beliefs may unfortunately be valid, in many cases owners may just be legitimately unaware that there are issues or concerns that need to be addressed.

“A lot of hospitality employees don’t feel appreciated by their bosses. Employees often feel like they can’t have a voice. Sometimes owners are so tied up in everything else to maintain the business and they won’t recognize you unless you speak up and engage in conversation over frustrations. Staff members need to not overstep their boundaries, but if there is something that could potentially move the business forward, express your concern.

“I’ve always had a good relationship with owners because I try to throw out ideas they don’t see, and come up with a potential solution to an issue. Owners don’t know everything and a lot of time are caught up in the day-to-day business. You were hired there for a reason: because they trust you to do a good job.”

Moving Forward

Understanding the importance of cultivating and maintaining positive, growth mindsets will allow you to move forward with your team towards shared goals and dreams.

Nobody wants to hate where they work, and with commitment to tackling challenges and harmful beliefs, this won’t be likely to happen.

So, what positive changes have been incurring in the industry as a whole?

“Simple things. Team-building events, like a picnic, an annual dinner to celebrate the staff, a field trip to a farm, quick getaways, etc. When the ownership/management team gives back to their team they end up enjoying coming to their second home everyday.

“Ensuring there are appropriate breaks during the long days, and potentially offering a ‘family meal’ to boost energy and give them food they might not be able to afford at home. Promoting ‘in-house’ competitions, such as the person who has the best wine sales at the end of the week gets a free bottle of wine. Leveraging different companies—spirits, wine, food purveyors—to do in-house demos and educationals. Allowing the staff to be hands on and learn something that will provide value to their personal growth.

“With less and less people choosing to take the hospitality path, it creates a lack of talent or people willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work. That’s why it’s important that the venue gives back every once and awhile.”

Room for Improvement

Although we’re starting to see more awareness of the well-being of those working in this industry, there are still many changes that need to happen.

“There needs to be sustainable and livable wages established universally amongst staff. With a world of inflation and prices on everything sky-rocketing, people are not going to be able to work in this industry and survive.

“There needs to be more meetings amongst staff to ensure that everyone has a voice and that everyone is on the same page when it comes to their jobs. There are a lot of mental health issues to this day because the hospitality industry is a crazy, tangled-up web when there is no guidance and good leadership. Our industry still has substance abuse issues, with people self-medicating with drugs and alcohol to help numb their pain, in addition to consuming too much caffeine to stay afloat.

“There needs to be more support and coaching programs available to new operators—similar to what we offer through KRG—to ensure they understand what they are signing up for. Education, leadership, guidance, inspiration, and providing a great work/life balance need to be a primary focus. Out with the 70-hour work week—back to a sustainable work timetable.”

Final Thoughts

Winning mindsets create winning concepts and winning teams. Having a positive mindset doesn’t mean that you don’t experience challenges or that you don’t experience any negative feelings. We are all human; of course we are going to have negative thoughts now and again.

It’s what you choose to do with those thoughts. If you allow them to become your predominant attitude, that will determine your overall mindset. The bar industry may have it’s challenges but it is also a place of excitement, entertainment, and creativity, a hub for social interaction with a never-ending hum of humanity.

I’ll leave you with a few last words of wisdom from KRG’s master mixologist Jared Boller.

“Understand that every day is going to be different than the previous, and you have to constantly adapt to what’s being thrown at you. If you’re not adaptable and can’t bend to spontaneous requests you might find yourself going into a dark space. Know that everyone is different, with unique upbringings and alternative perspectives on life. You are not always right, nor are they.

“Establish your rules in this bar environment. Educate yourself so you know more than everyone else in the room about your business and your craft, and open your mind to learning new things. Don’t be a know-it-all because that’s just downright annoying.

“And, finally, my rules that I live by behind a bar: ‘If someone wants to speak religion, decline. If someone wants to get your beliefs on politics, decline. And when a woman asks you their age, don’t answer, or politely decline.’ Everything else is an open conversation.”

Cheers to personal and professional well-being!

Image: Rachel Claire on Pexels

July 4, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

5 Books to Read this Month: July 2023

5 Books to Read this Month: July 2023

by David Klemt

Our inspiring and informative June book selections will take your front and back of house to the next level, and help develop your leadership skills.

To review the book recommendations from June 2023, click here.

Let’s jump in!

Sugar Shack Au Pied de Cochon (Cabane à Sucre Au Pied de Cochon)

This is the English-language edition of the 2012 World Gourmand Book of the Year. You can pick it up at Amazon via this link, but it will cost you over $150 to do so. So, here’s the link to the book from the Au Pied de Cochon online store.

Those who have read this book describe it as one part recipe book, one part art piece. It’s difficult to categorize this book at all, really. It’s a journal, a recipe book, a culinary masterpiece, and a collection of scientific knowledge. In less than 400 pages, Martin Picard chronicles a year in the life of his restaurant, and shares 100 recipes and 2000 photographs, along a depth of culinary information, the value of which can’t be overstated. Pick it up today or find it at a library if you can.

Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human

If you look at your role in foodservice as more than just a paycheck, you already view cooking as important. It has real value and inspires you, stoking your passion for this business. But what if the importance of cooking is beyond just “important”? What if it’s directly responsible for human evolution? This book by anthropologist and primatologist Richard Wrangham puts forth and defends this evolutionary theory.

From Amazon: “In a groundbreaking theory of our origins, Wrangham shows that the shift from raw to cooked foods was the key factor in human evolution. When our ancestors adapted to using fire, humanity began. Once our hominid ancestors began cooking their food, the human digestive tract shrank and the brain grew. Time once spent chewing tough raw food could be used instead to hunt and to tend camp. Cooking became the basis for pair bonding and marriage, created the household, and even led to a sexual division of labor.

“Tracing the contemporary implications of our ancestors diets, Catching Fire sheds new light on how we came to be the social, intelligent, and sexual species we are today. A pathbreaking new theory of human evolution, Catching Fire will provoke controversy and fascinate anyone interested in our ancient origins – or in our modern eating habits.”

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

If you prefer your self-improvement and leadership books coated in gobs of sugar and wrapped in sheets of positivity, prepare for a shock. Author Mark Manson isn’t a sunshine, daisies, unicorns, and lemons-to-lemonade type of person. Instead, Manson thinks people need to toughen up and learn how to simply deal with being handed lemons. However, this isn’t a nonstop punch to the gut or blast to the chops. Rather, Manson wants people to change their mindset and focus on what should matter.

From Amazon: “Manson makes the argument, backed by both academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited – “not everybody can be extraordinary; there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault”. Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek.

“There are only so many things we can give a f*ck about, so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.”

Pick this book up here!

Samsung Rising: The Inside Story of the South Korean Giant That Set Out to Beat Apple and Conquer Tech

During a recent team meeting, KRG Hospitality executive chef and culinary expert Nathen Dubé recommended this book. And while it’s the story of a massive corporation, it doesn’t read like a collection of boring essays. Rather, Samsung Rising is the true story of a family-run business that has grown from 40 employees to more than 300,000. After taking big risks and committing to building a technology empire, Samsung has nearly doubled in size in comparison to rivals Apple and Google. However, the road to creating a dynasty has been anything but smooth.

From Amazon: “Forty years ago, Samsung was a rickety Korean agricultural conglomerate that produced sugar, paper, and fertilizer, located in a backward country with a third-world economy. With the rise of the PC revolution, though, Chairman Lee Byung-chul began a bold experiment: to make Samsung a major supplier of computer chips. The multimillion- dollar plan was incredibly risky. But Lee, wowed by a young Steve Jobs, who sat down with the chairman to offer his advice, became obsessed with creating a tech empire. And in Samsung Rising, we follow Samsung behind the scenes as the company fights its way to the top of tech. It is one of Apple’s chief suppliers of technology critical to the iPhone, and its own Galaxy phone outsells the iPhone.”

Grab Samsung Rising today.

Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook

Recently, we had the opportunity to attend a pre-opening event for the first Las Vegas location of Salt & Straw. Those who have visited a Salt & Straw ice cream shop know how creative the brand is when it comes to flavors. We also found their team’s service to be impeccable.

The Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook, as you may imagine, shares the brand’s recipes. Impressively, these all spring from a “base” recipe that takes just five minutes to make. This recipe book should help to inspire your own desserts.

From Amazon: “Based out of Portland, Oregon, Salt & Straw is the brainchild of two cousins, Tyler and Kim Malek, who had a vision but no recipes. They turned to their friends for advice—chefs, chocolatiers, brewers, and food experts of all kinds—and what came out is a super-simple base that takes five minutes to make, and an ice cream company that sees new flavors and inspiration everywhere they look.

“Using that base recipe, you can make dozens of Salt & Straw’s most beloved, unique (and a little controversial) flavors, including Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, Roasted Strawberry and Toasted White Chocolate, and Buttered Mashed Potatoes and Gravy.

“But more importantly, this book reveals what they’ve learned, how to tap your own creativity, and how to invent flavors of your own, based on whatever you see around you. Because ice cream isn’t just a thing you eat, it’s a way to live.”

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash

June 2, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

5 Books to Read this Month: June 2023

5 Books to Read this Month: June 2023

by David Klemt

Our engaging and informative June book selections will take your front and back of house to the next level, and help develop your leadership skills.

To review the book recommendations from May 2023, click here.

Let’s jump in!

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

This book written by Simon Sinek is considered one of the best books ever written about leadership. “Start with Why” isn’t just a clever title, it’s an important beginning point for all entrepreneurs and leaders.

Further, this book introduces the reader to what Sinek calls the Golden Circle. True leaders don’t micromanage. They don’t just delegate. Effective leaders inspire their teams, providing more motivation than, “Do what I say.” Grab this best seller today: click here.

The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen

We saw this book while we were walking the floor in Chicago at the 2023 National Restaurant Association Show. I snapped a photo, looked up the book, and not only has it been named the Best Cookbook of 2017 by several publications, it’s also the 2018 James Beard Award winner for Best American Cookbook.

From Amazon: “Here is real food—our indigenous American fruits and vegetables, the wild and foraged ingredients, game and fish. Locally sourced, seasonal, “clean” ingredients and nose-to-tail cooking are nothing new to Sean Sherman, the Oglala Lakota chef and founder of The Sioux Chef. In his breakout book, The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen, Sherman shares his approach to creating boldly seasoned foods that are vibrant, healthful, at once elegant and easy.”

The Maison Premiere Almanac

If you’ve been the Maison Premiere in Brooklyn, you know it’s a unique experience. That’s saying a lot given the level of the bars, restaurants, and hotels in that iconic borough. One of the standout features is an “absinthe drip” that was inspired by the legendary New Orleans saloon Old Absinthe House.

From Amazon: “As captivating as the bar itself, The Maison Premiere Almanac is both a visual delight—drawing on photography, illustration, and graphic design—and a detailed guide to the rarefied subjects that make Maison Premiere unique, including deep explorations into the art of the cocktail and cutting-edge bartending techniques and equipment.

“There are also primers on absinthe (a Maison specialty) and recipes for highly refined cocktails, including martinis, toddys, punches, and mint juleps. Tutorials on oysters include how to confidently select and prepare them at home and how to eat them with style. And while packed with curious information and useful knowledge on cocktails and bartending for both enthusiastic beginner bartenders and seasoned cocktail lovers, the Almanac is also a visually arresting objet d’art that will make a perfect addition to any bookshelf.” For all of this and 90 recipes, click here.

Tropical Standard: Cocktail Techniques & Reinvented Recipes

This book is the result of a collaboration between bartender Garret Richard and writer Ben Schaffer. As every great bartender knows, producing great drinks comes down to technique and understanding ratios.

From Amazon: “Crucial techniques are clearly detailed, including how to balance syrups, flash blend, handle carbonation, tackle tinctures, cordialize citrus, and power up juice with acid adjusting. Over the course of 84 recipes, vintage cocktails like the Rum Barrel, Mai Tai, and Ray’s Mistake are reimagined just as future classics are revealed, including the Beachcomber Negroni, Winter in L.A., and Field of Mars. These drinks honor founding legends such as Donn Beach, Trader Vic, and Harry Yee as well as modern icons, including Dale DeGroff, Audrey Saunders, Julie Reiner, and Dave Arnold.”

Grab this book today!

The Seasonal Cocktail

All the data support the statement that today’s guests are choosing to drink better. Better spirits, better ingredients, better drinks.

The Seasonal Cocktail is the perfect cocktail book for addressing this change in consumer behavior. Author Jason Hedges is the mastermind behind several of the world’s best cocktail programs, such as L’Ecole and Gotham. F. Paul Pacult has been called “the J.D. Power of liquor,” which is an incredible endorsement.

Together, these two beverage powerhouses share what it takes to build sophisticated yet simple seasonal drinks. Timely, given that we’re now hitting the summer months. Click here to grab this book now.

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash

Overhead view of chef slicing and chopping ingredients

May 29, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

The Art of the Preparation

The Art of the Preparation

by David Klemt

Chef Brian Duffy‘s take on preparation and its overall impact on the guest experience extends to every aspect of operations.

In one sentence during his 2023 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago cooking demo, Chef Duffy sums up the power of the proper mindset.

“The art of the preparation creates the experience,” says Chef Duffy.

Now, he was preparing plant-based shrimp from New Wave Foods at the time. After preparing a pan, the revered chef was readying a pound of FABI Award-winning New Wave Shrimp for Duffified Shrimp Fried Rice.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chef Brian Duffy (@chefbriduff)

When making this dish, Chef Duffy chops roughly half the New Wave Shrimp in half. He does so to enhance the dish’s texture, and therefore the guest experience. Additionally, Chef Duffy likes to toast basmati rice before adding it to the pan with the shrimp and vegetables.

Again, Chef Duffy shared his view on the guest experience when cutting animal-alternative shrimp (the product is made with sustainable seaweed and mung bean).

Preparation

Okay, so what does slicing or chopping shrimp have to do with the guest experience? It’s the attention to what others may consider a tiny detail. In fact, some may deem important details “optional.”

Whether front-of-house, back-of-house, or back office, everyone’s mindset matters. How one views their role and how they approach their responsibilities impacts every element of a restaurant, bar, nightclub, or hotel’s success.

Choosing to halve half the shrimp because it will deliver a better experience speaks volumes. It’s a commitment to perfect the “small” details so every guest walks away wanting to return.

If an operator wants to know if they have a chef or an executive chef, this is one way to tell. Is the chef teaching their brigade? Guiding them? Implementing policies around preparation? Or are they just punching the clock, making sure the rest of the team shows up, and sending out food that’s “good enough”?

Operators can apply versions of those questions to every role in the house, including their own. Is their pride in preparing every element of service and operation? Or is the team just muddling through each shift?

There are no Small Details

Interestingly, most guests likely won’t ever be aware of every detail operators and their teams get right. However, they will feel every choice each team member makes. They may not know precisely what goes right, but they take home with them that their visit was exceptional.

Pulling the threads tighter separates operators and their brands from one another. Guests can get a bite and a drink anywhere. They reward outstanding service and experiences with their time and money.

It’s a simple equation to understand: Operators want to create an army of loyal guests, guests expect exceptional experiences. The operators who deliver on guest expectations are rewarded with loyalty.

Chef Duffy isn’t “just” slicing shrimp. He’s not “just” toasting rice. Chef’s not “just” making “the world’s most perfect dippy egg.” In reality, he’s ensuring every decision he, his teams, and his clients make enhance the guest experience exponentially.

There are no small details. There are no small decisions. The art of the preparation, as Chef Duffy says, creates the experience. Indeed, preparation also separates the mediocre from the exceptional.

Image: Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

Graffiti that reads, "It doesn't have to be so complicated"

May 22, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Use this Powerful Communication Style

The Powerful Communication Style You Should Be Using

by Jennifer Radkey

There’s a powerful method of communication operators can learn to use that promotes workplace collaboration and solves problems.

How to communicate with team members is a topic that comes up regularly in my coaching sessions with restaurant, bar, and hotel owners. Most of the concerns center around how to speak to employees when they are not following company policy; their level of service is not meeting company standards; or the quality of their work has decreased.

These are legitimate concerns when you are attempting to not only run a successful business but foster a positive work culture in your establishment.

After coaching my clients through understanding what their current style of communication looks like and how it is or is not working for them, I introduce them to a style of communication that I feel leads to the most effective overall results: the use of declarative language.

The declarative language approach was first introduced to me through a positive parenting online conference I attended. Author Linda Murphy wrote the Declarative Language Handbook, which teaches parents, caregivers, educators, and others how to communicate with children (particularly those with social learning challenges) to feel competent, connected, and understood.

As I dove into learning about this style of communication, I realized just how powerful it would be in the workplace. It is a method that can promote respect, collaboration, and empowerment. It can also, in turn, remove judgment, assumptions, hostility, and blame.

What is Declarative Language?

To answer this question, I’ll need to take you back for a quick grammar lesson.

Sentences can be categorized under four main types: declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory.

Declarative sentences are statements. These can be a statement of a fact, an observation, or a feeling. For example: “It is raining out.” “I’m going to open a new bar next month.” “Pineapple should never be on pizza.”

Interrogative sentences ask a question: “Why are you late for your shift?” “How can I make a million dollars this quarter?” “Who ever thought it was a good idea to put pineapple on pizza?”

Imperative sentences give a command. “Go clean those tables.” “Follow me.” “Pick off the pineapple from that pizza.”

Exclamatory sentences show something that we would shout or emphasize with an exclamation mark: “I made a million dollars this quarter!” “Yikes!” “Pineapple on pizza is the best ever!”

Powerful Communication

So, now that you’ve had a grammar refresher, let’s take a look at how declarative language can be a powerful method for communicating, and why the other styles may not be creating the results you want to see.

As an owner or manager, you may often find yourself falling into the use of interrogative and imperative statements. The problem with this is that both styles can stir up negative emotions in the person on the receiving end.

Interrogative statements (questions) tend to incite the fight, flight, or freeze mode. People feel put on the spot and may become defensive or anxious.

Imperative statements (commands) tend to be authoritarian in nature and have the potential to create fear and/or resentment. Employees are looking for team leaders who they can respect and turn to for guidance, not someone who is constantly telling them what to do.

Declarative language, when used to state observations, can be a way to open up discussions without defensiveness or fear. It also leaves room for facts instead of assumptions. The declarative language approach that I suggest my clients use looks something like this:

Make an observation statement.
Be silent.
Actively listen.
Collaborate.
Actively listen.
Proactively decide on solutions.
Gratitude/Positivity.

The easiest way to demonstrate this practice is through an example or two. First, we’ll look at an example with “Sam.”

Example #1

Sam just showed up for his shift at the quick-service restaurant he works at out of uniform. His manager notices and approaches him. The declarative language approach would look something like the example below.

Manager: Hey Sam, I notice that you aren’t wearing your uniform. (Declarative observation that quietly gives time for Sam to respond.)

Sam: Yeah, sorry, I spilled coffee all down the front of my shirt on the way here and didn’t have time to go home to change.

Manager: Okay, I understand, life happens. Any ideas on how we can resolve this? (Puts power to solve the problem in Sam’s hands.)

Sam: Do you have an extra shirt I can borrow for today’s shift?

Manager: Yeah, I actually do. Great plan. Let me go grab it for you and you can use the staff washroom to get changed.

Sam: Thanks.

Manager: No problem. Have a great shift! See you out there.

As you can see from this exchange, the manager did not make any assumptions as to why Sam wasn’t in uniform. Instead, they demonstrated empathy and respect. By asking if Sam had any ideas for resolving the issue, the manager provided room for collaboration as a team. Further, this approach empowered Sam to take responsibility and come up with the solution.

Example #2

Now, let’s look at “Lisa.”

Lisa is typically very punctual for her shift working concierge at a hotel. However, the past two weeks she has been regularly showing up 10 to 15 minutes late. Below, how the owner of the hotel would use the declarative language approach to discuss this issue with Lisa.

Owner: Hi Lisa, I’ve noticed that you have been starting your shift 10 to 15 mins late the past couple of weeks. You aren’t typically late for work. I’m curious about what’s changed. (Declarative observation; the owner then waits quietly for Lisa to respond.)

Lisa: I’m so sorry, I had to switch my child’s daycare and it’s on the other side of town. I’m struggling making it here on time with traffic.

Owner: That sounds stressful. What do you think we can do to work with this change to ensure that you can still arrive on time for your shifts?

Lisa: Would it be possible to switch my shift to a later time?

Owner: Let me look into that option for you. You are an asset to our team and I’m sure we will find a solution to this. I’ll get back to you later with some options, and you can let me know what would work best.

Lisa: Thank you so much for understanding.

In this exchange, the owner does not make assumptions as to why Lisa has been late. Rather, they show genuine curiosity as to what’s going on. Again, the owner empathizes with Lisa’s situation and then places power back into Lisa’s hands to think of a solution. The conversation ends on a positive note with gained clarity, respect, and appreciation.

Lead by Example

If you are looking to build a team of empowered individuals who can solve problems and collaborate, you need to lead by example. The use of declarative language can help you accomplish exactly that.

However, it is crucial to note that if you decide to try this method of communication, your intention needs to be positive. Declarative statements will not be as successful if your tone is sarcastic or accusing. Your approach must be casual, caring, respectful, and matter of fact.

Additionally, not every conversation will go smoothly using this method. You may receive “I don’t know” or “I’m not sure” as an answer. But for the most part, this method of communication allows for respectful discussion that acknowledges facts, promotes responsibility for one’s own actions, and decreases assumptions.

If you would like more information on how to use the declarative language approach, or would like to set up a coaching session to be coached on how to use this communication style with your team, please reach out to me!

Cheers to professional and personal well-being!

Image: Jon Tyson on Unsplash

May 5, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Consultant Versus Coach

Consultant vs. Coach: Similarities and Differences

by Jennifer Radkey

At some point in your journey as a business owner it’s inevitable that you’ll come up against a challenge that you struggle to overcome on your own; you may need to reach out for advice or guidance.

There are countless reasons why you may seek an expert’s help. Perhaps you’ve come up against a roadblock trying to reach a goal. Maybe you’re unexpectedly forced into a major transition. You may decide you’re ready to take your business to the next level but are unsure how to proceed.

The situation you find yourself in could be as big as the opening of a new restaurant or bar, or as vague as a general sense of something not being “right.”

Whatever the reason may be, you’ve exhausted your own pool of resources and are ready to seek outside help. So, who do you turn to?

Most likely you’ll be looking to hire either a consultant or a coach. Of course, this begs the question: Which do you choose?

I’m both the vice president of KRG Hospitality and a certified life coach. My husband Doug Radkey is the president of KRG Hospitality and our agency’s lead consultant. “Do I need a consultant or coach” is a question people ask of us quite often.

The answer is simple once you understand the similarities and differences between the two.

Similarities

Coaches and consultants are both third parties who provide an outsider’s clarity while maintaining an unbiased point of view.

They’re both knowledgeable and have their own unique approaches and expertise. Coaches and consultants come with the intention of helping you achieve your goals. While the majority of coaching and consulting is done one-on-one, team consulting and coaching are also options.

The differences between coaching and consulting can be found in the approaches used to help you achieve your goals.

Differences

The easiest way to learn the differences between a coach and a consultant is to take a closer look at how each one approaches how they help you. It’s an understanding of these differences that provide the clarity needed for you to choose the best solution.

Consultants

Consultants are industry-specific experts. When presented with a challenge you want to overcome or a goal you want to achieve, a consultant finds the solution using their knowledge and experience. They also diagnose any problems that are evident in your business and then make recommendations to correct them.

A consultant is someone you can turn to for technical and professional advice.

Once the consultant has determined the root of the problem or determined the best path forward to achieve your goal, the answers will be provided to you. And along with the answers come the steps necessary to solve the problem or reach the goal. You’ll be given a clear, detailed plan.

Consultants listen carefully to what’s going on. They ask specific questions, watch how your team interacts with your guests, and study your steps of service. Additionally, consultants analyze data and conduct research, and then communicate their findings clearly with you. Again, consultants give you the tools you need to execute a plan—including processes and proven methods—to achieve success.

If you’re in need of specific industry advice and expertise, a consultant is who you need to hire.

Coaches

Coaches are experts in placing the power in your hands to discover your own solutions and answers. You hire a coach to discover yourself, inspire confidence, explore possibilities, and find your own clarity. Entrepreneurs turn to coaches to help them transform into great leaders.

Through sincere and thoughtful inquiry, coaches will pull answers out of you that you didn’t know that you already had. They’ll also help you become aware of self-imposed limitations so you can overcome them. Rather than just giving you a plan, coaches help you develop your own strategies for uncovering your truth, and then help you understand how to move forward.

Coaches are sounding boards for discussing both personal and professional issues, providing a safe, judgment-free place for you to be heard. They’re interested in long-term results and the overall well-being of their client.

If you’re looking for overall growth and a better understanding of how you can reach your own goals and potential, a coach is who you need to hire.

Hiring a consultant or a coach is a positive step towards achieving both short-term and long-term goals. Knowing the difference between the two now empowers you to choose the best person to help you where you want to go.

Cheers to personal and professional growth!

Image: Robert Linder on Unsplash

Front of house staff member using SevenRooms

May 3, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

SevenRooms Introduces New Tool: Pre-Shift

SevenRooms Introduces New Tool: Pre-Shift

A new tool from SevenRooms will help operators and their teams make the most of pre-shift meetings to deliver exceptional service.

Aptly named, Pre-Shift provides a real-time, data-driven picture of a given shift’s reservations. Operators and their leadership team members will no longer need to hit the office, navigate to the day’s reservations, and print out guest data—assuming they have such valuable information.

Further, this new feature is accessible via the venue’s devices (tablets, phones, etc.). Pre-Shift, then, offers a real-time view of reservations and robust guest data. Well ahead of arrivals, staff will know a guest’s seating preference, relationship with the venue, reviews they’ve left, allergies, and much more.

Intriguingly, Spago has been testing Pre-Shift ahead of SevenRooms’ announcement and launch. Per Steve Scott Springer, the GM of Spago of Beverly Hills, this new tool is a game-changer for restaurants.

Less than two months ago, SevenRooms launched Email Marketing. It’s likely we can expect more new features to roll out throughout 2023.

To learn more, please review the Pre-Shift press release below.

SEVENROOMS’ PRE-SHIFT FEATURE EMPOWERS TEAMS TO STREAMLINE PRE-SERVICE OPERATIONS

New data-driven tool serves as a one-stop-shop for restaurant teams to enhance the guest experience and build guest loyalty

NEW YORK (May 3, 2023) – SevenRooms, a global guest experience and retention platform for the hospitality industry, today announced a new product feature, Pre-Shift, which provides operators with key shift details they can leverage to inform and lead pre-service meetings. Pre-Shift is built to power and simplify pre-service meetings for restaurant operators and their staff around the world.

The new feature provides operators a real-time, unified view of everything they need ahead of each shift and saves employees’ time with an out-of-the-box informational report. Instead of paper print-outs and laborious briefing forms, Pre-Shift allows teams to harness rich customer data with up-to-the-minute information on every guest joining during that shift.

With ongoing labor shortages, Pre-Shift is a crucial tool in helping operators save time on administrative tasks like pulling guest and reservation data to optimize a team’s pre-shift meeting ahead of service with all stakeholders. This allows operators and staff to instead focus on delivering exceptional, personalized experiences the moment that guest walks through the door. Operators have the ability to embrace new consumer expectations to provide an incredible guest journey from start to finish.

By incorporating this tool, staff can utilize SevenRooms’ rich guest data and Auto-Tags to educate themselves on incoming guests. The tool highlights valuable insights such as allergy information, dining preferences, previous experiences with the restaurant, and positive/negative reviews. It also provides a quick snapshot of that day’s notes on menu specials, private events or special requests, making it easy for staff to reference back to quickly throughout the course of service. Whether it’s the maître d, host, server or back of house employees, Pre-Shift enables all staff with the information they need to deliver exceptional service, build guest loyalty, and keep up with diner expectations as they continue to evolve.

Pre-Shift helps restaurants deliver personalized hospitality at scale with invisible technology. Guest and reservation data can be accessed on the fly without double clicks or additional navigation via iPhone and iPads for the utmost convenience. No other reservation management product on the market today offers such a robust overview with automated guest data incorporated into its dashboard, saving operators time as they set up for service.

“The magic of SevenRooms is in the way that we’re able to serve up relevant guest information to restaurants at key points of service. Our new Pre-shift view takes that magic one step further by strategically aggregating the most important guest insights before service even begins,” said Allison Page, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer at SevenRooms. “We seamlessly take the data available for a shift and serve up key insights that the front of house should be aware of heading into service – for instance, guests with a high propensity to spend, guests who have previously left negative reviews, guests with allergies and more. Pre-Shift provides operators a real-time, unified view that takes pre-service preparation to a whole new level, ultimately providing guests with exceptional, frictionless experiences.”

“Pre-Shift is a great addition to Spago’s pre-service meeting,” said Steve Scott Springer, General Manager at Spago Beverly Hills. “When we began using the group-by server feature, it really was an ‘a-ha’ moment. This is exactly the way every restaurant wants to prep their employees ahead of a shift. We put the entire view up on a screen so our team can see and follow along. This is so much easier than what we used to do – it’s a no-brainer.”

For more information about SevenRooms and its services, please visit www.sevenrooms.com.

About SevenRooms

SevenRooms is a guest experience and retention platform that helps hospitality operators create exceptional experiences that drive revenue and repeat business. Trusted by thousands of hospitality operators around the world, SevenRooms powers tens of millions of guest experiences each month across both on- and off-premises. From neighborhood restaurants and bars to international, multi-concept hospitality groups, SevenRooms is transforming the industry by empowering operators to take back control of their businesses to build direct guest relationships, deliver exceptional experiences and drive more visits and orders, more often. The full suite of products includes reservation, waitlist and table management, online ordering, mobile order & pay, review aggregation, email marketing and marketing automation. Founded in 2011 and venture-backed by Amazon, Comcast Ventures, PSG and Highgate Ventures, SevenRooms has dining, hotel F&B, nightlife and entertainment clients globally, including: MGM Resorts International, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Wynn Resorts, Jumeirah Group, Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, Bloomin’ Brands, Giordano’s, LDV Hospitality, Zuma, Australian Venue Company, Altamarea Group, AELTC, The Wolseley Hospitality Group, Dishoom, Live Nation and Topgolf. www.sevenrooms.com

Image: SevenRooms

May 2, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

5 Books to Read this Month: May 2023

5 Books to Read this Month: May 2023

by David Klemt

Our engaging and informative May book selections will take your front and back of house to the next level, and help develop your leadership skills.

To review the book recommendations from April 2023, click here.

Let’s jump in!

Contagious You: Unlock Your Power to Influence, Lead, and Create the Impact You Want

This is one of three books KRG Hospitality’s Jennifer Radkey read in February. It’s the sequel to a book titled Contagious Culture, which we featured last month.

From Amazon: “For anyone who’s sought to create change, or felt sucked into the drama and chaos of a toxic work environment, this book will advance the notion that everyone at an organization is a leader—for good or for bad—and that leaders have tremendous power to influence those who follow their example. The quality of our leadership is based upon our intentions, energy, and presence. By emphasizing authorship, self-care, and response-ability (not responsibility) as leadership skills and therefore cultural amplifiers, Contagious You shows you how to walk the path of more effective leadership while navigating the road blocks in your way. Whether these road blocks are working with negative co-workers with secret agendas and unrealistic expectations, or just the general ‘busyness’ of life and its excessive demands, this book will take you on a journey to create more space, more courageous leadership, and stronger collaboration to influence others and create the impact you desire.”

Grab this book today: click here.

Chef’s PSA: Culinary Leadership Fundamentals

If Chef’s PSA sounds familiar, that’s probably because it’s a series of four books. We included another book in the series, How Not to be the Biggest Idiot in the Kitchen, last December in our last book roundup of 2022.

Culinary Leadership Fundamentals is intended to prepare chefs to lead a brigade. It’s one thing to know how to prepare food; it’s another to know how to be the leader in the kitchen. Of course, this book is also full of valuable information for owners and operators. After all, they should know how their chef is approaching their role.

From Amazon: “When you become a Chef for the first time you may be put in a position where you know how to cook but not how to lead and manage. This book will teach you everything you need to know to become a Chef Leader in the kitchen. From how to manage costs, build a team, market yourself and overcome adversity. This is the book every Chef needs if they want a competitive edge in running a successful kitchen.”

Pick it up today!

Southern Cooking, Global Flavors

Chef Kenny Gilbert’s journey through the culinary world is epic. By the age of seven he had shown such an interest in the art of BBQ that his father bought him his first grill, a small Weber. After high school he moved from his hometown to Cleveland to attend the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute. After graduation, Chef Gilbert entered into an apprenticeship at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, in Florida. By age 23, Chef Gilbert earned the role of Chef de Cuisine. He has also opened restaurants and led the culinary programs at restaurants and hotel properties not only throughout Florida but also Colorado, Georgia, throughout the Caribbean, France, Japan, and Spain. Oh, and there was Chef Gilbert’s Top Chef season seven appearance, plus the development of his own line of spices and rubs.

His newly released book features 100 recipes that put international spins on southern classics. Pick up Southern Cooking, Global Flavors today!

The Ice Book: Cool Cubes, Clear Spheres, and Other Chill Cocktail Crafts

We’ve addressed the need to compliment your cocktail menu with a dedicated ice program. This book, available now for pre-order, is from world-renowned cocktail and spirits writer Camper English. Not only does it include easy-to-follow instructions for you and your bar team to elevate your cocktail program, from full-proof to zero-ABV drinks. The Ice Book, then, is aptly titled—it’s everything you need to introduce a memorable drinking experience.

From Amazon: “In The Ice Book, internationally renowned cocktail icepert Camper English details how to use directional freezing to make perfectly pure ice in a home freezer, carve it up into giant diamonds and other shapes, and embed it with garnishes, including edible orchids and olives. You’ll learn how to create a frozen bowl for Negroni punch, serve a Manhattan inside an ice sphere, and infuse cubes with colors and flavors to create cranberry cobblers, a color-changing Gin and Tonic, and other awesome drinks.”

The Book of Cocktail Ratios: The Surprising Simplicity of Classic Cocktails

Long-time subscribers to KRG Hospitality’s newsletters and readers of our articles know that I love a controversial take on cocktails. Take, for instance, the origin of the Margarita. Well, the opening sentence from the description for The Book of Cocktail Ratios certainly got my attention.

From Amazon: “Did you know that a Gimlet, a Daiquiri, and a Bee’s Knees are the same cocktail? As are a Cosmopolitan, a Margarita, and a Sidecar. When hosting a party wouldn’t you enjoy saying to your guests, ‘Would you care for a Boulevardier, perhaps, or a Negroni?’ These, too, are the same cocktail, substituting one ingredient for another. Or if you’d like to be able to shake up a batch of whiskey sours for a party of eight in fewer than two minutes, then read on.

“As Michael Ruhlman explains, our most popular cocktails are really ratios—proportions of one ingredient relative to the others. Organized around five of our best-known, beloved, classic families of cocktails, each category follows a simple ratio from which myriad variations can be built: The Manhattan, The Gimlet, The Margarita, The Negroni, and the most debated cocktail ever, The Martini.”

This book should provide you and your bar team with a totally different perspective when it comes to drink ratios. Pre-order your copy today!

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash

April 10, 2023by krghospitality krghospitality No Comments

Loneliness and the Entrepreneur

5 Steps Entrepreneurs can take to Combat Loneliness

by Jennifer Radkey

Author John Donne may have penned the quote, “No man is an island,” in the 17th century but, like many truths of human nature, it’s still relevant today.

We’re all attached to each other in some way; our humanity is intertwined. It’s when we lose sight of this that we may start to feel lonely. We may also feel as though we’re in isolation from the world around us.

Entrepreneurs often walk a lonely road. The success of your business relies on the effort you put into it daily. With a drive to succeed and a passion for what you are doing, it can often be hard to separate life as an entrepreneur from anything else.

There can be a level of pride in the entrepreneur’s journey that makes it challenging to acknowledge that there’s genuine struggle. When society paints a rosy picture of the life of the entrepreneur—setting your own schedule, doing what you love, earning your own riches, etc.—it can feel as if you aren’t doing something “right” when you’re running a successful business yet feel stress, loneliness, and gloom.

Being an entrepreneur has its perks and many would tell you they can’t imagine doing anything other than running their own business. However, this doesn’t mean that the path is easy or without its risks of social isolation, anxiety, burnout, and depression.

It’s time that we acknowledge all aspects of being an entrepreneur—the good, the bad, and the ugly—to peel back the façade of perfection. We need to allow space for honesty, connection, and self-care.

Below are five steps entrepreneurs can take to combat loneliness as an entrepreneur.

1. Find like-minded individuals who can relate.

Often, entrepreneurs may feel as if no one else understands them, no matter how well-meaning or supportive friends and family may be.

Connect with people who you can be honest with and who will listen with little judgement. This can be through a social group that connects entrepreneurs not for the purpose of business growth and networking, but to build friendships and share stories.

If a group like this does not exist, consider starting one yourself.

2. Practice mindfulness with your external relationships.

Share with loved ones when you’re feeling particularly disconnected or stressed. They may not understand life as an entrepreneur, but they have your best interest at heart and can help you find balance between your work life and personal life.

Finding time to spend with the people who care for you as a whole person is important. Doing so can remind you to acknowledge and respect all the different sides of who you are, not just the entrepreneur side.

3. Learn how to be in a healthy relationship with yourself.

Acknowledge when you need social time. Recognize when you’re not getting enough sleep. Take time to enjoy hobbies or participate in physical activity. Take time to appreciate your accomplishments and feel proud of what you achieve.

Try journaling or participating in the things you loved doing before you became an entrepreneur to create connections and feel less alone.

4. Share the burden.

As an entrepreneur you often quietly place a tremendous amount of responsibility onto your shoulders. This can lead to feeling entirely on your own—even if you have a team surrounding you.

Learn to place trust in your team and to release some of those responsibilities to others. If you are a solopreneur, perhaps look to other professionals to whom you can outsource some of your tasks ( virtual assistant, social marketer, etc.).

5. Seek professional help if needed.

If you feel alone in the process and don’t have anyone you feel you can speak to, consider seeking a professional to help.

Consider hiring a professional life coach If you’re looking to create stronger social connections; need help with work/life balance or stress management; or wish to manage external relationships better.

If you suspect a mental illness, such as an anxiety disorder or depression, reach out to a registered therapist. There’s no shame in asking for help if it means living a well-rounded life that’s successful not only professionally but personally.

Entrepreneurs are masters of paving the way for their visions to come to life. However, the road they pave doesn’t need to be a lonely one. Applying the same drive to your personal well-being as to the success of your business will only have positive outcomes!

Cheers to your personal and professional growth!

Image: Gustavo Zambelli on Unsplash