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that bar. The way we work together, the way we make decisions, culture isn’t right, that’s a pretty crappy existence to go in everyday
the way we are empowered or even encouraged to do what’s right to work and feel like, why am I doing this? I opened this up because
in the moment, that all comes from the culture. And ultimately, that I loved socializing, I loved having people around, and I loved taking
impacts the customer experience more than anything else in your care of people and hospitality, and then every day starts to become
brand. It impacts the creativity. drudgery. So for me, when I was running my restaurants, I didn’t
want to go to work every
Say you’ve got a team of day and think, this sucks,
bartenders and they’re working which is where culture to me
with you on new products. If really happened, was kind of
they’re not engaged and excited selfishly. I don’t want to go
about new drinks that you’re to work and think, wow, this
making, you’re leaving stuff isn’t fun to be here.
on the table. They’re not as
innovative or creative as they I’m going to go spend a
could be. Imagine someone in ridiculous amount of hours.
the kitchen who is cooking, but Restaurant and bar people
they’re not fully there. They’re work a lot and work more
not fully engaged. The food is than a lot of other people
not going to be as good as it do. When people talk about
could be. a 40 or 50 hour work week,
it’s like, what is that? That’s
Nick: not what we have in this
I definitely agree with you, and industry. We work a lot more
I tell people all the time that than that, so the number one
we could do everything to get thing is selfishly, for myself
customers in the door. You make and for a lot of others out
the best offer you can. However, there, I didn’t want to go to
if they have a bad experience when they come in or don’t get what they work every day and think, wow, this sucks. So it impacts the climate
expect when they come in, they’re probably not going to come back. of what’s going on. It impacts little interactions. Do people say “Hi”
to each other when they come in? Do people ask about each other?
Mike: Do people care to say, “It looks like you’ve got a handful. Let me
And you’ve spent all this money. You’ve spent all this money grab some of that” or “Let me help you with your table”? Because
marketing and all this work just to get them to come in anyway, and it’s like I’m looking out for you. We’re here together and we’re a
now you’ve wasted all that, which is sad to see. family. And if you don’t have the right culture, that’s not happening.
And so one, it makes you happier. It makes your life better and
Nick: more positive if you’re going to spend all your time there. It makes
I’m glad we’re having this interview, because I’ve heard time and time your team’s interactions more positive, which leads them to do
again from so many different owners, even clients, “My staff won’t more work with each other, which gives your customers a better
listen to me. We try to do this, but they won’t follow through.” A lot of experience, right?
that also comes down to you being
a leader, which I’m sure we’ll get into Nick:
that, but let me ask you this. How “The way we work together, Right. And so this is kind of a
does culture impact the location, say the way we make decisions, common sense question, I feel, but
on a daily basis? I still want to ask it because I think
the way we are empowered or it’s good for certain people to maybe

Mike: even encouraged to do what’s relate to it. What’s the impact on
So we’ve talked about the big right in the moment, that all customers with let’s say bad culture
picture, the brands and all of that. versus good culture?
But on a daily basis, if you own comes from the culture.”
your own bar or restaurant, maybe Mike:
you’re there every day. It certainly affects you if every day is a Sure. If you think about the bar experience, you go into a busy bar
drag. If you come in and it’s like, this is miserable every day and the – somebody has worked with you before, Nick – and they’ve got
team doesn’t know what’s going on, the communication sucks, and lots of people coming in, because all this stuff works to get people
nobody is doing what they’re supposed to, that’s going to impact in. So the bar is full and people are coming in. The moment when
your life as an owner, as an individual and this is your life. And if the someone at the bar or the bartender decides how to interact with

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