We want to give you some "Food For Thought" that may change the way you think about your restaurant and the people you need to make it work.

A restaurant is not just a restaurant, it's also a business. Many operators may know how to run a restaurant but know very little about building and managing a successful business.

The restaurant business is also a "people" business. Today, you need good people on your staff more than they need you. Your effectiveness as an owner or manager is directly related to your understanding of people and the quality of your interactions with your staff.

You've probably noticed that the labor market has changed. If you are having more problems finding and keeping good people, is it possible that your people skills are out of date and there are just fewer people around that are willing to put up with the way you do business? Just a thought.

We believe that if you improve your level of understanding about managing your business and dealing with people, your restaurant will improve by default.

Sometimes we get real good at doing things that, quite frankly, just don't work. The way you run your restaurant or deal with your staff may seem natural or make sense at the time, but is it getting you the results you want? If not, maybe it's because you're doing the wrong things.

Maybe there are a few things you haven't learned yet that would help. We want to challenge the way you perceive, approach and manage your restaurant and how you look at people, particularly your staff. First and foremost, as the owner, it's not your job to run the joint. That's right, and to extent you are running your own restaurant, you're not really an owner but just another employee. Not only that, you're an employee "and" the boss. Any wonder you're working 80 hours a week?

We believe the best way to improve your restaurant is to enhance your understanding of people and the essential elements of building a successful business.

The following topics are designed to change the way you think about your restaurant, your people and the role you, the owner, should play in your business. Our goal is to help you clarify "what" it is you should be doing as an independent restaurant owner, to increase the odds that you build the type of business and lifestyle you've always wanted.