Restaurant Owners Uncorked

David and Ben Klopp got started in the restaurant business right out of college in 1996, opening aliveOne in Chicago. In 22 years they've grown to running a restaurant group with two other partners, operating 20 locations between Chicago and Cincinnati. aliveOne is still thriving today, and David shares his thoughts on what it takes to be successful in the restaurant business, what he loves about it, what's changed, and more. It's worth paying attention to anybody who has been able to accomplish what he has in the competitive city of Chicago for as long as he has. Enjoy...

Ashley's grandparents started the restaurant in 1973, and 45 years later it's thriving as much as ever. Ashley shares what's made them successful, what she loves about independent restaurants, and how she's able to be very selective of who she hires. Enjoy...

Phil Stefani opened his first restaurant 35 years ago in Chicago. Today the Stafani family owns 17 restaurants, and Phil's grown children, Gina and Anthony, are part of the very successful business. Gin shares the lessons and philosophies she learned from her father over the years, and the challenges she faces as she attempts to continue providing the legendary customer service the Stefani restaurants are known for, while also opening new locations and growing the business. This is a very educational, informative conversation if you are interested in how a group of restaurants can keep growing while not losing a hold on the core values that go them where they are today. Enjoy...

Doug opened Nellie's Sports Bar & Grill in Washington, D.C. in 2007. Eleven years later is is an iconic, very popular sports bar that annually wins a slew of "Best of..." awards in our nation's capital. Doug came from corporate America, where he worked in advertising. When he opened Nellie's, he had never worked in, run, or owned a restaurant. The perfect recipe for success? Enjoy...

Emmy had been working in restaurants in San Francisco for a few years and felt like the only options were stuffy, fine dining places that she and her friends and fellow restaurant workers couldn't afford to go to themselves and didn't want to hang out at even if they could. The city needed a fun, laid back, affordable place. So she opened it, and called it Emmy's Spaghetti Shack. That was in 2001. Emmy's is still going strong today, and it was fun and inspiring to hear Emmy's story of the ups and downs along the way. Enjoy...

I first interviewed Keith Paul in 2010 for our book Restaurant Owners Uncorked. Keith and his wife, Heather, own A Good Egg Dining Group in Oklahoma City. They have been at it for 18 years now, and have 8 concepts and twelve total locations. One of the lessons I learned from Keith eight years ago was to not worry about what's happening around you, and to stay focused on what's happening within the walls of your restaurant. It was great to hear him talk now about how they lost a little bit of that focus a couple of years ago, realized it, and successfully resolved to return to it. I have a lot of respect and admiration for Keith, and I'm sure in another few years we'll cache up again. Enjoy...

Erica has been involved with the hospitality business for twenty years, and she's so fun to listen to and so full of energy and passion for what she does that I could have talked to her all day. Grit, determination, passion, leadership, constantly learning - Erica embodies these characteristics. Enjoy...

Karen had her own graphic design and web design business for twelve years. One day in 2008 she was sitting on a beach in Belize with her husband, and realized she was tired of helping build other people's entrepreneurial dream. She wanted to use her skills and energy for something of her own. She wanted to start ... a rum distillery. Four months later, Montanya Distillers opened it's doors. Today it's thriving and very successful, shipping rum to 44 states and 7 foreign countries. A very inspiring story. Enjoy...

Tom started his pizzaria in 1983, and thirty-five years late it's still thriving in the small town of Ravenna, OH. His passion for his business is contagious, and you'll learn how his single-location restaurant has withstood the test of time. Enjoy...

Parker started his dream Italian restaurant in downtown Raleigh, NC in 1996 when there weren't many restaurants downtown. Twenty-two years later, Caffe Luna is an institution in a town now full of successful independent restaurants. Parker has owned and operated his single location all of these years, and as you'll here in this conversation, he hasn't lost an ounce of the enthusiasm and pride for what he does. Enjoy...