776: Jeff Dixon on The Relationship Game

Western Oklahoma native, Jeff Dixon, attended Oklahoma State University. While at Stillwater he obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management. He then spent the next 15 years in Edmond where he became a General Manager & Proprietor for the Hal Smith Group.  Today, Jeff serves as Co-Founder and CFO of Provision Concepts Jeff Dixon.

Check out The Great Game of Business: The Only sensible Way to Run a Company by Jack Stack as mentioned in today's episode!

Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!!

• Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel
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• Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!)

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "If you don;'t like something about yourself, change it."

In today's episode with Jeff Dixon we will discuss:

• BOH organized chaos
• Early mentors
• Taking a 1.5 year break from the industry
• Best interview tactics and advice
• Opening vs. running a restaurant
• Building a team
• Building an energy drink company
• Budgeting
• Raising capital
• Operational expenses
• Trust, checks, and balances
• The Trust and Track method
• Sales and labor
• Opening a restaurant during the COVID pandemic
• Collaboration

Today's sponsor:

7shifts is a modern labor management platform, designed by restaurateurs, for restaurateurs. Effectively labor management is more important than ever to ensure profitability and restaurant success. Trusted by over 400,000 restaurant professionals, 7shifts gives you the tools you need to streamline labor operations, communicate with your team, and retain your talent. Best of all 7shifts integrates with the POS and Payroll systems you already use and trust (like Toast!) turning labor into a competitive advantage for your business. Restaurant Unstoppable members get 3 months, absolutely free.

 

99designs is the global creative platform that makes it easy for designers and clients to work together remotely - no matter what your budget. From logos and brand identity, to menu and packaging, 99designs has helped more than tens of thousands restaurant owners build their brands. 99designs will match you with the right professional for your project from their curated community of talented creatives, and stay with you every step of the way so you love the outcome. Head to https://99designs.com/unstoppable to learn more or get $20 off your first design contest!

Ecolab: Streamline your clean with Ecolab’s new EPA-registered 2-in-1 solution, Sink & Surface Cleaner Sanitizer. It will help reduce risk, simplify your procedures and help ensure compliance. This solution cleans and sanitizes hard non-porous surfaces with a single product, eliminates the rinse step and equips your staff to clean more efficiently. Clean simplified, confidence delivered.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Fire under my ass always
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Organization
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Outgoing
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Juggling the growth
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Embrace change
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Don't be an order-taker, be a salesman. Care about your guests!
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   • the Bible
   • GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
8. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • When you scale you need to invest personal time in ALL of your stores
   • Give more praise
9. Name one service you've hired.
   • A Closer Look - Customer Experience and Mystery Shopping
10. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations?
    • Front App
    • Chowly
    • Toast POS
11. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    • Treat others how you want to be treated
    • Go for no
    • You can do it

Contact info:

Email: jeff@eatdrinkpc.com

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

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Huge thanks to Jeff Dixon for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!