769: Kyle Inserra on Real Estate, Scaling, Partners, and Equity.

Kyle Inserra is a graduate of The French Culinary Institute where he graduated with honors. After working at notable restaurants such as Marco & Pepe and Anthony David's he moved to St. John, USVI, where he became the executive chef for a privately-owned restaurant group. On his return to the northeast, he opened the restaurants Polpettina and, where he was eventually forced out by his partners. Today he's the Co-Founder of La La Taqueria and is a Commercial Real Estate Advisor with a focus on brand growth and execution of real estate strategies for emerging restaurants. In addition, he's the host of the National Restaurant Owners Podcast, where he shares his experience and interviews fellow industry professionals to provide you with the insight our industry often lacks.

Check out the book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell as mentioned in today's episode.

Check out The E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What To Do About It by Michael E. Gerber as mentioned in today's episode.

Check out episode 765: Media First/Restaurant Second with Shawn Walchef as mentioned in today's episode!

Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!!

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

Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Move fast and break shit."

In today's episode with Kyle Inserra we will discuss:

• Just start
• Podcasting
• Escaping NYC during 9/11
• Starting late in the industry
• Ego-driven chefs
• Fixing labor expenses in a new kitchen
• Intricacies of inventory management
• The prep system
• Organization
• Catering
• Leases and importance of actually READING them
• Creating a new kind of pizza restaurant in NYC
• Scaling and earning equity
• Equity
• Ghost kitchens

Today's sponsor:

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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.

Toast - A POS built for restaurants by restaurant people Adapt fast with Toast's cloud-based restaurant POS system that updates to evolve your POS along with changing industry trends and guest expectations. Toast is built exclusively for restaurants of all shapes and sizes, with over 2/3 of our employees having restaurant experience to serve you better. Online Ordering - Let guests easily order directly from your restaurant for pickup or contactless delivery to keep revenue flowing during these uncertain times. Toast Delivery Services Dispatch local drivers through an on-demand network to keep your community fed and revenue coming in.

 

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Consistency
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Organization
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Why do I need this person?
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Spreading myself too thin
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Respect
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Know your guest and be involved
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   •  Relentless: From Good To Great To Unstoppable by Tim S. Grover 
   • Setting the Table by Danny Meyer
   • 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?
   • Know your numbers
9. Name one service you've hired.
   • Book keeper - Rob Marzan
10. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations?
    • 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?
    • Don't make the same mistakes that I made
    • That I really gave my all to the industry
    • That I actually can cook

Contact info:

Instagram @kyleinserra

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 Kyle Inserra for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

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