583: Benjamin Seabury on Respecting Your Employees

A retired semi-pro football player, Ben Seabury has been managing and owning food and beverage operations for over a decade. He's scaled a cupcake concept, served as Executive Chef, GM, Direct of Operations, and Founder. Seabury's current title is President of the 1100 Group. The 1100 Group consist of 4 unique concepts, event management, catering, and a consulting division. On top of this Ben also owns Wheelhouse construction, a commercial construction company specializing in restaurants and commercial kitchens.

Show notes… Favorite success quote or mantra:

"A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." 

In This episode with Benjamin Seabury, we discuss:

• How you can get the equivalent of a degree in business, by just going to work for the best. 
• Leveraging technology to get dialed in on labor expenses. 
• The importance of taking the high road when departing a business for new opportunities. 
• What Seabury learned about respect; treat your employees as an equal. 
• Why it is so important to respect your body and health. 
• Some hidden challenges of operation a food truck.  
• Some hidden challenges that come with operating a commissary kitchen. 
• If you're going to do it, make sure you are the best at it. 
• Find partners who are strong where you are weak and sharing equity to attract the right people. 
• Advice on how to scale a restaurant group.  
• Before accepting a lease on a space, make sure the space will support the volume you'd need in order to afford the space. 
• When your head chef shows up on day one drunk... don't let them back for day two.  
• Knowing what you know and sticking to what you know.  
• Why our industry need to experience change. 

Today's sponsor:

Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you’ll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable. 

BentoBox helps restaurants grow their business through a connected suite of tools, offering them an integrated website to connect with their guests and drive revenue online. Restaurant owners and operators are able to easily update menus, promote specials, take catering and event inquiries, sell merchandise, gift cards and more.

Revel Systems integrates front of house and back of house operations into a single dashboard. Designed to increase security, stability, ease of use, and speed of service, Revel’s streamlined ecosystem provides businesses with the right tools to grow. Learn more at revelsystems.com/unstoppable.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Transparence and active leadership. 
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   •  Overextending himself. 
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Hire from your gut. 
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Being able to take risk and not think twice about it. 
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • expect trouble and be ready to respond to it. 
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Be uniquely you. 
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
   • Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly 
   • Principles: Life and Work
8. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • They treat their employees like people often enough. 
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
   • Revel Systems 
10. 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?
    1. Be kind.
    2. If you're going to do something, be the best at it. 
    3. Spend time with family. 

Contact info:

1100group.com

Thanks for listening!

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Huge thanks to Ben Seabury for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

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