806: Ken McGarrie Co-Founder of Korgen Hospitality

With Excitement allow me to introduce today's guest Co-founder Korgen Hospitality Group and Author of The Surprise Restaurant Manager, Ken McGarrie. Ken is also the author of the book The Surprise Restaurant Manager. Ken McGarrie is the cofounder of Korgen Hospitality, a nationwide consulting firm dedicated to helping restauranteurs reach their absolute potential with effective leadership and maximum profitability. For the past two decades, he has helmed many successful restaurants, bars, and entertainment-based venues with a relentless focus on anticipatory service, staff empowerment, and attentive hospitality. He has helped launch new concepts and train hospitality leaders throughout the U.S. and Canada. After failing to start an exceptional college band with only average talent, Ken worked as a server/bartender while writing for magazines and newspapers. He started in management the same way that many people do – by surprise. When his GM asked if he would take a set of keys and open the restaurant on occasion, he was suddenly promoted to manager with no training or preparation, like so many others in the industry. Ken went on to open and manage numerous successful restaurants and entertainment venues. With Korgen Hospitality, he has an exceptional client list, including helping open over a dozen restaurants with Celebrity Chef Fabio Viviani nationwide. Check out Angel's Envy distillery as mentioned in today's episode. Shoutout to The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group inChicago for hosting this interview! Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!! Join with a 30-day trial Restaurant Unstoppable Network and connect with my past guest and a community of superfans. 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: "Enjoy the ride." In today's episode with Ken McGarrie we will discuss: Past experiences influencing you today Lobbying to be manager right out of the gate Working in nightclubs/as a bouncer Language Apathy Training/empowerment The host position Regrets Membership models? The Five G's Today's sponsor: 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. 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. BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant's website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more.   Knowledge bombs Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success? Obsession What is your biggest weakness? Rumination What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview? Preparation "Who not to hire" Chapter 2 pg 11 From Ken's book What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it? Second guessing myself Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team. If you are comped in a restaurant, tip the original amount, not the discounted amount What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff? The guest is usually wrong What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A Fuck by Mark Manson GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM  What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough? Anyone who works for you could work anywhere for anyone Name one service you've hired. Talent Distinctions based in LA for HR What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations? BevSpot 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? My book Bill Hicks standup special "Revelations" Fish Bone album titled Truth and Soul Contact info: www.korganhospitality.com Find Ken's book right here. 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! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Ken McGarrie 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!