A 10x Acquisition and Three Heart Surgeries Shaped How Craig Cooper Helps Lead Love Management Today

🎙️ From KPMG Consultant to CFO: Craig Cooper's Journey Leading Chef Tim Love's Hospitality EmpireCraig Cooper, CFO of Love Management, Inc., shares his path from financial services consulting to leading the financial strategy behind one of Fort Worth's most celebrated hospitality groups—and how a framework developed through his daughter's congenital heart surgeries shapes his approach to every major challenge.✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:Career pivot from KPMG financial services consulting to hospitality via a Notre Dame mentor connection at DardenGrowing Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen through private equity investment to a successful 10x Darden acquisitionWhy tightening labor schedules too early in new locations costs more in lost guests than it savesBuilding internal scaffolding and culture before rapid growth—the lesson learned at Cheddar'sLove Management's differentiation: live fire cooking, wild game menus, and unforgettable atmosphere across diverse conceptsPaloma Suerte's exceptional unit volumes and four-wall profitability fueling multi-state expansion plansCroquet Club, festivals at Bonnaroo and ACL, and Meraki Mediterranean—Tim Love's creativity driving new revenueFramework for navigating crisis: make your world small, control what you can, educate yourself, prioritize relentlesslyIdeal team player philosophy—humble, hungry, and smart—applied across finance and operations hiringMorning routine and consistent hard work as the personal operating system behind a 25+ year career🌟 Craig's Key Mentors:SVP at Darden Restaurants: Introduced Craig to hospitality and modeled guest-first, team-building leadershipCheddar's Leadership Team: Taught the real costs of outpacing your internal infrastructure during rapid growthDanny Meyer (Setting the Table): Annual listen reinforces core values and guest-focused hospitality principlesPatrick Lencioni (The Ideal Team Player): Humble, hungry, and smart framework guides every hiring decisionHis Daughter's Medical Team: Demonstrated the power of advocacy, education, and asking hard questions👉 Don't miss this powerful conversation about disciplined growth, crisis-tested resilience, and what it takes to build a finance function that matches world-class operations.🔗 Connect with Craig Cooper:LinkedIn: Craig Cooper (Love Management) Company: Love Management, Inc. Website: cheftimlove.com📄 Transcript Available: A 10x Acquisition and Three Heart Surgeries Shaped How Craig Cooper Helps Lead Love Management Today📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line Website: addbackbenefits.com