EP12: Building the Field Leadership Team from a Field Leaders' POV

"District managers are the brand—they're the stamp for everything we stand for." Elle Piper learned this truth the hard way, starting as an undertrained district manager who had to ask her own direct reports to teach her the basics. Now as Senior Director of Operations at 7 Leaves Cafe, she's helped grow the brand from a handful of stores to 41+ locations by focusing on what most operators miss: the pivotal role of field leadership. In this episode, Elle shares why you can feel a struggling store the moment you walk in, how to spot management potential through turnover patterns, and why soft skills training should come before technical training. Her journey from pandemic job loss to operational leadership offers a masterclass in building bench strength from the ground up.Key TakeawaysThe Heartbeat Test: You can feel if a store has life—it shows in team members' faces, product quality, and customer experienceDistrict Managers as Brand Stamps: With hundreds of employees in their charge, DMs are the company's representation to every team memberTacit Approval Tells All: The #1 indicator of management commitment is what behaviors they allow to continue unchallengedSoft Skills First: In an AI-driven future, human connection becomes your competitive advantage—train for it nowThe Courage to Ask: Elle asked her direct reports to train her like a newbie—vulnerability in leadership drives real growthPerfect For: Operations leaders building homegrown talent pipelines, district managers transitioning from technical excellence to people leadership, L&D teams developing field leadership programs, and executives scaling from 10 to 50+ locations while maintaining culture.About Elle Piper: Senior Director of Operations at 7 Leaves Cafe, overseeing 41+ locations across corporate and franchise units. Started as a district manager in 2020 after losing her previous role when her company closed 97 locations during the pandemic. Former competitive athlete who approaches operations as a team sport, bringing field-tested wisdom about what actually drives store performance. Known for her emphasis on empathy without strings and building psychological safety across operations teams.Time Stamp Chapters00:00 From Pandemic Job Loss to Operations Leadership02:23 Decisions I'd Handle Differently After 5 Years04:48 How to Read a Store in 30 Seconds08:25 Why District Managers Are Your Most Pivotal Role14:10 Why Soft Skills Training Comes First16:10 Turnover Never Lies: Spotting Management Potential19:49 Having the Hard Conversations with High Performers23:44 What Every New District Manager Needs to Know31:46 Lightning Round: From Baskin Robbins to LeadershipAbout UsOpus is the leading training operations platform for multi-unit brands with frontline workforces, helping operators deliver consistent, engaging training that delivers measurable results. Trusted in thousands of locations across restaurants, retail, fitness, healthcare and consumer services, Opus customers include Smashburger, Craveworthy Brands, Let’s Play Soccer, Shipley Do-Nuts, Sound Fun Entertainment, Big Chicken, York Building Services, Gordon Ramsay Group, Jose Andres Group and more. Learn more at www.opus.soHave an idea or experience you'd like to share? Keep the conversation going with us on LinkedIn!