Why Great Companies Fail | Greg Hard on Leadership & Culture

Why do some companies thrive for years — only to suddenly collapse?In this episode of the We Attitude Podcast, David sits down with Greg Hard, a hospitality and restaurant leader who has helped lead and grow companies like Hard Rock Cafe, Lone Star Steakhouse, Joey B’s, and multiple independent restaurant concepts.Greg shares his journey from struggling academically with dyslexia to becoming one of the youngest Hard Rock general managers in the country. Along the way, he witnessed firsthand how powerful culture, onboarding, systems, and leadership can transform a business — and how quickly profit-first thinking can destroy one.This conversation dives into:Leadership and accountabilityBuilding high-performance teamsWhy company culture mattersThe rise and fall of businessesRestaurant industry realitiesBurnout and work ethicSystems and repeatable processesWhy human connection matters more than everIf you lead a business, manage a team, own a restaurant, work in hospitality, or want to better understand leadership and culture, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and real-world experience.Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, business, mindset, and growth.00:00 Intro00:27 Meet Greg Hard01:27 Finding Purpose Through Restaurants02:32 Leadership Lessons from Lone Star04:33 Watching a Great Company Collapse06:03 Building a Winning Culture08:04 Toxic Leadership & Company Decline09:25 Hard Rock Cafe & Leadership Growth10:27 Why Most People Never Implement11:45 Getting the Right People on the Bus13:13 What Real Leadership Actually Means14:27 The Story Behind Hard Rock Cafe16:03 Why Culture Must Come First17:01 The Power of Great Onboarding18:18 Outworking Everyone Around You19:28 Restaurants vs “Real Jobs”21:03 Why Restaurant People Think Differently22:20 Restaurants as Community Builders24:47 Leaving Hard Rock & Starting Over26:08 Lessons from Construction & Ownership27:18 Covid’s Impact on Restaurants28:00 Partnerships, Profit & Consulting