Build A Better Restaurant with Peter Harman

Most people have a goal… They start that special or important project… Then as soon as they hit a wall - they stop..! Completely Change directions and start doing something else… WHY do we do this… The simple answer is - DOPAMINE…. New projects and new things are exciting… Fun! Think of your new project like climbing a mountain… The new mountain is a new adventure – exciting – lots of dopamine. Then - at some point we meet the first obstacle and it gets hard… but we are so excited – we fight through it… and get a dopamine spike - then it gets fun again… for a while. But eventually as we move up the mountain there are more obstacles than fun stuff. We gotta make a break thru, but we don’t have the energy or the will. So, we put that project aside – and work on something easier… and that BIG ugly Important Thing – sits and waits… and waits… and waits. Today we are going to talk about how leaders build winning teams that overcome obstacles.

In the Old days – mighty industrialists – The Robber Barrons, took advantage of the labor force – the people Today – it’s the opposite - The People – are taking advantage of the Small Business Owner… Restaurant Owners are being held hostage by underperforming employees!

There’s an ancient Roman phrase that most people don’t like to think about… but - the people who do think about it - tend to live different lives, than the average person… The phrase is Memento Mori. - It means: Remember—you will die.

Today we are going to talk about introverts and extroverts This will not be what you expect…

In todays episode we will discuss how the process of ALIGNMENT helps you achieve your goals.

Today I will talk about the next ten years of restaurant-ing. A lot is going to change. Technology, food prices, labor and politics. How people eat… and even what restaurants look like. Some of these ideas may sound a little crazy; but if you look back just ten short years, what felt crazy and weird then is completely normal today.

It was late – the moon had been up for hours - Ned Ludd and his friends felt deep hungry pains As they walked slowly through the town where they grew up – the town they loved. And quietly snuck into the factory – where they used to work Then, they smashed the NEW – ALIEN - machines… that stole their jobs… Don't let this happen to you.

Today I am going to turn you on to three questions that have the power to change your life…

There are two types of restaurants One is engaged in a battle with the guy across the street – in a race to the bottom The other is creating – a grand dining experience in the minds of their loyal guests - and raving fans! Which one describes you… ??

What IF – you could DOUBLE YOUR INCOME in the next year..? Would that get you fired up..?

What would you attempt to do – if you knew you could not fail..? That’s what we are going to talk about today!

Today I am going to pull your strings and TRY to help you - think bigger

If a customer buys once - you make a sale. If the customer comes back - You’ve build Trust. If they come back AGAIN - and bring their friends - You’ve built a Brand! Today we are going to talk about how to do that.

The Great Michelangelo was once asked - how he created the statue of David. He didn’t say: “I’m a great artist.” Or I did something special… NO He said: I removed everything that wasn’t David. Michelangelo knew something – most people never understand The masterpiece was already inside the stone. ALL HE HAD TO DO – WAS SET IT FREE!

Let’s get something straight right out of the gate. Restaurants don’t fail because owners are lazy. They fail because owners are focused on the wrong things. Most restaurant people work harder than almost anyone I know. Long hours. Thin margins. Constant stress. And yet, after all that effort, most owners still struggle to pay themselves, still live month to month, still feel like they’re one bad week away from disaster. That’s not a work ethic problem. That’s a sales system problem. Today’s Pep talk is about the Six Sales Pillars. These are not trends. They’re not hacks. They’re not social media tricks. They are fundamentals—battle-tested, boring, powerful fundamentals—that control almost every dollar that flows through your restaurant. If you understand them and apply them, you win. If you ignore them, nothing else matters.

Today we are going to discuss three reasons why YOU – HAVE NOT - ACHIEVED YOUR GOALS And - what you can do to turn it around…

Two weeks ago we discussed the 5 C’s… Five things to avoid – five Things - to NOT do… Today I want to turn the table – I am going to talk about THINGS - We Absolutely MUST DO… and the fun part is – they all begin with the letter B.

We all have a core philosophy – a way of seeing the world - a set of ideals that shape what we believe. These beliefs – guide how we think - how we act and what we do… Our beliefs become our philosophy - we use this philosophy – to make every decision Our lives are determined by our philosophy and beliefs and ultimately our actions. BUT - what if your core beliefs – are wrong… flawed..? distorted..? What if - everything you think you know – is based on a bad central belief – a flawed core belief system - warped principles and values..?

Do you ever feel that there is never enough time in a day to do all the things you need to do? Do you feel like you are behind and will never catch up? What if I could show you a way – that you could free up 50% of your entire day. You heard me – 50% OF YOUR DAY! And have more CREATIVE TIME TO FOCUS ON DOING THE IMPORTANT THINGS… THE RIGHT THINGS – THE RIGHT WAY INSTEAD OF HAVING TO ALWAYS HURRY THROUGH… In fact… I’m am going to make TODAYS PEP TALK - the central pillar to my 2026 Resolution… And today I am going to share this LIFE CHANGING REVELATION WITH YOU So you can FREE UP YOUR LIFE and GET A LOT MORE IMPORTANT STUFF DONE …

Personally, I think about Goals… A LOT! What they should be – and How to set them - and how to achieve them. Today we will be talking about Goals... So buckle up… This will be FUN!

Today we are going to talk about things that are sapping your strength and killing your business… If you are struggling to get to then next level Or – if your restaurant is circling the drain… Today’s PEP TALK is for you…

This is Thanksgiving week and I want to take a few minutes to walk you through an exercise of Thanksgiving…

Today we are going to talk deeply about TEAM BUILDING This is a MUST Listen for every restaurant owner in America…

I saw a really good video on the internets of Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank talking about Signal vs Noise. A FEW YEARS AGO – I heard Steve Job Talk About this… A few months ago I heard Elon Musk talking about this … This concept is REALLY RELEVANT - to you today… I going to break it down and put it to you - in a way that you can use – TO BUILD A BETTER RESTAURANT

Today I’m going to teach you the secret to building a great and enduring company. This truly is the road to success - IF you can do it... So perk up and pay attention…

Today I want to introduce a bold idea. I want you to block THREE – big negative thoughts - before we get started… The first is - This is the way we have always done it The Second is - Fear of the unknown And the third negative I want you to put down is - worrying about what “THEY” will say… Can you do it… Let’s Find Out…

Forrest Gump Said - Life is like a box of chocolates… Last week we talked about the box - this week we’re gonna talk about the chocolates – the individual pieces inside the box - the players… Today’s pep talk is the second part of a two part mini-series on Team Building. If you did not listen to last week’s pep talk called - YOUR BOX I recommend you go back and listen to it BEFORE starting this one…

Restaurant-ing can be a VERY complicated matter… Today I am going to tell you a story… actually this will be more like an ALLEGORY… My objective is to simplify – the idea of how a restaurant works – and your role in it…

The World can be a tough – mean – ruthless – unforgiving place… People want to tear you down. They want to destroy your ideas and beliefs especially if your ideas are new or radically different than the norm - different than the common – accepted rules of thought and behavior – that they believe.

The Greek Philosopher Seneca said "ENDLESS PLEASURE BECOMES IT’S OWN FORM OF PUNISHMENT"

If I could only do ONE Pep Talk for the rest of my Life this would be it..! Today’s message is SIMPLE and VERY Straight Forward… So Listen Up..!

All great restaurants are similar in many ways, they have a winning formula - a winning recipe that makes them Thrive… All BAD restaurants are BAD in thousands of different ways… Today we are going to discuss several different ideas that I have been thinking about this week With the key idea of – Focus-ing on the POSITIVE…

Why is the owner of the restaurant… standing in the dumpster… Talking on his cell phone..?

Financial Freedom is about having control over your finances and the choices you make. Financial freedom means you have enough income, savings, and investments to live life the way you desire without relying on a traditional job. Financial freedom is a general state of mind. It means you can pay for your life with little or no worry. You get to a point - where you feel secure – You know you can cover everything comfortably and confidently. Financial Freedom is about having THE FREEDOM - TO DO WHAT YOU WANT - WHEN YOU WANT…

My goal with today’s podcast is to change you, my goal is for you to be a different person - at the end of this pep talk… than you are right now…

A restaurant is a precision machine… every part must work in tandem. Imagine a bicycle wheel – if any part of that wheel is out of whack… The ride will not be smooth…

This summer I have spent a LOT of time – interviewing and training staff… Today I want to share the BIG things I have learned…

Today we are going to talk about pyramids, not the Egyptian pyramids or pyramid schemes But the triangle shaped object and the difference between the bottom and the top of a pyramid

YOU CAN’T GO BACK AND CHANGE THE PAST… BUT, YOU CAN – START NOW AND CHANGE THE FUTURE…

Today’s pep talk is for those of you who are struggling to make money in your restaurant.

As the waiter looked out the back kitchen door, he turned to the sous chef and said where is the Chef going with that axe..?

Most people wake up in the morning… and begin their daily routine… They think about what they did yesterday… and what they’ll do today. They contemplate where they are in the world and - where they WISH they were in the world. They think about THE GAP that exists between reality and dreams. In that moment… we are either exhilarated… or dismayed.

If you need tomatoes – You have THREE Choices… Choice #1… You can BUY THEM - at the store or the Farmers Market Choice #2… You can buy a tomato plant – and plant it in your garden Choice #3… You Can start from scratch and “Grow Your Own” - from tomato seeds. I see hiring a staff and building a winning team – the same as planting tomatoes…

Have you ever heard of beginners luck? You start out HOT – Life is GOOD… Everything is going GREAT… You can’t believe your LUCK… Then get crushed – in the vice grip of life..? This is what we are going to discuss today.

Does your restaurant have - TOO MANY customers - or not ENOUGH customers..? I have discovered that most restaurants – HAVE BOTH..! TOO MANY customers and NOT ENOUGH Customers And that’s what we are going to talk about today..!

The older I get… The more I realize – the importance of the simple – Important Things The basic fundamentals… The bedrock of simplicity… 95% of restaurant owners are running around like a chickens with their heads cut off - And the top 5% are just chugging right along – executing the basics… At a very high level - Making LOTS of Money – Living the dream…

Carl Jung said The world will ask you who you are, and if you don’t know, the world will tell you. Whether you realize it or not The world will ask YOU this important question - many times - each and every day. And you will answer it every time it is asked – whether you realize it or not. Every person that you meet or come in contact with - In person, or on the phone or in cyberspace… via email or text or whatever… will directly or indirectly - give you an opportunity to answer this important question… and show who you are in that moment - by your words, actions and response… Every situation you find yourself in… Will present you with a unique opportunity to answer these questions… And SHOW who your truly are… Let's dig in...

Have you ever had a great idea… or made an important decision… And decided 100% that you are going to do it – THIS TIME… And that you will start first thing tomorrow..? And then tomorrow comes and something happens Life throws a wrench into your plans… Maybe you are tired, or sick, or one of your people call in sick, or you have car trouble, or you forgot an important appointment and your whole day gets thrown out of whack… So you VOW to start tomorrow... That’s what happens to 90% of all people… on this planet… They have a GREAT IDEA – A GRAND VISION - AND THEY - get side tracked from what they REALLY want… and this happens Day after day, after day… They never do the BIG IMPORTANT THING - And they settle for what they don’t want… Well… that’s what we are going to talk about today…

A WISE MAN ONCE SAID… A man who lacks purpose will distract himself with pleasure. And – Sit me at the table where they are talking about self-improvement, and achieving exciting goals— NOT gossiping about other people.

We are in the service business – we are here to serve others, BUT the coolest thing is… When we give our best – we get more in return… than we give out. Hospitality is a type of Love – when we give it out by the slice It comes back by the loaf… This week I had a revelation – a breakthrough – And I am really excited to share it with you…