The Proven Way To Recharge And Succeed? Unplug!

In this eye-opening episode of the Restaurant Success Podcast, veteran restaurant advisor Matthew Mabel challenges the conventional wisdom that working longer hours leads to greater success in the restaurant business. Drawing from his recent five-day silent meditation retreat experience, Matthew reveals why the most successful restaurant entrepreneurs and business owners he works with aren't the ones putting in sixty-plus hour weeks. Instead, he explores how unplugging, taking care of yourself, and maintaining balance is actually the proven path to sustainable restaurant success and business growth. This episode is essential listening for restaurant owners, entrepreneurs, and business leaders who want to achieve profit growth while maintaining their sanity and enjoying the freedom their restaurant business should provide.

Key Topics Covered

• Why unplugging and self-care are critical to restaurant business success
• The counterintuitive relationship between working fewer hours and achieving better results
• How to find your personal grounding practice that sustains you as a restaurant entrepreneur
• The importance of protecting your personal time as a business owner
• What the world's wealthiest businesspeople have in common regarding self-care
• How to create systems that allow restaurant owners to work regular schedules

Resources Mentioned

• Website: www.surrender.biz
• Free initial consultation available
• "The Alexander Complex" by Michael Meyer

Connect with Matthew Mabel

Matthew works with owners of successful, independent, multi-unit restaurants to improve:

• Profit growth
• Sales optimization
• Guest count increase
• Unit expansion
• Employee engagement
• Brand loyalty

How to Support the Show

• Subscribe to the Restaurant Success Podcast and Newsletter
• Rate and review the show
• Visit www.surrender.biz for additional resources

Transcript

Hello, and welcome to the Restaurant Success Podcast. I'm Matthew Mabel, veteran restaurant advisor, coach, consultant, and speaker devoted to multi-unit independent restaurant unit, profit and revenue growth, internal harmony and ownership freedom and flexibility.

This is your weekly entree of the advice, strategy and tactics that I currently provide to my best clients.

Today we're going to talk about something that might seem counterintuitive - how unplugging and taking care of yourself is actually the proven way to recharge and succeed in the restaurant business.

I'll share a personal experience from a recent retreat I took, explore what truly sustains successful business owners, and explain why the most successful restaurant operators I work with aren't the ones putting in sixty-plus hour weeks

We'll also discuss how to find that one thing in your life that keeps you grounded and focused, and why protecting that time is absolutely critical to your success.

At the end of last month, while you were working your five-day week, I did something that might surprise you. I meditated in near-complete silence for five days with ninety other people. And yes, I did this voluntarily.

So far, twenty twenty-five has been a very busy, successful, productive year for me - and frankly, sometimes overwhelming. I needed a reset to keep my balance and filter out all the noise that bombards us every day. Now, I feel a whole lot better and can tap back into that energy when I need to.

It makes me a better person; father; and restaurant consultant.

Both less reactive and more aware.

Now, let me tell you about what I learned during those five days about what truly sustains us.

We only broke our silence a couple of times, most notably in a forty-five minute meeting with a teacher and small groups of four of our fellow retreat members to check in on our experience. One of the people in my small group had come to the retreat because, after fifteen years of blissful retirement, she was involved with a significant challenge her twenty-year-old grandson was facing. 

She told us, "Meditation is how I survive."

I thought to myself that Meditation helps me stay calm and deal with the ups and downs of life. And, that cardio, specifically running, sustains me.

However challenging a day I may have, I know I'll feel so much better once I run that I'll be able to deal with just about anything.

I'm in good company with this approach. Thirty years ago, I read a book called "The Alexander Complex" by Michael Meyer, about the then six wealthiest businesspeople in the world and the factors behind their common drive and achievements. One of the things they had in common was exercise - either running, walking, cycling, or swimming.

Here's something that might surprise you about my consulting work - I have never told anyone to work more.

As an owner of a successful independent restaurant company, you must have that outlet, that one thing you do in your life that keeps you grounded and focused. You also need something to help you stay calm.

You must guard that time in your schedule - treating it like a life-or-death matter.

What we do seldom identifies as easy, especially in today's market conditions. We may make it look easy because of experience, which can be taken for granted.

The most successful people I work with do not put in sixty hours or more. They only work the time necessary to achieve what they expect and then they still have plenty of time for other important things.

So let me ask you this - what is it that sustains you?

I have spent a lot of effort in my business re-inventing companies so their owners work a "regular" schedule, or less.

I can't think of one time I have told a client, "Sorry, but you must start working more hours."

So which part of your life grounds everything else you do? How do you make sure you devote enough time to that? If nothing comes to mind, I'd love to help you figure this out.

Let me tell you about how we might work together. I work with owners of successful, independent, multi-unit restaurants to grow their profit, sales, guest count, and unit count. My unique approach bonds employees and guests to restaurant brands and allows owners to enjoy the freedom and flexibility they have earned.

To schedule a call with me to discuss how to achieve your biggest goals, follow the link in the show notes. The initial consultation is complimentary, and we can discuss which big moves might be right for your operation.

Thanks for listening. If you haven't already subscribed to the Restaurant Success Podcast and Newsletter podcast, please do so, and rate and review the show. Find more information in the show notes at Restaurant Success Podcast dot com.

Also find tons of information you can use in print, audio and video form at my website, www dot surrender dot biz. Thanks again and see you next time.