One of my bucket list goals during #TR30days is to work my way through P90X.  I have been traveling with these DVDs for over 4 months.  Interestingly, they never make it from my suitcase to my laptop.  That’s why it is my goal is to start with 30 minutes a day and then keep building up time over the next few weeks. Tony Horton (P90X Founder) and his team look like they are truly gifted and talented people however for right now they are my competition in my quest to complete P90X.  I am out to beat them at their own game.  Yes, this is my version of self-motivation beating the DVD team!

I am also confident that in this journey there will be many lessons learned.  Today, I had just that experience.  I had lunch with my good friend Richard and his mother Shirley.  She is truly an amazing person and it was terrific to spend time with her and Richard.   I was sharing with Shirley how I was doing P90X as part of my 30 day bucket list.  As Shirley and I talked she told me about her aerobics class and how she carries two pound weights during her class.  She went on to also share how the instructor was really pushing everyone.  As I listened to Shirley describe her workout with her great enthusiasm and spirit I became completely inspired and even more motivated to beat the DVD team. You see Shirley is a very active 94 years old and her aerobics instructor is 67!

My #TR30Days lesson for today is it is not age that defines us it is how we choose to live our lives that defines us.  We all have the power to control our own destiny.  So, I am happily throwing my dessert fork down for the next 30 days and say to Tony and his team BRING IT!  And I am slowly and with the spirit of Shirley going to Bring It too! 

What Does a Great Life Look Like?

Ask a hundred people what a great life looks like and you’ll probably get a hundred different answers-but certain answers will make virtually everyone’s list.

Most people would agree, for example, that a great life includes something worth living for, maybe even worth dying for. A portion of a great life would be devoted to something bigger, greater, grander than yourself. Something that inspires you, energizes you, pulls you forward.  Something that responds to your unique talent or touch, and ultimately, makes a difference in the world around you.

A great life would naturally bring more meaning, purpose, love, laughter, wonder and adventure to your days.  And, at the end of your journey you would look back on a life of significance, rather than regret-knowing in your heart that you left the world better than you found it. Knowing that you made a difference in the lives of others.  Knowing that you got something wonderful out of it, and you gave something wonderful back.

A great life, of course, is not something we experience, it’s something we create.

excerpted from the book, ONE- how many people does it take to make a difference?

On July 4, 1776 the founders of our country signed their names to the Declaration of Independence. This document became the foundation for uniting the many states of America. Our forefathers had the insight to write a very powerful document. The second paragraph clearly states: ” We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among them these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness…”

Listen, these men certainly had a lot going on in their time too. Little things for example-starting a country, escaping social persecution, facing economic challenges, fighting a war, writing the constitution, and defining a government. I think you get the picture. Here is the punch line though- even then they knew to send us a message, a very important message, a message that clearly states that is our right to pursue Happiness! They knew it over 234 years and were wise enough to send us that message.

I believe we let go of this very right somewhere in the last twenty four to thirty six months. We gave up our power to pursue what was rightly ours as Americans. We gave up our power and in the process we gave up on our own abilities to control our destiny. Why? Because our focus has been squarely on what we have lost and not what we have gained.

Think of what we have gained in the restaurant industry in the past thirty six months. New concepts have emerged, we have re-engaged in innovation, creative thinking, new venues for growth have appeared, and new thinking has been re-ignited in our industry. Look around at who is winning: McDonald’s, Wendy’s Chipotle, Buffalo Wild Wing’s, Raising Cane’s, P.F. Chang’s, IHOP, Houlihan’s, Smashburger, Starbuck’s, Which Wich, Pinkberry, Red Mango, BJ Restaurants, Wing Zone, Pizza Patron, etc. New concepts are opening everywhere both in terms of small chains and independents. Yes, I realize many restaurants have closed and are currently being sold on the cheap. However, let’s look closer at these restaurants- were they current, were they relevant, were they “hot” and when was the last time you had eaten at one of them?

My point is there are companies winning everyday in our industry. The time is now to exercise our right to pursue happiness. We all have the freedom to make a choice. The choice begins with one person deciding to make a positive difference to win. One person can start a movement to change a team, a workplace, a community and a society. It starts with a choice to be part of the solution versus languishing in despair, desperation and decline. Where would our country be today if our fore fathers made that choice? We can all make the choice to win, to think differently, to stretch, to take risks and to rise the occasion. It’s time for all of us to get back in the saddle and giddy up to a better place. It’s time for all of us to see the glass half full and drain that glass and fill it up again.

It’s time for us to celebrate success again, even little victories. It’s time to for us to start feeling good about the positive things in our businesses and lives. It’s time for us to take back our power and start living in a world of possibilities. It’s time that we take back our ability to dream for a greater tomorrow. It’s time for us to connect with what makes this industry great and that is to be bold again.

Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s said “the only way to control your destiny is to create your destiny.” It is our time to take back our power to create our destiny. Start today by making the choice to run a better restaurant, a better shift or even a better station. It is your right to pursue Happiness and success!

Those who say there are no heroes left in the world just don’t know where to look. You can see heroes every day, going in and out of schools, hospitals, homes and  businesses.

Heroes are everyday people who have chosen to give a portion of their lives to something bigger than themselves. Heroes light a candle in the dark. They just have a way of brightening our world with a word, an example, a gift, a hand, and idea.

We all need heroes. They inspire us to be better versions of ourselves.

Excerpted from One: How many people does it take to make a difference?

Founder of Dunkin’ Donuts William Rosenberg’s life has been a true Horatio Alger story. It all started in 1946 when William founded Industrial Luncheon Services, a company that delivered meals and coffee break snacks to factory workers in the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts. The success of Industrial Luncheon Services led Rosenberg to open his first coffee and donut shop, the “Open Kettle”. Then, in 1950, Rosenberg opened the first store known as Dunkin’ Donuts in Quincy, Massachusetts. Today there are over 6400 Dunkin’ Donuts franchises in the USA. Dunkin’ Donuts, along with Baskin-Robbins, is owned by Dunkin’ Brands Inc.

Following are some inspired quotes from this legend.

“Always provide your customers with the finest quality, service, cleanliness and value.” “Show me a person who never made a mistake and I will show you a person who never did anything.”

“In unity there is strength. Consider the fragile snowflake that flutters slowly to earth and disintegrates; however, if enough of them stick together they can paralyze an entire city.”

“A Leader must possess credibility, imagination, enthusiasm, vision, foresight, a sense of timing, a passion for excellence and be willing to share.”

“They must also possess empathy, common sense, devotion, dedication, persistence, the ability to communicate, teach and pass on to others, and always remember the customer is the boss for they have the discretion where to spend their money amongst the multitude of competitors vying for it.”

excerpted from LTBN.com, wikipedia.com

The Arithmetic of Making a Difference

The law of accumulation: The sum total of a lot of little things isn’t little.- Dan Zadra

Service to others has its own arithmetic Combine two or more good-hearted people in the pursuit of a common cause, and suddenly one-plus-one is more than two.

It’s called synergy. We can all do a little something, but together we can do something truly amazing.

If we all use the arithmetic of service, there isn’t a problem in this world that can’t be solved. The hard part is convincing each person that they play a significant part in the equation-that each of us has something to give which cannot otherwise be given-that we all contribute a very critical factor in the multiplier effect.

When 1+1 is more that 2.

5 Hours a Week: Using arithmetic of service one person could change the social landscape of our country in a few hours a week. How? If every American donated just five hours a week to a good cause, it would equal the labor of 20 million full-time volunteers.

4 Hours a Week: If every employee in every American company were given just four hours a month to volunteer for a cause of their choice, American companies could transform thousands of neighborhoods and millions of lives.

A Few Minutes a Day: In her book, The Difference a Day Makes, Karen Jones lists hundreds of small, empowering acts of humanity that anyone can work into their day. Shop at the farmer’s market. Take a neighbor’s dog for a walk. Take your old magazines to the senior center on the way to work. If we all did just one small action each day, we’d create an army of everyday altruists.

Excerpted from the book, ONE: How many people does it take to make a difference?

This weekend we have reached another historic milestone in our country’s history – Elena Kagan being sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice. This is the first time in our country’s history that we have had three women on the Supreme Court at the same time. It is truly an historic event and one that speaks to how far women have come since the passing of the 19th Amendment on June 4, 1919 that gave women the right to vote.

These national events give me pause to reflect on how far women have come in the foodservice industry. This year the Women’s Foodservice Forum enters into its 21st year with the arrival of its first CEO, Fritzi Woods. The WFF has and continues to be a force in advancing executive women at all levels of our industry. In fact, the WFF’s annual Executive Women Summit is right around the corner September 14-16th for members and non-members. Please check out the WFF’s website at womensfoodserviceforum.com for more information on the Executive Women’s Summit and many of the other benefits of participation.

I also have the great pleasure to announce in conjunction with the Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum and Reed Exhibitions that we will be hosting the first gathering of the Foodservice Council for Women. This is an exciting new collaborative to foster communities of women from all areas of the foodservice industry. The Foodservice Council for Women has been initiated to develop on-line and off-line communities for women to connect, exchange and discuss relevant topics in foodservice in conjunction with major trade shows across the United States.

Ferdinand Metz, an industry icon and major supporter of women in foodservice speaks right to the point, “Women today represent the majority of students in culinary arts programs throughout the US and will in the near future dominate the workforce in our industry.” Additionally, Ron Matthews from Reed Exhibition also noted, “Like all historical stages within industries we will look back at this moment in time and say: due to the expansion of more women in the business another new stage of growth and innovation has begun.” For me, the opportunity to partner with two quality organizations to deliver yet another fantastic opportunity for women to connect, grow and advance is amazing!

If you are at the Western Restaurant Show on August 15th please plan to join us from 9:30 am – 11:00 am for this terrific inaugural event. Our session will feature the following:

1) The Secrets to Building a Successful Career in Foodservice
I will be making a presentation on how to build a successful career in foodservice. The session will address practical steps, techniques, tips and tools to truly controlling your own destiny for success and prosperity as you advance career.

2) MasterMind Networking Session
This will be a fast paced, high energy, interactive networking session to discuss and connect on real-time issues that we are all facing in the industry. Topics will be generated by event attendees.

3) Meet and Greet Your Community
Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about local and national organizations dedicated to supporting and advancing women in foodservice.

If you are unable to meet us in LA then please circle your calendar for our next gathering at the Florida Restaurant Show. And if you want to join us in the conversation today please follow us on twitter at #FCWLA. And for all of the men out there let me just say thank you – those doors just did not open by themselves. In the spirit of what we see every day from our friends at FOHBOH - let’s all continue to move forward to advance leaders at all levels of our great industry!


Ideas to provide incentives:

1) The first twenty-five people that register will receive a complimentary copy of Kathleen Wood’s new book: The BEST Shift of Your Life – The Restaurant Manager’s Guide for Success Outside the Restaurant.
2) Everyone that attends the session will receive a raffle ticket for either a two hour session of consulting services from Kathleen Wood Partners (a $500.00 value), or an IPOD courtesy of Reed Exhibitions.

Fred DeLuca, founder of Subway,  opened his first submarine sandwich shop in 1965 at the age of 17 with a $1,000 loan from partner and family friend, Dr. Peter Buck. His first sandwich shop was named Pete’s Super Submarines. By 1974, the name had changed to Subway, and the duo owned and operated 16 units throughout the state of Connecticut. Subway started franchising in 1974.

Subway now has over 29,000 units open. It seems Peter Buck got a good return on his $1,000 investment.

Some tips from Mr. Deluca:

Set a Goal-

Subway’s first goal was to have 32 stores in upstate New York. “It was an extremely serious goal in that it never changed,” DeLuca says. “We never had a discussion about changing the goal, we always talked about the goal. We would have not franchised if we didn’t have this plan.”

Visibility is Paramount-

Subway’s founders learned quickly from a mistake they made early on, opening in a “crummy location,” according to DeLuca. So, they opened a second that had a more visible street entrance. “The business in that second store was good from the day we opened it — and the business in the first store picked up also,” DeLuca says.

Build a Relationship with your Vendor-

When they first started out, DeLuca and his mother would drop in every Friday on four suppliers — the people who sold them meat, bread, vegetables, and paper. “It was a little five- or 10-minute social visit,” he says, adding that the practice, “allowed them to be comfortable with us.”

Source: INC.com, about.com

Bill Shore is the founder and executive director of Share Our Strength, the nation’s leading organization working to end childhood hunger in America. Shore is also the chairman of Community Wealth Ventures, Inc., a for-profit subsidiary of Share Our Strength that provides strategic counsel to foundations and nonprofit organizations interested in creating community wealth — resources generated through profitable enterprise to promote social change.

Shore founded Share Our Strength in 1984 in response to the Ethiopian famine and subsequently renewed concern about hunger in the United States. Today, more than 17 million children in the United States are going hungry.

In October 2005, “US News & World Report” selected Shore as one of America’s Best Leaders.

“We need to reclaim what we have for too long ignored and neglected: the opportunity for active and meaningful engagement in our own communities…”

“I believe we should fight for the unrealistic, rather than defend the unacceptable.”

On Share Our Strength:“……The tide is high. Conditions are favorable. Now we must work as hard as we can to make sure we get the results children in America need.”

“We have accomplished much with the help of all those who’ve joined our No Kid Hungry campaign, but we have a very long way to go. We must hold ourselves accountable to specific goals and measure our progress. If we do, we will ensure that a rising tide really does lift all boats, and we will succeed in achieving an America where no kid is hungry.”

Over the past few weeks I have been involved in a lot of conversations over the very real concern that “if the economy comes around are we are going to lose our great people because we have not given them a raise or a bonus in the past two years?  Someone will make them a better offer.”  Now I could go on and on however, you probably know where it leads and you wouldn’t have to worry about that if you were taking care of them all along and that your staff was stretched to the point of breaking.  So, what is the solution – how do we reconnect, re-energize and re-vitalize our workforce?  Here is an interesting way to provide a solution. 

This week I attended and had the pleasure to speak at the CHART (Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers) conference in New Orleans.  I also had the true privilege to facilitate CHART’s President Panel featuring four terrific leaders: Mark Running, Edie Ames, Jerry Cataldo and David Lloyd. If you are not familiar with them just hit Google and you will see why it was a privilege.  And if you are not familiar with CHART then hit Google again and you will see one of the most amazing organizations in the hospitality industry.  In fact, this conference was a celebration of their 40th anniversary.  What makes CHART so special – you can find that in the heart of CHART in their core values – learning, sharing, caring and growing. 

CHART is very committed to offering attendees service opportunities in every city where they host their conferences.  For New Orleans the service event was with Habitat for Humanity.  A  little bit of background:  I lived in Baton Rouge during both Hurricane Katrina and Rita and stayed two more years after the hurricanes.  I have a very deep rooted belief that when you put the politics aside,  this is the United States, and how can it be that this part of our country is still a mess five years later?  I know part of it is politics and part of it is culture but all of it is unacceptable in the 21st century. So, when I saw what the service event was, with a bittersweet heart I knew I had to go help.  So did 32 other attendees that all flew in a day early on their own dime and time to help rebuild  New Orleans.

Here are a few highlights of what we accomplished:
We started at 8:00 am.  We built a fence which required digging 27 holes, dropping poles, pouring concrete and tying on the links.  We insulated the entire house with insulation made from recycled blue jeans.  We touched up the exterior paint and repainted all of the trim.  We finished exterior stairs cases, we leveled the clay and mid foundation in the front of the house, and we secured the construction area in case  a storm called Bonnie came running through.  We finished at 2:00 pm because there was nothing left for us to do without more supplies.
The good news for us was that it was 90 something degrees and overcast.

Here’s the punch line - it wasn’t just about what we did it was about what happened to us:
We started as a group of people wanting to help we ended as a tribe bonded by our experience.
We went to help and we left knowing that we had helped.
We wanted to build a house and in fact we built an opportunity for a family.
We did not know who’s house it was until we all starting working with James and he blessed us for working shoulder to shoulder with him to build his home.
We were asked to describe the experience in one word and through the sweat, heat, tears, laughs and exhilaration words flowed like – heartfelt, grateful, transformational, amazing, fantastic, eye-opening.

We all learned, shared, cared and grew in our experience and in our own way we planted one more seed of hope and opportunity. For you see, James’s house was the fifth house in the neighborhood to be built out of blocks of houses still rotting in his neighborhood.


If you are looking for creative ways to inspire, motivate, retain and energize yourself, your team or your company, get out from behind the desk and the counter and go help someone else because in the process you will find how much you will have helped yourself.  What’s more, the cost of doing it is a whole lot less than what your fatigued, exhausted and stressed out teams are costing you today!