Brett Schulman on Building CAVA: Heart, Health, and Humanity at Scale

Joy, soul, and hospitality aren’t soft words… they're a growth strategy!

That’s the message from Brett Schulman, CEO & Co-Founder of CAVA, who joined me on The Business of Joy podcast this week.

Before leading one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands in America, his early jobs of washing cars and chopping firewood built his work ethic: discipline, pride, and the power of showing up!

A few gems in this episode:

🌱 Manual work builds character, while human connection builds culture. His early jobs taught him attention to detail, perseverance, and the pride of finishing well.

🧡 Small wins build big discipline. Making your bed. Showing up. Doing the small things consistently… that’s how momentum and resilience are built.

🔥 Hospitality is a competitive edge. As technology removes friction, people crave warmth. The dining room isn’t dead - bad experiences are.

📈 Lead for decades, not quarters. Show up on the bad days. Invest through headwinds. Build for the long game.

Brett is a testament that when leaders choose humanity over fear, the brand doesn’t just survive… it thrives.