Most restaurant owners spend their days obsessing over food cost, labor and sales — but what if the real driver of chaos isn’t on your P&L at all? In this episode of “The Restaurant Prosperity Formula” podcast, I pull back the curtain on the inner game that shapes every decision you make as a leader. From automatic thoughts and emotional reactions to old stories and personal triggers, this conversation is about the invisible forces that either keep you stuck or set you free. If you’ve ever felt like you’re working harder than ever but not getting ahead, this episode will help you understand why — and what awareness you need before real change can happen.

🖥️ Get My Latest Training Video: https://dsp.coach/training-opt-in

👍 Book a Call ­– https://dsp.coach/podcast-ryan-call

Sponsor – Service with Style: www.servicewithstyle.com/dsp

Visit my website for more information about my restaurant coaching program: https://www.davidscottpeters.com

If you’ve ever hired someone because you needed a body to work in the restaurant and then paid for it for months, this episode will feel uncomfortably familiar. In episode 140 of “The Restaurant Prosperity Formula” podcast, I sit down with Dwight Crain, managing partner of Eleserv, to talk about the real reason turnover keeps repeating itself and how better selection changes everything. You’ll hear what restaurant owners can expect to learn about the hidden costs of a bad hire, why most of us overrate our interviewing skills, how assessments and benchmarks can narrow the candidate pool fast and how the right hiring process protects your culture, your guest experience and your profit.

🖥️ Get My Latest Training Video: https://dsp.coach/training-opt-in

👍 Book a Call ­– https://dsp.coach/podcast-ryan-call

Sponsor – Service with Style: www.servicewithstyle.com/dsp

Visit Eleserv for more information on support for hiring in your restaurant: www.eleserv.com

Visit my website for more information about my restaurant coaching program: https://www.davidscottpeters.com

You know things are bad in your restaurant when you’re so overwhelmed you forget to eat for three days and your debit card is declined at the gas pump. In this episode of “The Restaurant Prosperity Formula” podcast, I sit down with Kristi and Tracy Carter, owners of JAC’s Craft Smokehouse in West Monroe, Louisiana, to talk about how they went from that rock-bottom moment to running a profitable, values-driven barbecue restaurant with a management team that lets them travel without worrying. In our conversation, you’ll hear how they turned an award-winning sauce company into a full-service smokehouse, how they used systems to get out of survival mode, what changed when they finally embraced budgets and prime cost, how they rebuilt their marriage and work-life balance, and why they now feel confident opening a second concept. Tune in for a front-row seat to what it looks like when an operator fully commits to the Restaurant Prosperity Formula and uses leadership, systems, training, accountability and taking action to completely change their life.

🖥️ Get My Latest Training Video: https://dsp.coach/training-opt-in

👍 Book a Call ­– https://dsp.coach/podcast-ryan-call

Sponsor – Service with Style: www.servicewithstyle.com/dsp

Visit my website for more information about my restaurant coaching program: https://www.davidscottpeters.com

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything “right” in your restaurant and still not getting the results you want, this podcat episode is for you. In this conversation with restaurant pro and digital media legend Shawn P. Walchef of Cali BBQ and Cali BBQ Media, we dig into why “build it and they will come” is a lie, why no one is coming to save your restaurant, and why that’s actually great news. Walchef shares how he went from struggling with a bad location during the 2008 economic collapse to building a thriving restaurant and media company telling his story online. In this episode of “The Restaurant Prosperity” podcast, you’ll hear why every restaurant needs to think like a media company, what kind of stories really move the needle, how consistency beats perfection, why trolls and criticism are a sign you’re on the right track, and how using simple tools you already have can change your business, your brand and even your legacy.

🖥️ Get My Latest Training Video: https://dsp.coach/training-opt-in

👍 Book a Call ­– https://dsp.coach/podcast-ryan-call

Sponsor – Service with Style: www.servicewithstyle.com/dsp

Visit my website for more information about my restaurant coaching program: https://www.davidscottpeters.com

Find Shawn P. Walchef on social media platforms: @shawpwalchef

I open this episode with a challenge: What if the difference between feeling chained to your restaurant and finally running it on your terms comes down to five leadership habits you can choose — every single day? In Episode 137 of the “Restaurant Prosperity Formula Podcast,” I dig into how visibility, consistency, development, clarity, accountability, passion, persistence, communication and action show up in thriving operations. You’ll hear real stories from owners who turned corners by documenting standards, steering with numbers, coaching their people and implementing systems that stick. If you’re wondering what leadership actually looks like in the trenches — and what you can expect when you commit to it — this one’s for you.

🖥️ Get My Latest Training Video: https://dsp.coach/training-opt-in

👍 Book a Call ­– https://dsp.coach/podcast-ryan-call

Sponsor – Service with Style: www.servicewithstyle.com/dsp

Visit my website for more information about my restaurant coaching program: https://www.davidscottpeters.com

I opened this episode with a simple truth: restaurants don’t win on one great meal — they win on the second and third visits. In my conversation with hospitality pro Darren Denington, we unpack what really drives repeat business right now: first impressions that stick, value guests can feel (beyond price) and service that creates a personal connection. You’ll hear how to turn a first-time guest into a regular, what “value” actually means to today’s diners, where operations quietly erode loyalty and how to use systems, training, accountability — and yes, secret shopping — to keep experiences scoring in the 90s. This is a playbook for owners who want more visits, higher check averages and a reputation that markets itself.

🖥️ Get My Latest Training Video: https://dsp.coach/training-opt-in

👍 Book a Call ­– https://dsp.coach/podcast-ryan-call

Sponsor – Service with Style: www.servicewithstyle.com/dsp

Visit my website for more information about my restaurant coaching program: https://www.davidscottpeters.com

Who doesn’t love a comeback story? In episode 135 of “The Restaurant Prosperity Formula” podcast, I sit down with Linda Grace Zadoian, owner of Piccadilly Grace Café & Market in San Marino and South Pasadena, California, to trace her path from middle-market finance to multi-unit operator who rediscovered joy in the business. You’ll hear how she stabilized after inflation shocks, literal wildfires and personal loss — not through heroics, but by embracing leadership, systems, training, accountability and taking action. Expect to learn what changed in her mindset, the specific levers she started pulling, and why community and the right implementer turned overwhelm into momentum.

🖥️ Get My Latest Training Video: https://dsp.coach/training-opt-in

👍 Book a Call ­– https://dsp.coach/podcast-ryan-call

Sponsor – Service with Style: www.servicewithstyle.com/dsp

Visit my website for more information about my restaurant coaching program: https://www.davidscottpeters.com

What happens when the coach becomes the one in the hot seat? In this episode of “The Restaurant Prosperity Formula” podcast, I hand the mic to longtime friend and Mastery Plus member, Brian Sandel, co-owner of Creekwood Grill in Cypress, Texas. Sandel brings decades of restaurant experience to the table — and plenty of tough, thoughtful questions. Together, we dive into leadership lessons, the realities of restaurant ownership and even personal stories that shaped my journey. If you tune in, you’ll hear candid insights about success, failure, impostor syndrome, and why systems and processes are the foundation of lasting prosperity in the hospitality and restaurant business.

🖥️ Get My Latest Training Video: https://dsp.coach/training-opt-in

👍 Book a Call ­– https://dsp.coach/podcast-ryan-call

Sponsor – Service with Style: www.servicewithstyle.com/dsp

Visit my website for more information about my restaurant coaching program: https://www.davidscottpeters.com