Steve brown is El Presidente of Busboy restaurant group. Steve got his start in the restaurant industry as, you guessed it, a busboy, at the age of 15. He then worked in the kitchen and eventually became a host when he was still in his teens, and he realized then that he really enjoys FOH. In his early 20's, he left the restaurant industry to work in liquor and beer sales for 4 years, until he opened his first restaurant in 1985 with a partner, called Esparza's Restaurante Mexicano in Grapevine, Texas. In 1990, they opened a second location with a different name. 7 years later they opened a third location, again with a different name, this time called Guerro's. In 2000 came the departure of his former partner, leaving Steve with two locations including the original Esperanza's in Grapevine. Today, Esperanza's is a massive, thriving restaurant and Steve is the president of his own restaurant group. Check out RestaurantSystemsPro as mentioned in today's episode! Check out On The Brink: The Life and Leadership of Norman Brinker by Norman Brinker as highly recommend by today's guest! Today’s feature affiliate: Bentobox. In need of a restaurant website? Click this link to find out why so many of my guests use Bentobox! Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!! Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and get your first 30 days on me! Connect with my past guest and a community of superfans.Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube ChannelJoin the private Unstoppable Facebook GroupJoin the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!) Favorite success quote or mantra: "Doubt, pout, or do without.""The more you put down, the more you pick up." In this episode with Steve Brown we will discuss: The benefits of opening a restaurant young.Stay humbleSchooling post-high schoolGood with people, bad with foodScaling cultureMajor benefits of mastermindsA deteriorating partnership Today's sponsor: At Popmenu, we know that in today’s world, a great hospitality experience usually begins online. Keeping the conversation with guests going beyond the meal also requires simple, powerful, fun technology capable of expression through all kinds of channels. Our team takes pride in helping restaurants put their best foot forward digitally so they can focus on what they do best. We think PDF menus are super boring, we believe 3rd party platforms have had too much say in how consumers find their next dining experience and we deeply feel that sharing your beautiful menu doesn’t have to be so difficult, time-consuming and expensive. As a listener of the Restaurant Unstoppable, you'll receive $100 off your first month of Popmenu! 7shifts is a modern labor management platform, designed by restaurateurs, for restaurateurs. Effectively labor management is more important than ever to ensure profitability and restaurant success. Trusted by over 400,000 restaurant professionals, 7shifts gives you the tools you need to streamline labor operations, communicate with your team, and retain your talent. Best of all 7shifts integrates with the POS and Payroll systems you already use and trust (like Toast!) turning labor into a competitive advantage for your business. Restaurant Unstoppable members get 3 months, absolutely free. Join the 60-day Restaurant Systems Pro FREE TRAINING. This is something that has never been done before. This 60-day event is at no cost to you, but it is not for everyone. Fred Langley, CEO of Restaurant Systems Pro, will lead a group of restaurateurs through the Restaurant Systems Pro software and set up the systems for your restaurant. During the 60 days, Fred will walk you through the Restaurant Systems Pro Process and help you crush the following goals: Recipe Costing Cards; Guidance in your books for accounting; Cash controls; Sales Forecasting(With Accuracy); Checklists; Budgeting for the entire year; Scheduling for profit; More butts in seats and more… Click Here to learn more. Knowledge bombs Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success? Perseverance What is your biggest weakness? My heart is too big What's one thing you ask or look for when interviewing/growing your team? A willingness to learn What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it? Maintaining the culture Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team. Honesty What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff? Attention to customer service What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? On The Brink: The Life and Leadership of Norman Brinker by Norman BrinkerGET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations? RestaurantSystemsPro Motorola head sets/ear piece for communication among restaurant staff What is one thing you feel restaurateurs don't do well enough or often enough? Communicate with customers If you got the news ...