Restaurants have always been my passion, along with entertaining people. It all started when I was 15, working at a fantastic Italian restaurant in St. Louis back in the 80s. The fast-paced nature of the restaurant industry intoxicated me. I loved observing how everything moved, changed, and flowed, almost as if the restaurant itself was alive. The dim lighting created a romantic atmosphere, casting an Amberglow on people’s faces when it was just right. With Bobby Darin’s music playing on the jukebox, the vibe was perfect. When I turned 18, the owner asked me if I wanted to be a server. I responded, “What if I ran this place?” Of course, Don didn’t agree to let an 18-year-old kid take over his business, but little did he know, that was just a foreshadowing of what was to come in my life. I went on to work for two highly successful corporate restaurants, one of which was even named Forbes Fortune 500 Company of the Year. By the age of 20, I became a general manager, and they even built me my own restaurant from the ground up. I was the youngest general manager around, constantly opening new stores and solving problems at the highest level. The financial education I received from the corporate world helped me make sense of the academic side of my life. As I delved into self-development, I discovered my true passion: helping people. Looking back, the signs were always there. I loved serving others. What I’ve come to realize is that many successful individuals in the service industry have a servant’s heart. They genuinely want to help people. Whether it’s a cook expressing themselves through food or a server graciously attending to you and your family during a meal, we are quite different from people’s perception of restaurant workers. Our goal is to foster collaboration between owners and the restaurant family to create healthier environments.

The mission is to provide a purpose, a plan, a financial strategy and a winning culture to St. Louis restaurants, creating an opportunity for the most professional service industry in the United States starting in St. Louis.