Founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Vision Officer of The Indigo Road Hospitality Group

Lead with your heart. Danny Meyer and of course Will Guidara have both so eloquently reminded us, “service is the transaction, hospitality is how we make you feel about it.” That's true of your employees' experience. The work is the transaction, it's how you make them feel about it.

Ben's Friends is a community. You're not alone, so don't struggle alone. Life is not meant to be done alone. Sobriety, depression, mental health, don't do it alone. Go for a walk, get outside, get some sunshine. If you're struggling, this community is filled with generous souls. Hospitality is generous.

Advice I would tell my younger self: don't worry, it's going to be so much better than you possibly could imagine.

Work really hard on your culture and your employees, When you see somebody that the light bulb comes on for, and they're like, “Wow, this is what I’m meant to do," that's the most rewarding thing there is. When you see somebody thriving, I just love that. That trumps pretty much everything.

In order for your guests to have a great experience, your employees have to have a great experience. Success should be measured in creating opportunities for other people, creating growth opportunities, and creating a place where you say, "If this is your career, you don't have to leave. There's lots for you to do."

If you're willing to work hard and be a part of a team, there's a place for you in hospitality. Not just a place, there's somewhere that you can thrive, and I love that.

I've always loved that our world is so beautifully diverse, and it's all walks of life. So you end up with this really this interesting perspective about our differences and how fun that can be.