Helping your staff create extra special experiences for your customers with Cameron Mitchell

Authored by Cameron Mitchell

Cameron Mitchell and Bill Ringle discuss YES IS THE ANSWER. WHAT IS THE QUESTION: How Faith In People and a Culture Of Hospitality Built A Modern American Restaurant Company

Interview Insights

Top 3 Takeaways from this Interview

• How a chocolate milkshake is served to each employee at his/her first day and is told the story of how it symbolizes the “yes” attitude of service at the company.
• Why our attitude is a crucial aspect of how we approach a business or leadership position… and a  barometer of how we are viewed.
• The “Must Have” five pillars of every business describes your vision for your team and your identity to your customers and the outside world.

Show Notes

• Cameron shares who his inspiration was and how he met him. [1:03]
• Cameron enlightens us on the enigma behind his book “Yes is the question. What is the question?” [2:55]
• How to be more proactive and positive in helping the customers? [5:02]
• Cameron tells his “The Chocolate Milkshake Story.” [6:14]
• Cameron shares his views on the hiring process of an organization and how the employee should be dealt with. [10:46]
• How important is it to have an environment of trust a culture that lets people bring their whole selves to them to work? What are the Do’s and Don’t? [13:00]
• Cameron shares his journey and how he managed to grow it. [14:13]
• Cameron tells the five pillars of Cameron’s restaurant business. Where we want to be? Who are we? What is our mission? What is your role? What is our goal? [14:56]
• Why it is important to have a triangular relationship with the people [19:25]
• Lightning Round [21:44]

Expert Bio

Cameron Mitchell, a lifelong entrepreneur and accomplished businessman, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America when he was 22 years old and has developed 18 different restaurant concepts, including Mitchell’s Fish Market and Mitchell’s Steakhouse, a total of 22 restaurants, that were sold to Ruth’s Hospitality Group for $92 million in 2008.

To this day, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants remains independent and privately held recognizing over $300 million in combined annual revenue from its food service operations consisting of 60 restaurants, Cameron Mitchell Premier Events, The Budd Dairy Food Hall and its sister company, The Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern.

Mitchell has built CMR around the philosophy, “The answer is yes. What is the question?” and by making a Raving Fan out of every person touched by the business, from associates, to guests to delivery drivers at the back door.

It’s a simple statement that serves as the backbone of how the company identifies itself as “great people delivering genuine hospitality.”

Contact Info for Cameron Mitchell

Web address: www.cameronmitchell.com

Travels from: Austin, TX

Social  Media Links: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Resources Mentioned During the Interview

www.cameronmitchell.com