Salata's top-performing franchisee reveals 4 go-to management strategies

By Tina MacInnes, multi-unit Salata Salad Kitchen franchise owner in Houston, Texas

Restaurant management is a learned skill. As a teacher-turned-business owner who didn't get started in the restaurant industry until the early 2010s, I understand the tedious process of starting from scratch later in life. While it didn't come easy, 10 years later I've developed a business mindset, and can lead by leveraging learned skills, investing time in employee training and by providing excellent customer service to our guests. I worked my way up to running the top performing store in Salata's entire franchise system. So…what's my secret?

1. Develop a business mindset

To successfully run a restaurant business, you first need to develop the right mindset. What are you hoping to accomplish with your restaurant? What do you want to get out of it? What do you want others to get out of it? From my experience, to be successful you don't need to be focused on money. In fact, money shouldn't be a priority at all. Instead, you need to be involved in your company, love the product you're selling and be willing to put in the work. The people I've seen succeed are a part of their teams. Those that manage their restaurant from a distance don't see the same quality of service and product as those who manage directly. If you care and are willing to do the work, you'll have the passion and connection to propel the business forward.

2. Capitalize on transferable skills

There are a few skills I developed from my time as a teacher that I've found are vital to running a business, and the most important by far is multitasking. Being able to think on your feet and push forward is tricky, but it's extremely helpful in all aspects of business. Assimilating your skills and constantly reanalyzing your objectives and tasks will help you stay as productive and proactive as possible.

It's also important to know how to communicate with and between the various layers of a company. For me, working with the Salata Home Office team was like working with school administration, and training my employees was like teaching students. In a restaurant, you're dealing with a lot of different people at once, so it's necessary to understand how to navigate those layers and communicate effectively with each person you interact with.

Understanding how to effectively organize, plan and follow through are also key factors in successfully running a restaurant. There are a lot of moving parts, and some you won't be able to anticipate until you actually open your doors. But, having a plan of action and an organizational system in place will not only help you succeed, but will also keep you sane!

3. Be fully involved in training

To successfully manage the team at a restaurant, you need to be fully present in their training. The training and teaching that goes into a team is what makes a restaurant most successful. We serve guests across a myriad of demographics, and anyone who has worked in a restaurant can tell you that customers sometimes have strange requests. In that case, it's necessary to teach employees flexibility and strategic thinking. Adequate training not only ensures employees have a higher chance of succeeding and delivering outstanding customer service, but also helps to drive your bottom line.

4. Prioritize customer service

Excellent customer service is critical — and often overlooked. While the customer is not always necessarily right, it's crucial to remain caring and friendly and teach employees to do the same. The key is making the overall customer experience the best you can while also catering to each individual's needs.

A large component of this is truly understanding your guests and the product you serve. I've seen many other restaurant business owners come and go because they were too focused on making money rather than being personally involved in their business and investing time into their guests. I credit my restaurant's success to my time spent in it. My best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs — experienced or not — is to "work your business."

All in all, if you can develop a business mindset based on experience rather than money, learn new skills, train your staff, provide excellent customer service and be involved in your business, you'll find success. I love what I do and am so passionate about my guests, employees and this concept. It's hard work, but having a passion for it makes a world of difference, and I'm extremely proud of my success at Salata.