Restaurant Reset: A Strategic Reset for Hospitality Entrepreneurs

Join us for a four week (see attendance dates below) series to learn more about A Strategic Reset for Hospitality Entrepreneurs Ready for Stronger Sales and Better Profit. If your restaurant feels busy but the profits still aren’t where they should be, Restaurant Reset will help you rebuild the systems that drive stronger sales and better margins. Many food business owners are working harder than ever but still struggling to see the sales growth and profitability they want. Rising costs, staffing challenges, and changing customer habits have created a new operating environment for the hospitality industry. Restaurant Reset is designed to help hospitality industry veterans owners step back from daily operations and focus on the key systems that drive a successful business. Over four focused sessions, you will explore the core areas that support stronger restaurants: business strategy, menu and team performance, brand identity, and financial clarity. Our upcoming 4-part SBDC series is different. We’ve paired 30 years of hard-earned hospitality grit with MBA-level strategy to give you a "Business Engine" that actually works in 2026. What we'll cover: · Week 1 (April 7th): Beyond the Plate: The Business Engine Behind Profitable Restaurants This session shifts the focus from cooking to operating; It’s about building a machine that runs smoothly even when the owner isn’t on the line. o The New Hospitality Business Model: Analyzing post-pandemic strategic shifts and why the old way doesn't work anymore. o The 6-Step Management Process: A proprietary framework for ongoing management and operational excellence. o Strategic Audit: Tools to assess your current standing and map out a profitable path forward. · Week 2 (April 14th): Product & People: Building a Menu and Team That Drive Sales Learn how to refine menu offerings and strengthen team performance to increase efficiency, enhance guest experience, and boost revenue. In this session, the product isn't just the food—it’s the culture and the consistency of the guest experience. o The Hospitality Talent War: How to hire, train, and retain a winning team in a competitive market. o The "Guacamole & Avocado Toast"; Strategy: A deep dive into the "core" of your success—focusing on high-value, high-margin signature items that define your business. o Systems for Success: Building the infrastructure that supports your staff. · Week 3 (April 21st): The Brand: Standing Out in a Crowded Market Discover how a clear restaurant identity and market positioning attract the right customers, create loyalty, and make your business memorable. A restaurant without a brand is just a kitchen. This session explores how to communicate your "why"; to the world. o Brand Architecture: Building a food business brand that resonates emotionally with customers. o Branded Marketing: Moving beyond "discounting"; to value-based marketing that builds loyalty. o Evolution: Adapting your brand identity to fit the modern, post-pandemic landscape. · Week 4 (April 28th): Financial Well-Being: Numbers don't lie, but they can be hard to read. The Math of Restaurant Success Simplify restaurant finances and learn how to read key numbers, from costs and margins to cash flow, so you can make smarter decisions and strengthen profitability. This session simplifies the complex world of restaurant finance. o Real-Time Financial Management: How to read reports and make decisions today instead of waiting for the end of the month. o Food Costing for Sanity: Mastering the formula for profitability. We will look at the math behind every bite: o Profitability Mapping: Identifying "profit leaks" and tightening the ship for long-term financial health.

Speaker(s): Deagon B. Williams, Proprietor of Culinary Business Strategy, is a chef and food business consultant who uses broad & deep industry knowledge with an unbound intuitive curiosity to help clients & businesses realize the next level of business opportunity and success. Deagon completed culinary school at La Varenne in Paris followed by an intensive apprenticeship program all while eating her way through the streets of Paris and the European continent. Deagon was part of the first wave of American women to work their way up the kitchen ladder in high-end kitchens. She began honing her management skills and style beyond her culinary education as the Executive Chef at the Heritage House on the Mendocino Coast at the age of 24. She later rounded out her culinary education with a BA in Sociology and an MBA with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship and Marketing. She brings 20+ years of experience as an Executive Chef, event planner, business owner, business development specialist, mentor and consultant.

Co-Sponsor(s):

Fee: $ 200.00