Selecting a Restaurant Business Consultant

Heading into Game 2 of the play-offs against the Indiana Pacers last season, Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue told LeBron James he needed to be a little more aggressive earlier in the game. LeBron scored 46 points that night, squeaking out a win for the Cavs.

The point is this - even someone as successful as LeBron still needs a coach to improve his game.

You should think about that, not only during the startup phase of your restaurant, but every time you feel stymied during the life cycle of your business. Regardless of your business acumen, creativity, or previous restaurant experience, like a professional athlete, "your own natural talent and ability can only take you so far," says Matthew Mabel, owner of Surrender, a restaurant consulting firm in Dallas. A restaurant has many moving parts in a continually changing environment. "The guest is always changing, and the marketplace is always changing, so a consultant is simply a tool to help you stay ahead of the game."

Early success can be the operator's worst enemy, as we all have a tendency to become stagnant or function under the philosophy that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Mabel believes "a successful restaurant operator is always learning, always looking for better methods, always eager to know more."

Also, you don't know what you don't know. A restaurant consultant helps you to see and understand that which you don't know, helps you interpret figures and processes that don't come naturally to you. That individual will bring knowledge, experience and insight that will be unique to your situation.