Episode 46: Pike Howard of Felipe's Taqueria

The Pre-Shift

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Great teams make great restaurants. On The Pre-Shift, restaurant operators and industry experts dive into what it takes to build great restaurant teams. We explore their stories, the strategies they use, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams. Hosted by D. J. Costantino. Presented by 7shifts.
In this episode, Pike Howard, co-owner and finance and development director of Felipe's Taqueria, shares the history of the restaurant chain founded in 2006, inspired by Felipe Herrera. Pike emphasizes the significance of having a strong foundational playbook for growth, the importance of transparency and profit-sharing with leadership teams, and the role of consistent execution in a high inflationary environment. He cites influences like Danny Meyer’s book, Setting the Table, and Chick-fil-A’s operational focus. Howard stresses the need for non-defensiveness regarding feedback and aims to exceed profitability expectations.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Pike Howard and Felipe's Taqueria

00:09 Founding Story of Felipe's Taqueria

00:23 Growth Strategy and Operational Philosophy

01:11 Leadership and Transparency

01:16 Profit Sharing and Employee Engagement

01:42 Consistency and Adaptation in Operations

02:20 Commitment to Quality and Inspiration

02:49 Operational Excellence and Feedback

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Credits
Host & Producer: D. J. Costantino
Producer: Samantha Fung
Editor: Fina Charleston
About 7shifts
7shifts is the complete team management platform for restaurants. 7shifts provides tools that help restaurateurs make more profitable decisions, improve team retention, and get operations in order. 7shifts is made for everyone — from FOH to BOH — and is trusted by over 40,000 restaurants and 1 million restaurant pros.