In this episode of Business Savages, Olya sits down with Alberto Zandi, co-founder of Emerald Hospitality Group, to discuss his journey from a young strategy consultant to establishing a thriving hospitality business with his twin brother. Alberto opens up about the unexpected hurdles of the restaurant industry, the importance of adaptability, and the unique dynamics of co-founding a business with family. He also shares key insights into finding purpose, embracing failures as learning experiences, and building resilience in a high-stakes environment. This conversation uncovers the gritty realities of scaling a hospitality group while staying true to personal happiness and purpose.
Learning Takeaways:
Family as Business Partners: Working with a family member, especially a twin, can streamline decision-making but requires clear role separation to avoid conflicts that may affect both business and personal relationships.
Balancing Stubbornness and Open-mindedness: Alberto shares the importance of striking a balance between perseverance and flexibility to respond to market feedback, which he views as crucial for any entrepreneur.
Failing Forward: Early failures, from missteps in business model alignment to underperforming locations, taught him invaluable lessons about customer psychology and market adaptability. Embracing these failures paved the way for long-term success.
Building Confidence for Resilience: Alberto emphasizes that self-confidence is key, especially in challenging industries, and that physical exercise is a practical method to cultivate this mindset.
Focus on Core Strengths: Success doesn’t come from doing everything. Zandi advises prioritizing tasks that truly drive growth rather than simply staying busy—a lesson he believes every founder should internalize.
Homework:
Start Small with Exercise for Confidence: Dedicate a few days a week to consistent physical exercise to build confidence, which can translate into business resilience.
List Your Interests and Potential Market Gaps: Spend 30 minutes jotting down personal interests, then brainstorm how these could fill a market gap. Choose one idea to explore further.
Empower Someone on Your Team: If you manage others, identify a person who may benefit from more responsibility. Grant them creative freedom on a small project and offer supportive guidance.
Practice Focused Efforts: Choose one task or project to pursue deeply this week rather than multitasking. Track its progress and assess how focusing impacts quality and results.
Assess Purpose in Your Projects: Evaluate whether current projects or goals are genuinely fulfilling. If they aren’t, consider ways to pivot towards work that aligns better with your sense of purpose.
Closing Reflection Question:Reflect on this: Are you mistaking movement for progress? Remember to focus on quality and meaningful results over mere activity to avoid burnout and achieve true growth.
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