Food Truck Startup Journal Entry #8 “Book Review: Love is Free. Guac is Extra… by Monty Moran”
5/1/2023 -
Summary in a sentence — A book about the launch and meteoric rise of Chipotle restaurants told by a credible source that was not the founder.
What is it? The book Love is Free. Guac is Extra: How Vulnerability, Empowerment and Curiosity Built an Unstoppable Team by Monty Moran is ultimately a book about leadership. Moran’s claim to fame is being the co-CEO of Chipotle with founder Steve Ells. In this book Moran captures his role in the second major swing of Chipotle’s growth. After the initial success of Chipotle, Moran helped transition the small business juggernaut into a national chain. The book is part autobiography and part brand growth story.
What I learned — An introductory understanding of the business of fast casual restaurants. Chipotle is known as one of the first (if not the original) successful fast casual restaurant brands. In this book, Moran gives insight into how the organizational sausage (or the burrito) was made.
The book shares how Moran’s la carte spirituality / philosophy shapes his leadership style, the Chipotle internal leadership development process, their “Resturanturer” program, the complexity of having “Co-CEO’s”, the intricacies of their partnership with McDonald’s and many other transferable lessons.
How I will seek to apply -
- My biggest takeaway is that relationships matter, from the CEOs to the staffers. Be intentional about cultivating great relationships on every level.
- Moran makes it clear that it’s also important to establish a clear leadership structure within a restaurant. I think there is wisdom in empowering leaders from within the organization as Moran contends. Moreover, Moran’s personal stories that expound on his relationship dynamics with Chipotle founder Ells is worth the price of the book.
- One unique aspect of Moran’s perspective is that he is a lawyer who transitions to a key restaurant executive. Through Moran’s anecdotes it becomes clear the law and restaurant culture often intersect. One application step is to be intentional about finding a trustworthy legal advocate for the growth and legal protection of business.
- Lastly, create a clear process for employee care, advancement and firings. Employees should be treated honorably.
Thanks for reading and be encouraged!
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To start reading this journal at entry #1, click here — https://zdmgracetocultivate.medium.com/food-truck-startup-journal-entry-1-my-point-of-view-9c7421c0b97c
