This week on the Titans of Food Service podcast, Nick Portillo speaks with Sean Lyons, Managing Partner of Up Hospitality Partners. Sean shares his enriching journey from a finance graduate at Purdue University to becoming a prominent name in the Tennessee restaurant scene. Sean and Nick explore the practical aspects of finding investors, structuring deals, and the significance of robust operational systems. Using his experiences working within industry-leading restaurant groups, Sean explains the benefits of surrounding oneself with experienced professionals and adopting reliable systems and processes. 

Quotes

• "Restaurants are successful by a million cuts. There's so many factors at play, and you have to do everything yourself in the beginning." -Sean Lyons

• "There's always the luck play and the location play, but you can reduce that area of unknown with the right systems and knowledge." -Sean Lyons

TIMESTAMPS

(00:02) Sean Lyons on Restaurant Investments and Ballroom Dancing

(04:10) From Tapas to Fine Dining: A Culinary Journey

(06:40) The Intersection of Ballroom Dancing, Wrestling, and Culinary Arts

(14:11) Building a Hospitality Legacy in Nashville

(16:16) Risk-Averse Strategies for Opening and Expanding Restaurants

(22:37) Securing Investment and Reviving a Restaurant Amid Adversity

(27:12) Structuring Investor Models and Leadership in Business

(33:14) Creating Sustainable Restaurant Models and Employee Ownership

RESOURCES

Portillo Sales

CONTACT 

Nick: nick.portillo@portillosales.com