Explore every episode of the podcast The Return

Kathleen McDonough and Derek Williamson built Shifting People on a belief: take care of your people and everything else follows.

Anthony built The Return on the opposite arrow. Episode 2 puts both in the same room. No warmup, no panel-discussion politeness.

Kathleen makes the strongest case for people-first you'll hear anywhere, Derek gets asked to tear it apart before Anthony ever touches it, and then a soaked two-top shows up at a locked door at 10:01pm and every framework in the room gets tested at once.

Plus The Cut, the people cost each of them trimmed that never makes the case study, and The Lie, where the people-ops world gets asked what it's lying to itself about.

The 10:01 Test, with Kathleen McDonough and Derek Williamson of Shifting People.

We measure the wrong things in this business and then act shocked when the math quits on us.

Covers. Average check. Labor as a percentage. Every one of them looks backward, and every one of them can be juiced for a quarter while the real problem keeps growing underneath.

The number I'd trade all of it for is whether the guest comes back. That's the whole show. That's why it's called The Return.

First episode is live. No guest, just me, saying out loud what I actually believe after over 20 years on the floor. Including the part that gets me in trouble: the guest matters more than the employee, and refusing to say so is exactly why your margins are bleeding out.

If you've ever sat through an industry panel and wanted to launch your chair across the room, start here.

In this episode, JJ Perino of TwoTen Strategy discusses the evolving approach to site selection, emphasizing the importance of understanding what locations communicate about a brand beyond traditional metrics.

He explores how data, customer behavior, and brand strategy intersect to make smarter real estate decisions.

This episode explores the challenges of hiring and talent retention in the hospitality and restaurant industry with Rikin Lakhani, a seasoned operator and recruiter.

It emphasizes the importance of trust, understanding the candidate's holistic profile, and adapting recruitment strategies to modern expectations.

Jim Taylor challenges traditional labor cost metrics in restaurants, emphasizing the importance of understanding labor as an output rather than an input.

This conversation explores innovative approaches to managing labor, improving employee satisfaction, and enhancing operational efficiency.

In this insightful interview, Brandon Coleman shares his expertise on leading organizations through turnaround, the importance of culture, managing ego, and maintaining work-life balance.

Discover practical strategies for leadership, board dynamics, and building lasting relationships.

Anthony Valletta and Peter Newlin explore the evolving landscape of hospitality, emphasizing the importance of creating meaningful experiences that go beyond mere transactions.

They discuss the concept of the 'fourth place' a restaurant that feels like home, and the critical role of human connection in fostering a sense of belonging.

The discussion also highlights the significance of sound design in enhancing the dining experience and the challenges of aligning restaurant design with guest expectations.

As technology and AI continue to shape the industry, the duo reflects on the irreplaceable value of authentic human interactions in hospitality.

In a saturated hospitality market, where technological solutions and loyalty programs dominate the conversation, one factor remains the key differentiator: the guest experience.

In this podcast episode, Scott Lawdon, the co-founder of bartaco, shared invaluable insights on how to cultivate a memorable guest experience that goes beyond mere transactions.

In this episode of Check, Please, host Anthony Valletta engages with Rachel Nemeth, CEO of Opus Training, to discuss the critical disconnect in leadership training within the hospitality industry.

They explore how traditional training methods often fail to reflect the realities of on-the-ground work, emphasizing the need for real-time learning and continuous development.

Rachel argues that many leaders mistakenly believe that completing a training program equates to effective learning, while in reality, ongoing coaching and adaptation are essential for true skill retention and application.