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Mastering the art of pizza and business | Mike Bausch, Andolini's | 051
Description
Great teams make great restaurants. On The Pre-Shift, restaurant operators and industry experts dive into building great restaurant teams. We explore their stories, their strategies, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams. Hosted by D.J. Costantino. Presented by 7shifts.
Mike Bausch, a certified master pizzaiolo and the brains behind Andolini's Worldwide joins DJ Costantino on the Pre Shift Podcast.
In this episode, Mike shares his journey from aspiring Marine Corps officer to leading a 12-restaurant empire in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Recognized nationwide for their exceptional pizza, Andolini's success is attributed to a commitment to quality and a no-half-measures philosophy. Mike outlines his leadership and staff training techniques, explaining why he avoids the term 'family' in favor of a more professional 'team' dynamic. He also discusses his transition into becoming a mentor and educator for the restaurant industry through his Unsliced Restaurant System. Mike offers insights on cross-training staff, maintaining low attrition rates, and the importance of structured employee evaluations. The episode is packed with practical advice and actionable takeaways for building and sustaining a high-performing restaurant team.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Pre-Shift Podcast
00:23 Meet Mike Bausch: The Pizza Mastermind
01:19 Mike's Journey: From Marine Corps to Pizza Empire
03:04 The Turning Point: Mentorship and Mastery
06:39 Expanding the Brand: Beyond Pizza
09:42 Building a High-Performing Team
15:55 Balancing Structure and Flexibility in Training
16:42 Maintaining Low Attrition Rates
18:34 Employee Feedback and Evaluation Process
21:03 Team Building and Andomania
23:12 Mike Bausch: Mentor and Educator
24:59 The Unsliced Course and Restaurant Systems
26:15 Engaging with the Restaurant Community
31:49 Future Plans and Exciting Developments
32:22 Conclusion and Farewell
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7shifts is the restaurant HR platform helping operators hire, train, schedule, pay, and retain their team in one place. With an easy-to-use platform and built-for-restaurant workflows, 7shifts replaces disconnected systems for 55,000 restaurants.