Your Life and Restaurant

Hosted by Jose Lamas Gonzalez

Business

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Episodes

131

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Are you a restaurant owner or leader? Discover a better life, balance and profits. Practical advice to grow yourself and your restaurant so you can lead a more successful and happy life.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

September 8, 2026Episode 13230 min

Your Maximum Capacity Is Not Your Sustainable Capacity

Just because you can handle a certain workload doesn't mean you should build your life around it. In this episode of Your Life and Restaurant , I reflect on a pattern I've noticed after another busy summer at the restaurant. I start the season fresh, motivated, and ready to attack then a few months later, I'm counting down the days until Labor Day just trying to make it across the finish line. The problem isn't that I can't handle the workload. I can. The problem is confusing my maximum capacity with my sustainable capacity . Whether you're running a restaurant, building a business, raising a family, or simply going through a demanding season of life, the question isn't only, “Can I handle this?” It's also: “Can I keep doing this and still be the person I want to be when I reach the finish line?” Take a Listen. Contact Me at: yourlifeandrestaurant.com

August 18, 2026Episode 13128 min

Does the Business Need Me or Am I Just Proving Something?

After more than 20 years in the restaurant business, I’ve realized that the work ethic that helped me become successful can also become something that’s hard to turn off. In this episode, I talk about the brutal 12-week summer grind, the guilt I sometimes feel when business finally slows down, and a realization that has really stuck with me: I don’t need to prove anything anymore. That doesn’t mean becoming lazy or losing my work ethic. It means recognizing the difference between when the business actually needs me and when I’m working, standing around, or sacrificing my time simply to prove that I’m a hardworking owner. At some point, the challenge has to change from proving how much you can carry to building something that doesn’t require you to carry everything. Take a listen. Contact Me at: yourlifeandrestaurant.com

August 4, 2026Episode 13031 min

From Employee to Owner: My Best Restaurant Advice

Imagine one of your employees becomes a restaurant owner and asks, "What's the most important advice you can give me?" That's the question I answer in this episode. I share the lessons I've learned from operating a family restaurant. Everything from leading a team and serving customers to making financial decisions and avoiding common mistakes. These are the principles I'd pass on to anyone taking the leap into restaurant ownership. Contact Me at: yourlifeandrestaurant.com

July 7, 2026Episode 12924 min

Stop Hoping, Start Checking: Why Restaurant Systems Beat Good Employees Every Time

Every restaurant owner has experienced it: you open the next day only to find that the roll-ups weren't finished, the beer wasn't stocked, side work was missed, or someone forgot an important closing task. The first instinct is often to blame the employees, but what if the real issue is the system? In this episode of Your Life and Restaurant , I discuss why great restaurants don't rely on memory or good intentions, they rely on systems. We explore the difference between reminding people and building processes that create consistency, why trust and verification go hand in hand, and how simple checklists and accountability can dramatically improve operations. Whether you own a restaurant, manage a team, or simply want to build better habits in your own life, this episode will challenge you to stop asking, "Why didn't they remember?" and start asking, "What system would make this easier to get right every time?" Listen Now. Contact Me at: yourlifeandrestaurant.com

June 23, 202625 min

Leverage: Why Restaurant Owners Must Stop Doing Everything

One day a coach told me something that completely changed the trajectory of my career: "You need to stop waiting tables immediately." At the time, it sounded crazy. I was making great tips, helping the business, and even my dad was skeptical that giving up serving tables was the right move. But that conversation taught me one of the most important business lessons I've ever learned: leverage. In this episode, I share the story of that coaching call, how it changed the way I think about leadership, and why the highest-value work often isn't the work right in front of you. I also discuss a recent coaching moment with one of our cooks that reminded me of the same lesson: sometimes a two-minute conversation can impact thousands of future guest experiences. If you're a restaurant owner, manager, entrepreneur, or leader who feels like you're carrying the entire business on your shoulders, this episode is for you. Topics discussed: The coaching call that changed my career The difference between working harder and creating leverage Developing people instead of solving every problem yourself How small leadership moments create long-term results The goal isn't to do more. The goal is to create more impact. Contact Me at: yourlifeandrestaurant.com

June 9, 2026Episode 12722 min

World Cup Lessons for Restaurant Owners: Building a Championship Team

With the World Cup kicking off this week, I started thinking about how much running a restaurant resembles leading a championship sports team. The best teams don't win because they have one superstar. They win because they have a clear vision, strong culture, defined roles, consistent execution, and accountability at every position. In this episode, I break down the similarities between championship sports organizations and successful restaurants, including: The importance of having the right people in the right positions Why accountability matters more than motivation The role of leadership in the success of the team Creating a team that plays for each other, not just themselves The lessons that lead teams to championships are often the same lessons that lead restaurants to profitability. Because at the end of the day, great restaurants don't happen by accident, they're built by great teams and leadership. Contact Me at: yourlifeandrestaurant.com

May 26, 2026Episode 12627 min

Hire Slow, Fire Fast… Or Is That Impossible in Restaurants?

Most restaurants don’t have the luxury of “hiring slow.” When you’re short staffed, busy, and trying to survive another weekend, sometimes you just need a body on the schedule. But what happens when the wrong hire starts affecting the entire team? In this episode of Your Life and Restaurant , I talk about the real cost of bad hires in small restaurant crews, and is not just financially, but emotionally and operationally. From ghosting and attendance issues to culture damage and manager burnout, one unreliable employee can quietly drain an entire operation. We dive into: why restaurants often hire too fast the psychology behind keeping bad employees too long how desperation clouds judgment why “fire fast” is harder than it sounds in small businesses and how to create standards without becoming cold or cynical This episode is about balancing accountability with mercy and protecting your culture. Because in small restaurants, every hire matters. Contact Me at: yourlifeandrestaurant.com

May 12, 2026Episode 12526 min

What Busy Holidays Reveal About Your Restaurant

In this episode of the podcast Your Life and Restaurant, I reflect on what busy holidays like 5 de Mayo and Mother’s Day reveal about a restaurant operation. High-volume days don’t usually create problems; they expose the systems, communication, leadership, and culture that already exist underneath the surface. In this episode I talk about: What pressure reveals during busy restaurant shifts Why calm leadership matters most during peak volume Common breakdowns that show up during holidays Busy holidays act like an X-ray for a restaurant. They reveal what’s strong, what’s weak, and where the operation still needs work. Take a Listen. Contact Me at: yourlifeandrestaurant.com

April 21, 2026Episode 12429 min

When the Owner Is the Bottleneck

In this episode of The Your Life and Restaurant Podcast, I talk about a hard truth that many restaurant owners eventually face: sometimes the biggest bottleneck in the business is the owner. It usually comes from caring, moving fast, and wanting things done right. But over time, when everything runs through one person, the entire operation slows down. In this episode I break down: The signs that the owner has become the bottleneck Why this pattern shows up in growing restaurants The difference between running on heroics vs running on systems Practical ways to build structure so the business can move without constant approval I also share real examples of simple systems that reduce friction, build trust within the team, and create more flow in the operation. The goal isn’t to be needed for everything, the goal it’s to build something that doesn’t depend on you for everything. Contact Me at: yourlifeandrestaurant.com

April 7, 2026Episode 12330 min

Why I Track Everything: How Measurement Creates Calm and Clarity

In this episode of the podcast Your Life and Restaurant, I talk about why I track almost everything in the business, and how that actually creates more calm, not more stress. At first, tracking can feel like extra work. But over time, it becomes the system that replaces guesswork, reduces emotion, and helps you make better decisions. In this episode I break down: Why measurement reduces emotion The key things I track (sales, catering, labor, food cost, incidents) How tracking shifts you from reacting to managing Why data creates clarity Contact Me at: yourlifeandrestaurant.com