The Road That Brought Me Here

 

Thank you all for stopping by.

 

This venture is clearly still growing, but exciting times ahead. A little about myself and what this is all about, so please keep reading. You’ll either be intrigued or bounce after the first paragraph, it’s all good either way.

 

I’ve been a facility operations specialist for over 20 years. I’ve run venues ranging from private clubs and university institutions to state, federal and healthcare facilities, and numerous downtown restaurants especially during my time with BL Gruppo in the 2010s and beyond. Once you step away from the industry, your phone doesn’t magically stop ringing at all hours with calls from “those kids” (back then) needing help with their new spots and big dreams.

 

As those once-kids finally find their sea legs, the calls slow down… and with them, that adrenaline, drive, and passion that kept us in the game starts to fade. I can only speak for myself, but not long ago I felt like I was just idling. Don’t get me wrong, we all grind hard to reach that point where we can finally coast. But man, does coasting get boring as hell.

 

So, short story long: I started dipping back into the industry, interviewing and collaborating with growing groups and big-name players. I figured I knew everything there was to know about facility operations, right? I sat at those tables trying to educate execs that this isn’t just a numbers game but purely mechanical. I’d thank them, walk out, and wait for the phone to ring with their best offer to lock me in.

 

It didn’t happen.

 

I was stunned, then confused, then deflated. I knew the game, I’ve gone 110 mph to save a Menton dinner service on a Friday at 8 p.m. I was the guy these major groups needed.

 

I wrestled with it for a moment… then a day… then consumed for weeks by it, struggling to stay asleep needing figure out what those big execs knew that I didn’t. I’m the Facility Director. there’s no way they understand this business better than me… and I was right. The one piece I was missing? The numbers game...

 

(Mind explosion!)

 

Now I’m starving for it. I started researching, benchmarking, analyzing, calculating, then re-researching the benchmarks so I could recalculate. Every single entity in this industry is a numbers game. Too many staff or understaffed hits your bottom line, staff morale, and their wallets. Guest count per table = turn time = more turns = more revenue. Mind-blowing, at least for me.

 

Every piece of equipment has an end-of-life expectancy, just like we do. Manufacturers calculate runtime, energy costs, everything from day one. Whether it’s a Vitamix, Archobelano, a 2-door lowboy, or your HVAC system (I’ve worked on them all). You hire contractors for PMs on big equipment, and they follow manufacturer specs, NOT your restaurant’s real needs. These companies make money on new installs; that’s a fact. Most (not all, but most) won’t tell you to double up on certain PMs, upgrade to a better filter to cut condenser cleanings, or train your team on simple tasks that save real money each month.

 

You might have a rockstar facilities tech on payroll crushing it. They’re a literal STAR, flying from fire to fire, but no time to be everywhere, so it’s “call the contractor, yada yada.” I’ve been there too, and I’m happily hanging up that cape now.

 

PMs need proactive management and constant monitoring. And guess what you have at every location? Staffing numbers!

 

I’ve designed a program built on numbers: How much are these units running? How much energy are they using? Are they holding optimal temps for product consistency? Are doors sagging because barbacks prop cases on them? Gaskets torn from daily cart hits? The list goes on and it covers every piece of equipment, water usage, energy utilities in the space.

 

Take the dish pit: Did you know if the dishwasher leaves hot/cold/spray valves open at shift end, and your water heater temp is too high, hot water pressure can force back into cold lines? So many small wins add up when everything’s managed together.

 

I can save you an average of $149 a month on just one lowboy in a single restaurant. Multiply that by 8 units in your space, then across your locations. With just 5 restaurants, that’s $6k added to your bottom line in one month and now add up annually. That’s only one area of many where we can stop profit from leaking away.

 

I’m not here to get rich. I just want to help you succeed without fighting your own operational expenses.

 

If you’ve hung in this long (damn, I owe you more than a drink), and you know me or have worked with me before, please drop a shoutout in the reviews or references section. Help promote this not just for me, but for the new kids starting up. Give them the early advantage, the tools to empower their teams, and change the industry dynamic.

 

It’s not just food and drink - there’s a hell of a lot more going into it.

 

Appreciate you! ~ Rob