Digest

Aaron Wade, the founder of Home Room Mac & Cheese, shares her inspiring story of transitioning from a law career to becoming a successful entrepreneur. A craving for good mac & cheese on a depressing day led to the realization that there was a gap in the Oakland food scene, sparking the idea for Home Room. Wade's initial struggles as a first-time founder with no restaurant experience taught her valuable lessons about creating a positive workplace culture. She implemented open book management, sharing financial information with employees to promote transparency and engagement, and a color-coded conduct system to address harassment. Her legal background, particularly her experience with restorative justice, influenced her approach to employee discipline, focusing on repairing harm and restoring relationships rather than punishment. After a decade of running Home Room, Wade decided to sell the business, feeling she had achieved her initial vision and was ready for new projects. The pandemic and her divorce also contributed to her decision. She discusses the challenges facing the restaurant industry, including rising costs, staffing shortages, and a changing work landscape, but believes these difficulties will lead to positive change and innovation. Wade emphasizes the importance of titles, arguing that they reflect how we see ourselves and how the world sees us. Embracing the titles of "chef" and "CEO" helped her gain confidence and expand her network.

Outlines

00:00:00

From Lawyer to Mac & Cheese Entrepreneur

Aaron Wade shares how a depressing day and a craving for mac & cheese led to her quitting her law job and opening a restaurant. She realized there was no place to get good mac & cheese in Oakland, and the idea for Home Room was born.

00:00:44

Building a Positive Workplace Culture

Wade discusses her initial struggles as a first-time founder with no restaurant experience. She shares the mistakes she made, like giving employees too much freedom without structure, and how she learned to create a more effective workplace culture through open book management and a color-coded conduct system.

00:02:33

The Power of Passion and Titles

Wade talks about her passion for surfing and how it helps her shut off her overthinking mind. She connects this to her love of food and cooking, which she attributes to her family's emphasis on shared meals. She also emphasizes the importance of titles, arguing that they reflect how we see ourselves and how the world sees us.

00:34:46

Legal Mindset and Restorative Justice in Business

Wade discusses how her legal background both helped and hindered her in business. She had to overcome the adversarial mindset of law and learn to be more collaborative and creative. She also shares how her legal experience with restorative justice inspired her unique approach to employee discipline.

00:49:28

Selling Home Room and Moving Forward

Wade explains her decision to sell Home Room after a decade of running it. She felt she had achieved her initial vision and was ready for new projects. The pandemic and her divorce also contributed to her decision.

00:54:47

The Restaurant Industry in Transition

Wade discusses the challenges facing the restaurant industry, including rising costs, staffing shortages, and a changing work landscape. She believes that the current difficulties will lead to positive change and innovation.

Keywords

Q&A

• What inspired you to open Home Room Mac & Cheese after a career in law?

  A depressing day and a craving for good mac & cheese led to a realization that there was no place to get it in Oakland. This sparked the idea for Home Room, and getting fired from my law job gave me the push to pursue it.

• How did you approach creating a positive workplace culture at Home Room, especially with no prior restaurant experience?

  I learned through trial and error, initially giving employees too much freedom without structure. I realized that the right kind of freedom comes within boundaries, and I implemented systems like open book management and a color-coded conduct system to address harassment.

• What is open book management and how did it impact Home Room?

  Open book management involves sharing financial information with all employees, promoting transparency and engagement. It led to significant financial gains and increased employee happiness at Home Room, with employees feeling empowered to contribute to the company's success.

• How did your legal background influence your approach to employee discipline at Home Room?

  My experience with restorative justice inspired me to create a system that focuses on repairing harm rather than punishment. This involved having conversations with employees who made mistakes, helping them understand the impact of their actions and come up with solutions to make things right.

• What was the reasoning behind selling Home Room after achieving such success?

  I had achieved my initial vision for Home Room and was ready for new projects. The pandemic and my divorce also contributed to my decision. I wanted to share the ideas and systems we developed with a wider audience and make a bigger impact.

• What are some of the biggest challenges facing the restaurant industry today?

  The industry is facing rising costs, staffing shortages, and a changing work landscape. These challenges are forcing restaurants to adapt and innovate to survive.

• Why do you think titles are so important?

  Titles reflect how we see ourselves and how the world sees us. Embracing appropriate titles can boost confidence, expand opportunities, and empower individuals to take ownership of their roles.

Show Notes