In this episode of the HR Leaders Podcast, we speak with Donnie Upshaw, Chief People Officer & Senior Vice President at Wingstop Restaurants Inc., about scaling one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands while protecting culture and developing frontline talent.
Donnie shares how 70% of Wingstop’s general managers started as hourly employees, why the GM role is the most important in the company, and how intentional development, micro-learning, and recognition fuel growth. He also explains how Wingstop uses storytelling, internal podcasts, and community giving to connect 47,000+ team members worldwide.
🎓 In this episode, Donnie discusses:
- Why 70% of Wingstop GMs started as hourly employees
- Why the GM is the single most important role in the business
- How to scale culture across 2,800 restaurants in 15 countries
- Building connection through storytelling, recognition, and community giving
- Using micro-learning, gamification, and mobile tools for frontline development
🙏 Thanks you to our series partner - Greenhouse.
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