Father of Fast Casual on a Lifetime of Lessons Learned
Oct 26, 2023
auto_awesome
Former CEO of Panera Bread and Au Bon Pain, Ron Shaich, discusses his book 'Know What Matters: Lessons from a Lifetime of Transformations.' Topics include building dominant brands, running private vs. public companies, challenges and humanity of running a public company, and choices, trade-offs, and finding opportunities in fast casual.
Understanding consumer desires for real food, engaging environments, and caring service drove the success of the fast casual dining concept.
Empathy plays a crucial role in driving innovation and creating value for customers, but businesses should avoid becoming a platform for political forces.
Deep dives
The Rise of Fast Casual Dining
Fast casual dining emerged in the 1980s and 1990s as a concept that filled the gap between traditional fast food and fine dining. Ron Schake, known as the 'father of fast casual,' explains that the success of fast casual dining came from understanding consumer desire for real food, engaging environments, and caring service. This understanding of consumer needs and empathy laid the foundation for the growth of the global fast casual dining market, which is now valued at around $190 billion.
The Importance of Empathy in Business
Ron Schake emphasizes the crucial role of empathy in business, particularly in understanding and meeting consumer needs. He discusses the power of empathy in driving innovation and creating value for customers. Schake also stresses the distinction between taking positions on issues of humanity versus engaging in political displays, asserting that businesses have a responsibility to validate and speak to human needs without becoming a platform for political forces.
Balancing Choices and Building Companies
Ron Schake shares his perspective on making choices and creating balance in life and business. He rejects the notion of perfect balance and instead emphasizes understanding the trade-offs involved in decision-making. Schake offers insights into his approach of evaluating what truly matters both personally and in business, and how that informs strategic planning and decision-making. He also discusses the benefits and challenges of leading both private and public companies, highlighting the need for companies to be ripe or right for going public.
Ron Shaich, former CEO of Panera Bread and Au Bon Pain, discusses his book Know What Matters: Lessons from a Lifetime of Transformations. Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan.