Today, I'm talking with Chris Williams, Head of Operations at Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux.

When Chris joined Walk-On's almost ten years ago, the company had 11 restaurants. Today it has 80, and about 95% are franchisee-owned. Chris started as a general manager after years running restaurants, became a turnaround specialist, led new restaurant openings and training for the whole company, and now oversees training and operations.

In this conversation, we go inside how Walk-On's trains frontline employees who can't step away from guests, how a 13-person opening team trains up to 150 new hires for a brand-new restaurant, and how they keep training and culture consistent across restaurants they don't own. Chris also shares why recognition comes before accountability, why managers should care more about responsibility than authority, and what it takes to build a culture that outpaces your growth.

In this episode, Chris shares:

• Why he always wanted to be the manager, not the player, and how that shapes how he leads
• The "toss the keys" problem: why great individual performers often struggle as managers
• How Walk-On's documents what already works so it can be taught the same way everywhere
• Inside a new restaurant opening: a 13-person team, mock services, and up to 150 new hires
• "If it's not written down, it's not a standard," and how trainers add to the standard without inventing their own
• How to win franchisee buy-in when you don't own or control the business
• Why your culture has to outpace your growth, and what culture means in practice
• Why recognition is the foundation of accountability, and the red-sneaker story that proves it
• A three-pronged approach to frontline training: LMS modules, on-shift workbooks with certified trainers, and proficiency sign-offs
• How shared language tied to core values makes training stick
• Walk-On's University and being the manager your team is pumped to see in the parking lot
• "Your authority matters very little. Your responsibility matters greatly."
• Building a team like a coach: offense, defense, and special teams

Resources mentioned:

• Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux: https://walk-ons.com

Connect with Chris Williams: [add LinkedIn link]

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