I recently went one-on-one with Cameron Mitchell, founder and CEO of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants.
Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Cameron: I knew the restaurant industry was where I wanted to spend my life at 18 years old. Early on in my career, I had a moment of clarity and set a bold goal for myself: I wanted to be the president of a restaurant group by 35. To achieve this, I wrote down my goals to hold myself accountable and attended the Culinary Institute of America.
By 23, I was on track to become an executive chef at the restaurant I was working at, but at 28 I had another epiphany: I realized that I had one too many experiences with managers that didn’t seem to care as deeply as I did about people, culture, and the long-term vision, which led me to leave the restaurant group in May of 1992.
Following my departure, before doing anything else, I wrote out the culture and values of the company I wanted to build, something I’ve stayed committed to for the last 33 years. We opened our first restaurant, Cameron’s American Bistro, on October 5, 1993. Since then, we’ve built 110 restaurants, generated over $600 million in revenue, and have grown to 70 locations coast to coast. In 2030, I’ll celebrate 50 years in the restaurant business.
Adam: How did you come up with your business idea? What advice do you have for others on how to come up with great ideas?
Cameron: My business idea really started with clarity around what I wanted my role to be. I knew I wanted to be the president of a restaurant company, not just open a single location. The idea itself wasn’t new, but the intention was always bigger than one restaurant. It was about building a scalable, values-driven company. From the beginning, the focus was on building a culture and set of values where associates (what we call our employees) come first, not guests. I believe that if associates truly love working for a company, they’ll naturally want to create an exceptional experience for the guest.
I’ve always written my goals down, and to this day, I still keep a legal pad on my desk with both personal and business goals. My advice to others is to be patient, get real-world experience, and always do the right thing. Never cut corners. If you focus on doing the right thing consistently, you’ll build both a reputation and a legacy.
Adam: How did you know your business idea was worth pursuing? What advice do you have on how to best test a business idea?
Cameron: I knew the idea was worth pursuing because I had lived the opposite experience. At Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, we like to say, “Yes is the answer, what is the question?” Too often, associates and, as a result, guests were treated like just a number, and I could see firsthand that it wasn’t good leadership, and it wasn’t sustainable. By building a culture-first business focused on genuine hospitality, creativity, and problem-solving, we created an innovative restaurant model that empowered our associates to deliver exceptional experiences for our guests, which continues to drive our success to this day.
The best way to test a business idea is to start small and listen closely when you begin hearing genuine success stories from your people. That energy becomes contagious. That’s when you know you’re onto something real.
Adam: What are the key steps you have taken to grow your business? What advice do you have for others on how to take their businesses to the next level?
Cameron: One of the most important steps in growing the business has always been painting a clear vision: where we’re going and how we’re going to get there. Growth inherently comes with risk, whether that’s taking chances on people, opening new restaurants, or borrowing money to invest in the future. I’m still taking risks today, but they’re more calculated now than they were early on. You have to be willing to step into risk, learn from the mistakes along the way, and let those lessons turn into wisdom. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more conservative, not because I’m afraid to grow, but because experience teaches you how to grow smarter.
Adam: What are your best sales and marketing tips?
Cameron: You have to start with being unapologetic about putting your name out there. For us, marketing is really about reputation—doing the right thing, giving back, and supporting the communities we’re a part of. We found that the most effective marketing tactic is to do good and mean it, whether that’s delivering a top-notch experience to our guests, donating to charities, or openly sharing tips and best practices with other restaurant groups, even competitors, as we did during COVID. Strong relationships and trust are the most powerful marketing tools you’ll ever have.
Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Cameron: At its core, effective leadership is treating people the way you want to be treated and creating an environment where people feel valued, safe, and included. Early in my career, I thought the restaurant was only going to be as good as I was, but I quickly realized this mindset didn’t make me an effective leader. Everything changed when I shifted my focus from myself to the team, caring more about everyone else’s performance and success over my own. Great leaders consistently follow through on their culture and values, especially in the small, everyday moments. Your leadership gets tested all the time, and it’s how you show up in those moments that define who you are.
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams?
Cameron: I always come back to three things when it comes to building and leading teams. First, for the most part, we don’t hire from the outside. We believe in developing and promoting our people from within. Second, our motto is ‘we’ll get there together,’ because success is a shared journey, not an individual one. And finally, culture and values only matter if they’re backed up by action. When culture, values, and consistent behavior align, they create a lasting impact on your people and your business model.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?
Cameron: First, protect your integrity at all costs. It takes years to build and only days to ruin, and one poor decision can undo a lifetime of trust. Second, paint the vision, not just your personal vision, but a clear, compelling vision for the company and for the people around you so everyone understands where you’re going and why it matters. Third, set your goals and talk about them often. I’m 63, and I still write my goals down regularly. Share your goals with others, ask the people around you about theirs, and help each other grow.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Cameron: The single best piece of advice I’ve ever received came from my mother, who had no business background at all. She always told me to ‘surround yourself with great people.’ That advice has guided my entire career. I’m nothing without the great people I’ve surrounded myself with, and everything we’ve accomplished is due to their support.
Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Cameron: I touched on it a bit earlier, but I’d encourage folks to talk about their goals and visions with conviction, repeat them consistently, and most importantly, practice them every day.
Have confidence in yourself and your decisions. The ticket window of life doesn’t stay open forever. When the opportunity is there, you have to be willing to pay the price, take the step, and keep moving forward, one foot in front of the other.
Also, remember not to lose sight of the most important thing – your family – because life isn’t meant to be experienced alone.
