You Can’t Improve What You Do Not Acknowledge: Interview with Jamil Bouchareb, Founder and CEO of Restaurantware
I recently went one-on-one with Jamil Bouchareb, founder and CEO of Restaurantware.
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?
Jamil: As a result of spending time in my parents' restaurant, I developed a deep passion for food and business. I was able to see firsthand the power that food has in bringing people together and fostering that connection for others is what shaped my career path. Once I earned my bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Miami, I made my return to the industry by manufacturing foodservice supplies and founded Restaurantware.
A significant growth point in my career so far has been my involvement in designing and launching a completely new product, without having similar offerings on the market to reference. I learned so much about the steps that go into that development process, one of which is without benchmarks or indicators of success along the way. As a result, it became a blend of creativity and technical challenges. Once the project was finalized, seeing the firsthand evolution of ideas into tangible, eco-friendly solutions was interesting and deeply fulfilling.
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?
Jamil: Knowing I wanted to leverage both my passion for food and my business acumen, I went looking for a way to sell products that I knew those in foodservice would be proud to use. Once I identified an opportunity in the market of foodservice supplies and packaging, I chose to pursue it while prioritizing sustainability and innovation in our product portfolio. With Restaurantware, I wanted to ensure that the chefs and operators using our products would receive added benefit with every purchase by knowing that they are reducing the environmental impact on their business without compromising on quality or design.
My advice to others aiming to develop a successful business idea would be to identify a problem or key area for growth in an industry you are well-versed in, and then focus your venture’s purpose around becoming the solution to that problem. When you root your company mission in a larger goal, as we at Restaurantware have done with providing sustainable offerings to the foodservice industry, you have a more significant impact.
Adam: How did you know your business idea was worth pursuing? What advice do you have on how to best test a business idea?
Jamil: Starting this company, I recognized there was a gap in the foodservice supply market: other manufacturers weren't capitalizing on the rising consumer demand for sustainable and aesthetically designed products. At the time, you could often only have one or the other. I tapped into this and realized by filling this void and aligning with shifting consumer needs, we could help our customers elevate their dishes and provide better quality overall to their consumers.
When testing an idea, surround yourself with a team of smart, capable people you trust to help you identify potential roadblocks to success and determine whether the overall venture will be profitable.
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?
Jamil: As sustainability rose in relevance across all industries over the past decade, Restaurantware actively capitalized on that trend by taking the initiative to expand our offerings by 125% to encompass a range of over 8,000 SKUs. Keeping eyes on industries beyond your own to see what larger consumer trends are taking place and acting on those will keep your company ahead of industry trends and ensure you have an edge over competitors in the market.
Adam: What are your best sales and marketing tips?
Jamil: Once you have identified the target audiences for your business, it is essential to tailor your communications to them and their unique needs. Tapping into topics they care about and connecting your brand to those conversations in authentic ways will help to drive relevance and build brand awareness with those demographics.
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?
Jamil: An effective leader puts the company’s success and employees at the forefront of their priorities every day and remains committed to creating a team that is dedicated to a unified purpose that drives all the work being done. Understanding every aspect of your business from top to bottom is the best advice I can give for becoming a better leader, as that is key to seeing the full picture of the company in order to best determine areas for improvement and growth.
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams?
Jamil: It is crucial to the success of any business to understand the importance of building the right team. You must surround yourself with individuals who not only possess the right skill set to help grow your company, but they must also deeply share in your vision and passion. When hiring for a team, it is key to prioritize not just competence but also to place value on one’s commitment and shared sense of purpose to ensure that you are setting the candidate and the rest of your team up for the best chance of success. I have seen firsthand the drastic impact that team dynamics and shared vision have had on my company’s outcomes. Constructing a team that is aligned, motivated, and invested in our common goals has been one of the best decisions I’ve made for Restaurantware as it allows for us to achieve peak efficiency, increased creativity, and has led to a better return on investment overall.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?
Jamil:
Have a Clear, Authentic Purpose Driving Your Work
To those just starting out, remember the heart of your venture is its purpose. For us at Restaurantware, our commitment to sustainability is at the core of who we are and everything we do. Years ago, we challenged ourselves to launch one fully sustainable product for every non-sustainable product, like a kitchen spatula or appliance, and since then have upheld this promise every year following. Our success is a direct result of this authentic commitment we have attracted customers and team members who share our vision. Your purpose should be the guiding star in every decision you make.
Create An Engaged Community
Never forget the importance of engaging with your customers and building a community aligned with your company's purpose. Recently, Restaurantware has been focused on helping our customers navigate new sustainable packaging regulations, demonstrating our commitment to both their needs and our environmental values. This approach builds loyalty and strengthens your business’s role in the community.
Focus On Adaptability and Continuous Improvement
Know that the ability to quickly pivot and continually improve will be essential to success. The market will always be evolving, and so should your business. We continuously adapt our product line to ensure that we’re not just keeping pace with change but leading it. Companies that become household names endure through time because of their ability to adapt to shifts in consumer demands and their continual forward-thinking strategy positioning them for the future.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Jamil: One of the phrases I return to often is ‘You Never Lose: Only Learn or Win’ as I am aligned with the idea that there are no losses or failures: only learning opportunities. Given the unpredictability of life, there will inevitably be times when things go wrong, but those moments become opportunities to try again, armed with more knowledge than you had previously. You can’t improve what you do not acknowledge, and you can’t grow your success if you don’t know where to further your skills.
Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one-on-one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.
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