About this episode

Thomas McNaughton and David Steele discuss their journey in building a successful restaurant brand and the lessons learned along the way.

Thomas McNaughton and David Steele share how they built Flour + Water Hospitality Group from a single restaurant into one of San Francisco's most respected hospitality brands by embracing change instead of chasing comfort. In this episode, they talk about why waiting until you're ready is one of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make, how trust and honest partnerships helped them navigate challenges, and why putting people before profits became the foundation of their long-term success. They also share the lessons they learned from opening during the 2008 financial crisis, surviving the pandemic, and constantly reinventing their business. this conversation is about building something that lasts by staying curious, embracing change, and having the courage to keep evolving long after you've found success. Key Topics: -Stop waiting until you're ready -The secret to lasting 17 years in business -Great partners make different strengths win -Culture beats strategy every time -Hire for attitude, teach the skills -The biggest failures create the biggest growth Timestamps: 05:51 Why They're Still Entrepreneurs After 17 Years 07:26 The Business Plan That Changed Everything 11:32 They Met…

People in this episode

Host: Adam Spector

Guests: Thomas McNaughton, David Steele

Topics covered

• restaurant success
• entrepreneurship
• business resilience
• partnerships
• cultural values
• change management

Keywords

• restaurant failure
• business longevity
• trust in partnerships
• embracing change
• entrepreneurial mistakes
• cultural priorities
• financial challenges

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Flour + Water Hospitality Group

Places: San Francisco

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