528: Discovering Authenticity with Tony Tellin

528: Discovering Authenticity with Tony Tellin

Author: Inspiring interviews with todays most successful restaurateurs 2-days a wee September 10, 2018 Duration: 1:14:59

20 years ago Tony Tellin stumbled upon the Tazo Tea Offices. He would go on to serve as the right hand man for tea legend, Steven Smith. In 2015 with Steven Smith's passing, Tony Tellin, promise to continue the craft and creativity that made Smith one of the most recognized names in tea. Today, Tony Tellin serves as Head Tea Maker o for Steven Smith Tea.

Show notes…

Favorite Success Quote or Mantra

 Start where you are. Work with what you got. Do the best you can do. 

In this episode with Tony Tellin, we discuss: 

  • How most masters consider themselves students before masters, because they never stop learning. 
  • How Tellin got into tea. 
  • Why we should make "having fun" a core value. 
  • Creating an "we" environment instead of a "us and them" environment. 
  • How curiosity and proactivity has served Tellin's in life. 
  • A little back ground info on Steve Smith. 
  • The role authenticity and being yourself has in branding.
  • Focusing on being the best version of yourself instead of focusing on being like others.   
  • As a mentor, letting your people fail in order to learn. 
  • If you're invited to be a fly on the wall, be a fly on the wall and absorb. Be seen not heard. 
  • Choosing to do big things for small audiences instead of doing small things for big audiences and what comes of it.  

 

Today's Sponsor

Soundtrackyourbrand.comSoundtrack Business lets you play 250 music channels guaranteed to fit any type of business. An easy-to-use dashboard lets you find great music, control all your locations and schedule your sound.

RU50

wisetail.com, A Premier Learning Management System, Wisetail Grew Up Alongside Some of the Most Recognizable Restaurants In the Industry. This Has Helped Shape Their Product and its Functionality Through Real-World Feedback and Rigorous Testing.

 

 

Knowledge bombs

  1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?

    • Stay moving.
  2. What is your biggest weakness?

    •  Easy distracted. 
  3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?

    • Make the interview personal.
    • Go with your heart instead of your brain. 
  4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?

    • Teaching.
  5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.

    • Just get started, "throw a dart".
  6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?

    • Making something foreign approachable. 
  7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
    GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 

    1. Many lives, Many Men, Many Masters
  8. Share an online resource or tool.

  9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted in your restaurant and how has it influence operations?

  10. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?

    • Slow down a bit.
    • Have fun.
    • Make more mistakes.If you're not making 2-3 mistakes a week, you're not having enough fun. 

Contact Info

SmithTea.com

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Tony Tellin for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

Eric Cacciatore sits down with the people who actually run the show in the world of food service. Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore is built on conversations with established restaurateurs and seasoned professionals who have navigated the intense realities of the industry. Twice a week, these interviews dig past the surface, focusing on the tangible details of leadership, team management, and effective marketing that separate a thriving venue from a struggling one. You’ll hear firsthand accounts of what worked, what didn’t, and the often-overlooked decisions that shape a restaurant's path. This podcast serves as a direct line to collective experience, whether you're dreaming of your first opening or steering a multi-location group. The dialogue is practical, centered on the daily grind and long-term strategy needed to build something lasting. For anyone invested in the business of hospitality, these regular episodes compile a vital resource, turning shared insights into actionable knowledge for your own journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 1000

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Podcast Episodes
611: Adam Barnosky on Restaurant Real Estate and Leasing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:52
Adam Barnosky is a member of the Ruberto, Israel & Weiner law firm based in Boston, Massachusetts. His practice is concentrated in the representation of real estate developers, restaurateurs, commercial landlords/tenants…
610: Bien Tran on Compassion as the Most Valuable Currency [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:11
Bien Tran attended Duke School of Law and started his career at Fulbright & Jaworski LLP as a litigation lawyer and operated his own law office prior to joining Bush & Ramirez L.L.C. In 2012 Bien decided to take a stab a…
608: Aaron Lyons on Believing In Your Concept [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:12
Always an entrepreneur at heart, Aaron Lyons was raised in Austin, TX and is a graduate University of Texas where he obtained his MBA with a focus on entrepreneurship and marketing. In 2014 after 2 years of searching for…
606: Dee Lincoln on Translating Your Vision [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:02
Dee Lincoln, a.k.a. the "Queen of Steaks," is recognized as a female powerhouse in the male-dominated steakhouse business. Born on the Fourth of July and raised in New Orleans, Lincoln's humble entrance into the restaura…
605: Chris Hill on Building Retaining and Maintaing Great Teams [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:36
Chris Hill is an author, speaker, and podcaster with a background in marketing and business strategy. After a quarter-life crisis, Hill decided to take a leap of faith into the world of restaurants. Today Hill primarily…
604: Thomas Nguyen on Successfully Starting Life Over [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:24
Hailing from Houston, TX, Thomas Nguyen completed his law degree at the University of Texas at Austin and started his career as a litigation attorney. Dissatisfied with the path he was on, he left his legal career behind…
603: Calvin Nguyen on Learning How to Scale [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:30
Calvin Nguyen has always had a mind for business, management, and marketing. His first experience in the restaurant industry was a two-year stint managing the restaurant Zhabuki. In 2015 Calvin open OMG Tacos. By 2018 th…
602: Jeffrey Yarbrough on Being Transparent [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:42
Dallas, Texas native Jeffrey Yarbrough has never been a great student but from a young age he's always been able to hustle as an entrepreneur. His mother, seeing his creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, connected him w…
601: Chris Dahlander on Balancing Soul and Profit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:42
Chris Dahlander is a graduate of Texas Tech University with a degree in Advertising. Previous to starting Snappy Salads, Dahlander served 4 year as a project manager for the Forbes Group and 8 years as the Director of Ma…