602: Jeffrey Yarbrough on Being Transparent

602: Jeffrey Yarbrough on Being Transparent

Author: Inspiring interviews with todays most successful restaurateurs 2-days a wee April 1, 2019 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 with a job in New York in marketing. It was there that he fell in love with networking and paying attention to the social scene. In 1990 Yarbrough headed back to Texas to try his hand as a restaurateur and has never looked back. To date Yarbrough runs bars, restaurants, a PR and media company, and now has a thriving restaurant real estate business operating under the bigInk brand.

Show notes…

Favorite success quote or mantra:

"Let's get shit done; G.S.D."

In this episode with Jeffrey Yarbrough we discuss:

  • An early on desire to sell
  • Money gives you freedom
  • Avoiding debt
  • The different ways to learn/nontraditional education
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Public school system
  • How to sell
  • Networking
  • Being able to adjust
  • Coming to the market ahead of the curve
  • Finding the right business partner
  • Discussing how a partnership will dissolve in the "honeymoon phase"
  • The importance of being transparent
  • Guerilla marketing
  • DON'T LET FAILURE FREEZE YOU!!!
  • The importance of finding a reputable real estate broker
  • Don't be afraid of failure
  • Finding out where your needed/wanted
  • Do your homework before you come to a market
  • Being cautious
  • Passion

Today's sponsor:

Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you'll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable

BentoBox helps restaurants grow their business through a connected suite of tools, offering them an integrated website to connect with their guests and drive revenue online. Restaurant owners and operators are able to easily update menus, promote specials, take catering and event inquiries, sell merchandise, gift cards and more.

Revel Systems integrates front of house and back of house operations into a single dashboard. Designed to increase security, stability, ease of use, and speed of service, Revel's streamlined ecosystem provides businesses with the right tools to grow. Learn more at revelsystems.com/unstoppable.

Knowledge bombs

  1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
    • Networking
  2. What is your biggest weakness?
    • Not saying no fast enough
  3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
    • Tell me stories vs. give me answers
  4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
    • Getting tasks done with very little support and not enough capital
  5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
    • No lying, no stealing. Period.
  6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
    • If you know something is not going to pair well with a dish, give them something that WILL pair well.
  7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
  8. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
    • Signing with an exclusive real estate broker.
  9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
    • iPhone
  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?
    • Trust in God (know there is a higher power looking after you)
    • Work hard (it still counts)
    • Having a group of like-minded entrepreneurs that you can ask any question and not be judged

Contact info:

jeffery@bigink.com

Big Ink RE website

Big Ink Facebook

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 Jeffrey Yarbrough 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
1266: Randy Hines, CEO and Partner at The Kolache Shoppe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:56:50
Randy Hines joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on May 4th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's gues…
1265: Christian Wiens, Founder and CEO of Loman AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:16
Christian Wiens joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on May 4th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's…
1263: Eric Reed, Chief Development Officer at Layne's Chicken Fingers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:56:31
Eric Reed and Natalie Hurley (also of Layne's) join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on April 20th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com…
1262: Natalie Hurley, VP of Marketing at Layne's Chicken Fingers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:29
Natalie Hurley and Eric Reed (also of Layne's) join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on April 20th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com…
1260: Albert Sanchez, Co-Founder of Beto's Mexican Restaurant [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:57:02
Albert Sanchez and Chris Schultz join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on April 6th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to j…
1259: Chris Schultz, CEO of Velvet Taco [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:07:06
Chris Schultz joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on April 6th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's…