What’s the record for person involved in the most organizations at one time? It might just be our guest today, Ellis Winstanley with 11 active positions currently listed on his LinkedIn, some of which include Board Member of the Texas Restaurant Association, President of El Arroyo in Austin, and President of Axial Shift, an operations platform for restaurants. Whichever position you choose, Ellis brings valuable experience to this edition of Give an Ovation!

Here are a few highlights from this episode:

Featured takeaway: Use tech so that your employees can focus on hospitality

“It’s more about what you stop doing than what you start doing. Stop doing all the stuff that doesn’t make sense and put all your energy into the stuff that does make sense…How do we take everything out of their life that isn’t hospitality, so they can do what they love?” – Ellis Winstanley

What is the most important aspect of the guest experience nowadays?

“It’s how people feel. The environment, the way the staff treats them, the product. The most important thing are the interpersonal connections that are made with the team.”

What successful things have you seen or tried lately?

“We’re very family-focused. We let people live their life. If something is going with family, you take care of it and the whole team will rally around you.“

Who deserves an Ovation in the restaurant industry?

The Texas Restaurant Association, specifically for their herculean efforts during the pandemic. “I’ve never seen a more concerted effort by a group of people for such an extended period of time to help their constituents. It was truly amazing.”