Financial Discipline Can Fuel Restaurant Growth. Convo w/ Don Connor

What does it take to build a restaurant growth plan that the numbers can actually support?

Don Connor, founder of Whiskey 'N Rye Smokehouse, joins Ty Wilson live from the CREATE conference to share how his background in finance and strategic planning shapes the way he approaches restaurant growth. Whiskey 'N Rye uses daily revenue and labor budgets, multiple financial scenarios, and regular reforecasting to stay on top of the numbers as the business expands.

The brand is now planning to grow both its full-service and fast-casual concepts over the next five years, with cash flow from existing restaurants helping fund new locations. For Connor, having the financial side of the business dialed in isn't only about managing today's restaurants. It can create more options when it's time to grow, raise capital, or work with lenders and investors.

Episode Links

Don Connor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-conner-626a953a/

Whiskey 'N Rye Smokehouse: https://www.whiskeynrye.com/