Hiring for Good with Josh Johnston: Lessons from a Portland Restaurateur - Ep. 50
HIRING FOR GOOD WITH JOSH JOHNSTON: LESSONS FROM A PORTLAND RESTAURATEUR - 50
IN THIS EPISODE OF HIRING FOR GOOD, WE SIT DOWN WITH JOSH JOHNSTON, PRESIDENT OF INDEPENDENT RESTAURANT CONCEPTS, TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD COMMUNITY-ROOTED BUSINESSES IN ONE OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE HOSPITALITY CITIES IN THE COUNTRY. JOSH SHARES HIS PATH FROM SALES TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP, THE LEADERSHIP LESSONS THAT COME WITH SCALING FROM ONE LOCATION TO MANY, AND HOW VALUES LIKE “BE NICE,” “BE MEMORABLE,” AND “EMBRACE COMMUNITY” SHAPE THE TEAMS AND EXPERIENCES IRC IS KNOWN FOR. HE ALSO GETS CANDID ABOUT THE REALITIES OF OPERATING IN PORTLAND TODAY—LABOR, LOYALTY, AND THE TAX BURDEN—AND WHAT “HIRING FOR GOOD” LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU’RE BUILDING SOMETHING MEANT TO LAST.
Topics Discussed:
* Josh Johnston’s path into entrepreneurship: from sales and high-tech burnout to bartending, opening his first bar (North 45), and growing Independent Restaurant Concepts to nine locations over ~20 years.
* The leadership shift that comes with scaling: moving from “shoulder-to-shoulder” coworker to being perceived as the boss, and learning how communication, boundaries, and expectations change as you expand.
* Building culture and strong teams in hospitality: hiring for character over experience, defining mission/values (“favorite neighbor,” work hard/be nice/be safe, be memorable, embrace community), and creating loyalty through genuine hospitality and community partnerships—while navigating Portland’s cost/tax pressures and keeping the business resilient post-2020.
Independent Restaurant Concepts (IRC): https://www.irc-nw.com/restaurants [https://www.irc-nw.com/restaurants]
Hiring For Good Website: https://www.hiringforgoodpod.com/
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ACUMEN EXECUTIVE SEARCH WEBSITE: HTTPS://WWW.ACUMENEXECUTIVESEARCH.COM/
[https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdKQXdJcXdib2hDcmhiR1AyQllUMDVCRG1od3xBQ3Jtc0ttbExJbU5hQzVXNENZam5NaGphOUJBaG9ZMmx2c0NTc2JQN3lzYVR5bXBXRWFycUNTUk1ITlU2VWI5OGh1Z0tJTk9lU0FJUGN4ZnRCTVR1bm1JX1J5NWlsaHdUUVV4TFV5Y0xaeFc2NmFFRmJCLXI5UQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.acumenexecutivesearch.com%2F&v=fATefwxfUKE]SUZANNE HANIFIN: PRESIDENT AT ACUMEN EXECUTIVE SEARCH
EMAIL: SUZANNE@ACUMENEXECUTIVESEARCH.COM [suzanne@acumenexecutivesearch.com]
Hiring for Good is presented by Acumen Executive Search. Acumen Executive Search is the leading certified woman-owned Executive Search and advisory Firm on the West Coast.
Acumen sources, attracts, and qualifies world-class executive and management talent for organizations to support them in achieving their organizational goals. Due to their focus and local network, which is both broad and deep, we are able to leverage best practices across a broad range of industries. We employ an equity lens throughout the recruitment process.
