Women in Restaurant Leadership

Olivia Ross Wants You to Do What Sets Your Heart on Fire

Confidence isn't about being the loudest in the room. It's about knowing the value you bring and owning it. But here's what nobody tells you: in rooms where women are still underestimated, interrupted, and expected to prove themselves twice, claiming that space takes strategy, presence, and a whole lot of intentionality. In this episode, I'm joined by Olivia Ross, a WiRL advisory board member and Director of Growth & Digital Innovation at El Pollo Loco—a leader who's driven profitable growth for billion-dollar QSR brands through marketing innovation, digital transformation, and integrated strategy. Olivia shares what it really takes to speak with authority, build confidence in high-stakes environments, and lead boldly at the intersection of data, technology, and brand. We dig into how she claimed her space early in her career and what shifted when she did. She talks about speaking with authority in technical, high-stakes roles, and why visibility and influence are power skills, not soft skills. We explore strategies for holding the floor and making your voice heard without shrinking, and how to establish credibility when you're pushing organizations to evolve. Olivia also shares the mindset shift that makes the biggest difference for women navigating visibility, and what excites her most about the future of growth and digital innovation. This is the conversation about presence, confidence, and why owning your expertise isn't negotiable. #WiRLPOWER

The Art of Thoughtful Growth: Inside Eggs Up Grill's Leadership

There's a difference between scaling and scaling thoughtfully. Between growth that happens to you and growth you actually architect. This week on WiRL, I'm in conversation with Jennifer Folger and Chrissy McKinney from Eggs Up Grill—two leaders who embody that distinction. Jennifer leads franchise growth. Chrissy leads brand and communications. Together, they're navigating one of the most delicate balances in restaurant leadership: how to expand while staying true to what makes the brand work. #WiRLPOWER

The Secret Ingredient Behind Every Great Menu (With Awo Amenumey)

We spend a lot of time talking about menus—what's trending, what's next, what guests want. But what we don't always talk about is what actually makes those menus work. In this episode, I'm joined by Chef Awo Amenumey—a Chopped competitor and culinary strategist whose work bridges creativity and execution. From celebrating her Ghanaian roots through pop-ups to supporting operators across the industry, Awo brings a thoughtful, grounded perspective to how great menus come to life. We talk about procurement differently—less as a back-of-house function, more as a strategic tool that shapes everything. From simplifying operations and easing labor strain to building menus that are both inspired and executable, this conversation is a reminder that great ideas need strong systems to succeed. Strategic procurement supports effective menuing and operations, and Awo embodies that philosophy in everything she does. Sponsored by Foodbuy Foodservice [https://www.foodbuy.com/], who resources Members to develop effective procurement strategies.  You can find more information here: https://www.foodbuy.com/ #WiRLPOWER

Hillary Frei on Scooping Up 80+ Years of Success

What does it take to grow an 81-year-old brand… without completely melting what made it special in the first place? For Hillary Frei, it’s not about reinventing the wheel — it’s about knowing which parts of the recipe you don’t touch. Founded in 1945 by Alice Handel, Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream has gone from a single backyard-inspired stand to one of the fastest-growing concepts in the country — all while staying rooted in quality, consistency, and a little bit of nostalgia. In this episode, Hillary shares how she’s scaling a legacy brand in a modern world — from national expansion and operational discipline to evolving the menu without losing loyal fans along the way. It’s a conversation about growth, longevity, and building something that doesn’t just chase trends… but actually lasts. Because in a category where things can melt pretty quickly, some brands just know how to keep their cool.

Kassidy Angelo's Journey From Finance to Filet

From crunching numbers at J.P. Morgan to running one of Florida’s hottest steakhouse brands, Kassidy Angelo is rewriting the rules of what it means to pivot into hospitality. In this bonus episode, she shares how she went from finance to the front lines of the restaurant floor, building award-winning Daniel’s Steakhouse alongside her family. Tune in for stories about taking bold risks, scaling a new concept to national recognition in record time, and the lessons she’s learned as a next-generation female leader in a traditionally male-dominated space.