Chad Walldorf's guest appearances

Chad Walldorf

Small Business Edge

Call to Adventure

Kathryn Budig

Tim Hussey

Jimmy John

Elli Richter

Robert Swan

Chris Jordan

Chris Hanson

Levi Morehouse

Amanda Kingsmith

Nick Olson

Kevin Harrison

Charles Fisher

Vince Graham

Liz Naber

Helaine Knapp

OwlTail

Chad Walldorf had just graduated college when he and two high school friends decided to open a restaurant. With little prior experience, they created the first Sticky Fingers restaurant in Mount Pleasant, SC and grew it from one restaurant to sixteen locations with one thousand employees across five states just fifteen years later. The three founders started without much experience, but constantly learned and grew as the business developed. Along the way, Chad and his partners exemplified the eagerness to learn and the drive required to succeed as an entrepreneur. On this episode, Chad tells his story of starting and growing a successful restaurant chain with two close friends. He shares about why they decided to sell and his offers his lessons learned about what it takes to succeed as a leader, manager, and entrepreneur while growing a thriving business. Covered in this episode:  The origin story of Sticky Fingers Starting a restaurant with no prior experience Learning by doing as an entrepreneur Working with friends The advantage of being young and naive Growing from one to sixteen locations When is the right time to sell? How do you create great company culture? How do you hire great people? What do most franchisees and entrepreneurs need to know, but don’t know 

Chad Walldorf had just graduated college when he and two high school friends decided to open a restaurant. With little prior experience, they created the first Sticky Fingers restaurant in Mount Pleasant, SC and grew it from one restaurant to sixteen locations with one thousand employees across five states just fifteen years later. The three founders started without much experience, but constantly learned and grew as the business developed. Along the way, Chad and his partners exemplified the eagerness to learn and the drive required to succeed as an entrepreneur. On this episode, Chad tells his story of starting and growing a successful restaurant chain with two close friends. He shares about why they decided to sell and his offers his lessons learned about what it takes to succeed as a leader, manager, and entrepreneur while growing a thriving business. Covered in this episode: <ul> <li>The origin story of Sticky Fingers</li> <li>Starting a restaurant with no prior experience</li> <li>Learning by doing as an entrepreneur</li> <li>Working with friends</li> <li>The advantage of being young and naive</li> <li>Growing from one to sixteen locations</li> <li>When is the right time to sell?</li> <li>How do you create great company culture?</li> <li>How do you hire great people?</li> <li>What do most franchisees and entrepreneurs need to know, but don’t know</li> </ul>

05 - From Three Friends to 1000 Employees | Chad Walldorf and the Story Behind Sticky Fingers 

"I'm don't think I'm the brightest guy, so I try to make up for it with hard work." - Chad WalldorfAlex and John sit down with the ever-modest Sticky Fingers BBQ co-founder Chad Walldorf.  The conversation ranges from a serendipitous stint on President Ronald Reagan's staff while in college that later inspired him to work as Deputy Chief of Staff for SC Governor Mark Sanford in Columbia, to unexpectedly running a successful restaurant chain with his only prior experience being a summer at Wendy's in high school.They discuss his moving from a fear of responsibility, to a desire to be the one directing the ship.  And how small incremental changes collectively create the unique culture of a restaurant, and the result is greater than the sum of its' parts.  Chad also recounts an experience with his father that made him reflect personally about the responsibility of engaging in current big societal issues in order to confidently answer the future question from his children, "Dad, in 2016 this was a big issue, where were you?"

"I'm don't think I'm the brightest guy, so I try to make up for it with hard work." - Chad Walldorf Alex and John sit down with the ever-modest Sticky Fingers BBQ co-founder Chad Walldorf. The conversation ranges from a serendipitous stint on President Ronald Reagan's staff while in college that later inspired him to work as Deputy Chief of Staff for SC Governor Mark Sanford in Columbia, to unexpectedly running a successful restaurant chain with his only prior experience being a summer at Wendy's in high school. They discuss his moving from a fear of responsibility, to a desire to be the one directing the ship. And how small incremental changes collectively create the unique culture of a restaurant, and the result is greater than the sum of its' parts. Chad also recounts an experience with his father that made him reflect personally about the responsibility of engaging in current big societal issues in order to confidently answer the future question from his children, "Dad, in 2016 this was a big issue, where were you?"

Chad Walldorf 12.28.2016