In the latest episode of Turning Tables, host and growth strategist, Kathleen Wood, and her guest, Chris Gannon, chief executive officer and cofounder of Bolay Restaurants, a fast-casual dining concept that delivers fresh ingredients and bold flavors.

Gannon was born and raised in New Orleans, the birthplace of hospitality, big bold seasonings and flavors, the big easy and just the good times. He talks to Wood about growing up in a home that was dedicated to hospitality. Gannon comes from a tradition of restaurant innovators, his father and Bolay cofounder Tim Gannon in 1988 founded Outback Steakhouse. He shares, “My father, I was blessed.” Growing up Gannon got to watch how his father grew an amazing culture and inspired people across the nation with the blooming onion, big bold flavors, great steaks and just taking care of people.

“When I felt ready, I took a stab at it with my father helping us and we created a Bolay,” says Gannon. In 2016 they opened their first Bolay and they had a line out the door. He tells Wood how he remembers his father telling him he has another site. Gannon says, “that's my father's passion to grow and think big is what gave us the courage to build 22 restaurants in 6 years.”

Wood and Gannon talk about the challenges of the last two years. Gannon says, “It's been a journey you know, up until 2019 everything was just easy and in the past two years we got to go through a crash course and they don't teach you what we've had to deal with in the past two years in business school or any school.” He adds, “I talked to all my mentors and they don't have answers because they've never been through it either. So it's been a pretty interesting journey, but I will tell you I feel as if it's made us stronger. It's made us better leaders. And you know, in the moment I hate it because our backs up against the wall but looking back on it, someone always says that comment, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and it's weird, but it's so true. You know what doesn't kill you makes you stronger so we have been getting stronger through this process.”

Gannon talks about giving back to his employees and shares why Bolay is closed on major holidays. He says, “I just said why are we doing this. Let's make sure we let our teams enjoy their Fourth of July so we closed our entire company on the Fourth of July and all major holidays and you know you look back and like oh well, you know we're gonna miss those sales but what you give back to your people is magical and then they bring that energy on the other days that you're open.”

To hear Wood and Gannon talk about leadership plus Gannon turns the table on Wood, tune into this episode of Turning Tables Podcast on Apple Podcasts.