Where did the idea for Tender Greens come from?

My partners and I were all in the high end restaurant business. We noticed, particularly in Los Angeles, that good, simple, wholesome and skillfully prepared food were a privilege of those who could afford white tablecloth restaurants. We felt there must be an opportunity to serve farm-to-fork food in a way that would strip down the overhead and allow us to sell it at a value to people who would then make healthy food part of their weekly routine instead of as a special occasion.

Before Tender Greens, you worked for a major hotel doing food & beverage. How was making the switch from an employee to an entrepreneur?

It was awesome! I had known for some time that I wanted to create my own destiny but had, admittedly become stuck in my career. I wasn’t happy but I also wasn’t courageous enough to go out on my own. My partners were at a similar stage of life. We banded together to take our shot together. There were lots of scary moments in the beginning but we supported each other and put our business plan above all else. It was an exhilarating time where we got to put all of our collected and collective experience and passion to the test.

 

Tender Greens was founded by you, Erik Oberholtzer, and Matt Lyman and due to the success of the restaurant, you three obviously have great chemistry. What should other entrepreneurs look for when finding business partners?

This is my favorite thing to talk about. Matt and Erik and I do have pretty awesome chemistry and we work well together. That said, being united in our dedication to the company above our own individual needs is one of the most important elements of our success. We are committed to each of us being our best for the good of Tender Greens. We are sometimes brutally honest with each other but it always comes from a place of care. We are each good at different areas of the business (key to any partnership) and while we dabble in each other’s disciplines and seek one another’s input, we also respect each other’s territory, autonomy and judgment. Erik and Matt and I worked really well together for our previous employer. We weren’t friends per se. This made it easy for us to keep the communication and relationships clean and focused. Our deep friendship came later.

 

 

Describe 1 of the most memorable moments you’ve experienced during your career at Tender Greens.

Opening day of our first restaurant. We had $800 left in the bank. Our homes were leveraged. We were stressed. We had no idea how it was going to go. As it turns out, we were the subject of the daily lifestyle newsletter “The Daily Candy”. By 11am there was a line around the block. It stayed that way until 7pm when we ran out of food and had to close for the day. It was like being in a rollercoaster rodeo! We were on the map and while it wasn’t pretty, it was the biggest thrill.

 

 

 

Owning a business is a lot of work. How do you balance the demands of being a business owner with your personal life?

In the beginning it was brutal. We worked 18 hour days as the morning crew, the evening crew and the night cleaners! We worked seven day weeks for the longest time. There was nothing besides Tender Greens. Our wives came to help from time to time but mostly just supported us in creating our dream. Sometimes patience ran low and we would cover each other so that, one at a time, we could go and devote some time to our ladies. I can’t imagine what it would have been like if we’d had kids back then. It’s different now. We’re old and we’ve developed an amazing team of great leaders. The stresses and responsibilities are different now.

 

Share 3-5 tools or tips that help with your business that you can’t live without.

(1) surround yourself with very smart people – don’t be scared to have people smarter than you on your team (2) build relationships with advisors and mentors – stay humble and ask for help from people who have already been where you’re seeking to go (3) trust your gut – seriously – listen to the little voice inside of you. If it says “don’t” then don’t (4) don’t sell out time to connect with your partners and discuss what’s going on (5) use technology to save time and systematize (6) stay true to your mission unless it’s in severe trouble and you need to pivot – resist the temptation to expand away from your core competency.

 

 

Tender Greens stresses the concept of “farm to table”. What are your thoughts on the movement towards sustainable and locally grown, organic eating here in the United States?

There is an awakening to a more conscious connection to what we use to fuel our bodies. The simpler we get by sticking to the outer rim of the grocery store or seeking out only ingredients we can pronounce, the further along we as a species. The closer we are to where a plant is harvested, the fresher it’s going to be on our plate. The extent to which we buy local and sustainably grown foods, is the extent to which we support local economies, improve the environment and heal our bodies. We believe that’s a great formula and the more it gains traction, the more it will become mainstream.

 

You’ve grown very quickly in a short amount of time, establishing multiple locations in many key cities. What would you say are the biggest factors that contributed to your fast growth?

First and foremost, we tapped into a need in the market. People are yearning for this kind of food. Even in the worst economic downturn in a generation, our wonderful guests came because they tasted their mom’s and grandma’s recipes in our cooking. We offered this food at a value. We opened in great spots and we managed our business always balancing the need to deliver a great product with the need to keep operating like a scrappy start up.

 

 

What kind of future do you envision for Tender Greens in the next 3- years?

We’re planning to continue to open restaurants throughout California and bring our cooking to more great neighborhoods.

 

What is one piece of advice that you wish you would have gotten before starting your venture?

Take more pictures of the journey. There are so many moments I wish we had on film.

 Thanks David, for sharing your wisdom!!

Check out where you can find a Tender Greens near you on their website www.tendergreens.com

You can look at their delicious menu here: Tender Greens Menu

 

 

 

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