EP40: Erik Oberholtzer - From Chef to CEO to a $100M Business

Making the Cut with Chris Hill and Shawn Wenner

This week on the show we had the privilege of chatting with Erik Oberholtzer, the co-founder and CEO of the rapidly growing restaurant group, Tender Greens - a plant forward, chef-driven, season and sustainably sourced restaurant group. Erik is a former executive chef who joined forces with two friends and colleagues from work to open the first Tender Greens location back in 2006. Since their humble beginnings back in Culver City, they've expanded from locations solely in California to the east coast and will pass the 100 million dollar mark in annual revenue this year. We had a great time chatting with Erik and he offered a ton of great insights, including:

• The challenges associated with stepping out on their own, what it took to open that first restaurant, and some important lessons he and his business partners learned along the way.
• What the mission was for Tender Greens, why they had a long-term strategy for growth, and how they've been able to scale their business in such a dynamic way.
• What Erik has learned about leadership - from the early days where he was very hands-on, to where the company is now, requiring a different set of skills and leadership from him.

Connect with Erik and Tender Greens and let them know what your takeaways were from this episode: www.tendergreens.com www.facebook.com/tendergreensfood www.instagram.com/tendergreens www.twitter.com/tendergreens Many Thanks to Our Sponsors: Libbey: One of the largest suppliers of tableware products in the world. Be sure to check out their wide array of products that are sure to fit your style at www.foodservice.libbey.com. Le Cordon Bleu: One of the richest traditions in the culinary industry, Le Cordon Bleu has all the education and tools needed to help you succeed as an entrepreneur in the culinary industry. We encourage you to stop by their website to learn more: www.cordonbleu.edu/usa.