Hospitality from Within

Kim Lerner
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Hospitality from Within

Welcome to Hospitality from Within Podcast! Kim Lerner is a leadership coach and professor for the hospitality industry. She spent almost 2 decades leading teams through restaurant openings with a strong emphasizes on creating safe spaces for each team member to be themselves and feel a part of the team. This space was created for leaders to learn how to build their confidence within their voice, gain insights and hear stories from other like-minded leaders that are paving the way to a more sustainable hospitality industry. For ways to work with Kim, visit www.onlyyummyalways.com. And for resources, workshops and community, visit theschool.www.onlyyummyalways.com. Thank you for being here and remember to keep it only yummy, always.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Ep 46 - Moving with integrity with D Rooney

    Ep 46 Moving with integrity with D Rooney D speaks honestly and openly about her journey of being a co-founder of Rock Steady Farm. Intuition, activism and community are all at the core of who D is and how they lead themselves each day. This conversation is a look inside how passionate, caring and compassionate the farming community is. D prides themselves in being a steward of the land and that’s how they teach others to think about the soil and all of those that came before us.    About D Since 2012, D (all pronouns) has dedicated their life, spirit, and energy to the radical dreams and actions of being in collaboration with many to create spaces of belonging and upliftment as a farmer, teacher, and organizer within food systems work. At that time, D became a student and member of the Farm School NYC community and credits it with providing them with the lens to see a world that requires collective change and the conditions and opportunities to discover their own power and voice. Since then, D has gone on to be a co-founder, worker-owner, and Director of Farm Operations at Rock Steady Farm, where for the last nine years D has worked incredibly hard to create a project that demonstrates strong values and commitment to their rich communities. D’s work pursues the cultivation of collective liberation through acts of empowerment, growing nourishing food for many with a reverence for nature and with deep relational care of each other and all of our ecosystems.For more resources on leadership and eliminating the sticky energy from team culture, visit The School of Hospitality from Within. As a part of the community, use discount code : COMMUNITY20 for 20% off the Lead with Confidence Membership that unlocks access to leadership courses, videos, worksheets, guidebooks and more!

    34 min

  2. JAN 1

    Ep 45 - Celebrating the trust fall with Shawndra McCrorey

    Ep 45 - Celebrating the trust fall with Shawndra McCrorey Shawndra has been following her intuition for as long as I’ve known her. Her commitment to connecting with community is at the core of who she is, and has led her down a really interesting and beautiful career path. Shawndra shares her journey while connecting her dots backwards. It’s inspiring to learn how the process of trusting the path has opened so many doors for her. We also share a teaser on an exciting venture and Shawndra and I have decided to join forces and become business partners. More to come on that soon!    About Shawndra Shawndra is a key creative and strategic partner in business concept development and building teams with multifaceted tools for operational success. She works with businesses to architect dynamic experiences around food, wine and hospitality that truly engage patrons, connecting them to the vision of the place.  She takes a dynamic approach to developing relationships to understand the heartbeat of team and its leaders - this allows her to create collaborative and sustainable models for training and business growth. She helps leaders breathe life into ideas coming from within their own culture, offering tools and pathways to collective success. Her approach is always catered to the unique culture of a team and operation. For more resources on leadership and eliminating the sticky energy from team culture, visit The School of Hospitality from Within.

    36 min

  3. 12/18/2024

    Ep 44 - Learning the power of no and prioritizing because there’s only so much one person can do with Carli Gordon

    Ep 44 - Learning the power of no and prioritizing because there’s only so much one person can do with Carli Gordon Carli is an ultimate community builder that has led her to found The Libi Project. Carli shares with honesty the transition from a full time job to starting her business that is her heart’s calling. There have been a lot of learning opportunities for her along the way, continuously working towards the power of no as well as pausing and being present.  About Carli Carli’s career sits at the intersection of food and community. A Chicago native, she earned a business degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison before moving to Italy to pursue a master’s in World Food Cultures & Mobility from The University of Gastronomic Sciences. There, she deepened her understanding of the cultural, political, and social intersections shaping our food systems—insights that continue to guide and inspire her work today. In 2021, Carli returned to New York City to advance her career in the city’s vibrant food and beverage industry. After gaining experience in brand, operations, and events at leading organizations such as Eataly, BentoBox, Hot Bread Kitchen, and Resident Hospitality, she set out to carve her own path. This led to the creation of The Libi Project, a mission-driven production and creative studio dedicated to uplifting early-stage food and beverage entrepreneurs, farmers, producers and programming. Through initiatives like Culinary Industry Nights, The Libi Project celebrates innovative, mission-driven work in the diverse F&B world, fostering meaningful connections, collaboration, and partnerships. To further this mission, Carli supports early-stage entrepreneurs through First Course, a comprehensive starter pack that combines strategic insights, branding, and photography to empower culinary creatives and build strong brand foundations that reflect the passion and creativity they bring to their craft. From photography to branding support, it’s all about helping these entrepreneurs thrive in this beautiful, passion-driven (yet often challenging) industry.   For more resources on leadership and eliminating the sticky energy from team culture, visit The School of Hospitality from Within.

    36 min

  4. 12/11/2024

    Ep 43 - You have to recognize that what happens to you can also happen to others with Mitch Cynamon

    Ep 43 - You have to recognize that what happens to you can also happen to others with Mitch Cynamon Mitch founded his business 19 years ago and has a lot to celebrate and share with us! Mitch’s growth story was far from linear but the common thread was that he asked questions, he connected with his clients and community and he listened. He may not have always taken the guidance that was offered to him, but he always listened before taking his next actionable step. Mitch celebrates today employees 5th year anniversary with Initiate Care which is a beautiful milestone! We all have a lot to learn from Mitch, both in restaurant safety and CPR and how to stay humble when building and growing a business.  About Mitch Mitch Cynamon is the founder of Initiate Care. He created it in 2006 for two reasons: First, because of all of the first-aid work I was asked to do my first few years in the hospitality industry. Second, it made no sense to me that people I was literally bleeding with were scared to ask for a bandaid. First-aid kits shouldn’t be an adversarial battleground. For many hospitality groups, because we speak the same language, we were the partner to not only expand their safety materials program but also to bring them CPR and first-aid training opportunities. Safety Saints, a nonprofit focused on providing easier access to CPR/First-aid training as well as first-aid materials for overlooked communities was started in 2021. Mitch held positions both in the BOH and FOH at some of the most reputable restaurants in NYC including: Union Square Hospitality Group (Eleven Madison Park, Shake Shack, Blue Smoke, Tabla, Union Square Events) Culinary Concepts by Jean-Georges, Craft and The Standard Highline, before starting Initiate Care.  For more resources on leadership and eliminating the sticky energy from team culture, visit The School of Hospitality from Within.

    34 min

  5. 11/20/2024

    Ep 42 - The key skill that every leader needs to have is listening with Naureen Ahmed

    Ep 42 - The key skill that every leader needs to have is listening with Naureen Ahmed Naureen was the first podcast host that created the space for me to share my leadership story and I’m honored to have her on as a guest here to shine light on hers. Naureen tells a story unlike most do, with calm, poise and confidence. She shares so openly what feedback was given to her throughout her career and moments that she learned from to help her grow. Listen attentively to this delightful conversation - I promise you, you will want to take notes!  About Naureen Naureen Ahmed is a seasoned hospitality professional, a fervent community builder, an engaging storyteller, and the visionary founder of ‘Inspiring Women in Hospitality’.With a life journey that saw her living in four different countries by the age of 10, Naureen's path to the hospitality industry felt predestined. Her academic pursuits led her to the EHL Hospitality Business School in Lausanne, where she felt an immediate kinship with fellow students, each with their own unique stories.Embarking on her career with a position at the Landmark London Hotel, Naureen quickly embraced the operational aspects of hospitality, setting the stage for a significant tenure at STR. Over 12 years, she transitioned through roles from analyst to head of departments, playing a pivotal role in transforming STR into the recognized brand it is today. Naureen's leadership style is marked by inclusivity and a focus on building multicultural team environments.Recognizing the underrepresentation of women in hospitality, Naureen launched the ‘Inspiring Women in Hospitality’ podcast to amplify female voices and inspire change within the industry. Her efforts expanded in September 2023 with the creation of the Inspire Community, a platform designed to foster support among women through mentorship and career development discussions For more resources on leadership and eliminating the sticky energy from team culture, visit The School of Hospitality from Within and join the Lead with Confidence membership.

    34 min

  6. 10/16/2024

    EP 41 - Releasing the control valve as a leader and letting restaurants be a living and breathing space

    Do you identify with needing to be in full control as a leader?  Do you also fear not having everything perfect before service starts? This episode may bring you some insights.   You can get the full article here. For more resources to learn how to lead with confidence, visit The School of Hospitality from Within

    15 min

  7. 10/09/2024

    Ep 40 - Not every culture is for every person and that’s ok - that’s a sign of healthy culture with Sarah Diehl

    Ep 40 - Not every culture is for every person and that’s ok - that’s a sign of healthy culture with Sarah Diehl Sarah began her career in operations and quickly saw the need to support restaurant owners and teams in helping them create more inviting cultures. She shares her journey and what made her found Empowered Hospitality - it wasn’t linear and all the learning opportunities showed up at the right time to help her pivot. Through these moments, she had continuously come back to herself, redefine what community has meant to her and it has all lead her to creating a really special and unique culture at EH, while helping restaurant owners do the same. Sarah is a gem of a human and steps into a bit of discomfort with me during this conversation to let me shine light on the incredibly inspiring and kind human and leader she is!  About Sarah Sarah began her career in restaurant operations with Hillstone Restaurant Group, becoming one of the youngest general managers at a $10m+ location before transitioning to a corporate HR role. After several years as an HR director, however, her position was eliminated, prompting her to pursue a similar HR leadership role in NYC's bustling hospitality industry. To her dismay, many of the small hospitality businesses she was drawn to simply did not need full-time HR support, despite their struggle with HR. In many of these initial conversations, Sarah instinctively pivoted her interview into a strategy session, focusing not on her career goals but on the HR needs of each business - often offering to complete small HR projects as a freelancer. A few months of working in this capacity was all Sarah needed to embrace her calling to build a sustainable, scalable consulting business. Empowered Hospitality was born. Sarah earned her bachelor’s in political science with honors from Yale and holds SHRM-SCP, WSET Advanced (Wine & Spirits Educational Trust), and CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine) certifications. Sarah was selected as a 2021 Tory Burch Foundation Fellow for her passion for building an equitable, collaborative, and socially conscious small business, is a perennial speaker at the annual FAB Conference in Charleston, SC, a frequent panelist on topics related to people and organization for the James Beard Foundation, and a guest lecturer at the School of Hospitality Administration at Boston University. For more resources on leadership and eliminating the sticky energy from team culture, visit The School of Hospitality from Within.

    39 min

  8. 10/02/2024

    Ep 39 - When the shift has to happen, your intuition will show you when it’s time to take the leap with Daneen Green

    Ep 39 -  When the shift has to happen, you’re intuition will show you when it’s time to take the leap with Daneen Green  Daneen is as full of light as her voice is! She shares her career journey and how it has continued to unfold. “Kitchen feels like home to me” and that has been a north star for her ever since she took culinary classes. Daneen has built a deep trust in her own knowledge and allows her authentic self to be front stage - from here, the kitchen has always found her. It’s not easy to have a career as a private chef but Daneen shares how she continues to grow her career and client base from her authentic truth.    About Daneen Daneen has built a career focused on delivering luxury on a plate, celebrating beautiful food, enticing flavors and her passion for hospitality. With over 15 years experience in the culinary world, including 11 years as a sought-after private chef curating personalized dining experiences for discerning clients and companies (TED, LiveNation). Recently, she has expanded her expertise into the fields of genetic and microbiome nutrition, blending the science of personalized nutrition with her deep understanding of food as medicine. Daneen offers a truly holistic approach to cooking, merging culinary artistry with cutting-edge nutrition science by focusing on how epigenetics influence individual dietary needs, and how managing the microbiome can heal both body and mind. At her new company, Soul and Cell, Daneen and her fellow mind-body practitioners, are at the forefront of a new movement that bridges the gap between optimal mental health and holistic cellular wellbeing.For more resources on leadership and eliminating the sticky energy from team culture, visit The School of Hospitality from Within.

    32 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to Hospitality from Within Podcast! Kim Lerner is a leadership coach and professor for the hospitality industry. She spent almost 2 decades leading teams through restaurant openings with a strong emphasizes on creating safe spaces for each team member to be themselves and feel a part of the team. This space was created for leaders to learn how to build their confidence within their voice, gain insights and hear stories from other like-minded leaders that are paving the way to a more sustainable hospitality industry. For ways to work with Kim, visit www.onlyyummyalways.com. And for resources, workshops and community, visit theschool.www.onlyyummyalways.com. Thank you for being here and remember to keep it only yummy, always.

Information

  • Creator
    Kim Lerner
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The School of Hospitality from Within
  • Show Website
    Hospitality from Within

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