How Jackie Middleton from Dame, Earl Canteen & Golden Built 10+ Venues (and What It’s Cost Her)

Everyone wants to open a venue. But no one talks about what it really takes to keep the doors open. In this episode, I sit down with Jackie Middleton, the operator behind Earl Canteen, Dame, and Golden, to pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to build (and survive) in this industry. She’s been in the game 15+ years. Opened 15 venues. Shut some down. Lost money. Made money. Put her everything she had on the line - twice. We talk about the real behind the scenes … the pressure, the numbers, the chaos, and why most people walking into hospitality have no idea what they’re signing up for. If you’ve ever felt like you’re stuck in the grind, this episode is for you. It might just be the conversation you need to hear to change everything.  You’ll hear: 00:00 - Why no one talks about the real day-to-day of running a restaurant 02:00 - Jackie’s honest reflection on building 10+ venues (and which ones failed) 04:50 - The massive franchise gamble that completely flopped 08:30 - Why Jackie says Dame “cost everything” - including their super 16:00 - How she runs 10 businesses without working 80 hours a week 20:00 - Why working at KFC gave her an edge 26:00 - How to get your team to execute at the highest level 31:30 - Why so many venues fail within 18 months 37:00 - How Jackie sees the future of hospitality (and why it's about to get even harder) 43:00 - Creating culture: why it always comes back to leadership 46:00 - The secret to success in this industry  And so much more… Watch the YouTube Version of the Podcast here If you're currently struggling or you want to build a business you love and get more time back, book a Call with our team here so we can help you work through your biggest problem right now.  Find Jackie over at @eatingwithjack and follow her restaurants @dame @earl_canteen golden.coffee.toastie   Get in touch on LinkedIn here  Or check out her venues:   Earl Canteen Golden Dame      Check out the behind the scenes over at @foodie_coaches and @tim.kummerfeld