I recently went one on one with Cousins Subs CEO Christine Specht.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. ​How did you get here? ​What experiences, failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth? 

Christine: I grew up with Cousins Subs—the sub sandwich chain my dad, Bill Specht, founded with his cousin in 1972. In fact, my first job was at the Cousins Subs in Germantown, Wisconsin. After receiving a bachelor's degree in criminology and law studies from Marquette University and a master’s degree in public administration from American University, I returned to the family business. I have held the roles of Human Resources Manager, Chief Operating Officer, President and CEO, and now serve as CEO.  I have learned a lot since taking the lead role for the company. It was my belief that this brand could be relevant to future generations which was the catalyst for making major changes. Whether that was through menu innovation, launching a branding and remodeling strategy for our franchise- and corporate-owned restaurants or enhancing my leadership team by ensuring it is comprised of talented individuals who can take the brand into the future successfully. Overall, I look back on all the challenges and see it was well worth it. Cousins Subs has been resilient, is poised for growth and is successfully living our mission of believing in better.  

Adam: In your experience, what are the key steps to growing and scaling your business? 

Christine: Growing your business starts with the vision to be something bigger than you are. Once it has been determined what that will look like, it is critical to turn ideas into actionable steps that will move you towards meeting that goal. Sometimes it can seem overwhelming to observe where you currently are benchmark to get where you ultimately want to be. That’s why breaking your goal into small milestones can make attaining it seem more achievable. For example, at Cousins Subs we operate with one- and three-year plans, which catapults us to our 10-year goal. Particularly with the three-year plan, we can visualize how our business will look in three years and make sure we have the right resources tied to the revenue and growth we expect. By planning and budgeting for the right support, all we need to do is execute. The second part of scaling your business is tied to having the right resources. As a leader, I am constantly evaluating the performance of our team members, ensuring they are the right person in the right seat. It is also important to communicate how jobs will change as the business grows. Some individuals have the skill set for today’s business and tomorrow’s growth, while some do not and will need additional development or potential replacement.  

Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader? 

Christine: An effective leader needs to have a high degree of emotional intelligence. He or she needs to be able to communicate in a way that ensures messaging is understood and done in a way that the person on the receiving end of the communication appreciates. Sure, a boss can bark orders and commands which can lead to compliance, but it is much more effective to communicate in a way that not only ensures compliance, but also ensures buy-in. A smart leader knows that the business will not meet its goals without everyone on the same page and moving in the same direction. Another quality of a leader is to acknowledge he or she has blind spots. A leader cannot be great at everything, and the sooner the leader can pinpoint his or her deficiencies the sooner a person can be hired to fill those gaps. A confident leader realizes it is okay to not be a superhero. By setting aside ego, the end game can stay the focus of what is really important.  Lastly, a leader needs to do more listening than talking. When the leader is talking, he or she should be asking questions. Employees want to be heard and feel like their opinions are respected. As a result, the entire organization can tackle problems and develop solutions without it being relegated to those at the very top.  

Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level? 

Christine: Leaders can benefit by learning from others. This can be done through roundtables with your peers, serving on nonprofit boards or meeting with a mentor. Personally, I serve on several boards. Whenever I have a board meeting, I am gleaning key takeaways that I can apply to my leadership style or the business. Leaders can also take their skills to the next level by operating in an environment of continuous learning.  Whether that is through formal training or by reading the latest leadership book, leaders need to be open to adopting new philosophies or approaches to leadership. Leaders will always have their natural style but making tweaks helps leaders to mature. Another great way for leaders to grow is by taking a step back to make sure that as a leader he or she knows what teams are doing. It's important for leaders to understand the roles to the point they could do them. This is not meant to encourage micromanaging. Rather, it is a way to build rapport with your team. A boss that really “gets it” is a boss that is respected.  

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders? 

Christine: First, set aside your ego. A certain amount of ego gives us the confidence to achieve our dreams. However, too much of it can hamper those dreams. It's important to realize that you will need help and reaching out and asking for help, in whatever form that may be, can keep you moving towards reaching those goals. Remember, slow and steady often wins the race. I don’t any business that doesn’t want growth. Growth is great however it should be planned, measured and manageable. In the fast casual restaurant industry, I often see growth for growth sake. While it might get positive headlines for a while, the headlines that come out later speak to the challenges of the growth and not being ready for that amount or type of growth. That can really dismantle a business. Understanding why you are in business is crucial for you and your entire team. Typically, the answer does not have much to do with monetary success. Rather, the money becomes a means to an end. At Cousins Subs, we exist to provide a great meal to our guests. In doing that, we can bring in enough revenue to support our communities. We provide careers, we help many non-profit organizations through our foundation, and we help people achieve their dreams.  I like to say, we change the world one sub at a time.

Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams? 

Christine: My best advice on building, leading and managing teams is to make sure you have the best people you can afford. Not only should your teams have the technical skills to complete their work, but they should also fit your culture. Once you have the best people, inspire them in a way that builds loyalty. Remember buy-in is key. This is done through effectively sharing your vision for the future and showing them how they fit into it. However, the other side of that equation is that you must hold teams accountable. People want to know how they can do better, how they are measuring up against goals and how they fit into the bigger picture. This comes through accountability.  It can be a very difficult thing to do, but if there isn’t a culture of accountability your teams might not be reaching their fullest potential and that means the company may not reach its long-term goals. 

Adam: What are your best tips on the topics of sales, marketing, and branding? 

Christine: At Cousins Subs, we believe in better through the continual improvement in everything we do. That is our mission statement, and you can find it displayed in our restaurants and at our support center. For it to really take hold, guests and employees need to see it in action. We talk about how what we do – make and sell sub sandwiches – leads to accomplishing our mission. Whether that is individual employee development or partnering with community organizations, our ability to live our mission starts with our subs. By taking this approach, we have been able to make an emotional connection to why we do what we do. Guests have many options; competition is everywhere.  Why someone visits a Cousins Subs restaurant is as much to do with our great tasting food as it is to the emotional connection we have with our consumers. If you can accomplish that emotional connection, you can build loyalty and receive customers for life.  Beyond that, it is critical to consistently share that message. We have media we use to increase sales – TV and radio commercials, branding pieces, in-store advertising, social and digital – and our voice is consistent in every channel, so our mission and values shine through. Through this consistency, people see Cousins Subs in many different formats but are always receiving the same message.  

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received? 

Christine: Surround yourself with the best people and your work will be infinitely more fulfilling, successful, and fun. As I stated above, a single person cannot lead a company to greatness. There is an entire team working together, in unison, to achieve business goals. As a leader, that can be hard to accept. You must realize you may not be the best at everything. It's important to remember relinquishing tasks that you are not good is not a sign of weakness nor does it mean you do not bring value to the organization. Rather, it means you can focus on your strengths and build success based on those while others are filling in the gaps.