Ep. 28 - Jamie Richardson: VP of Government and Shareholder Relations at White Castle Systems, Inc. - a podcast by Peter Margaritis, CPA & C-Suite Radio

Today’s guest on the show is Jamie Richardson, the Vice President of Government and Shareholder relations at White Castle Systems, Inc., the Chairman of the Ohio Restaurant Association, and a family-owned business advocate.
“It's 95 years ago that the epicenter of all cravings was launched, and we’re going better and bigger and having more fun than ever.”White Castle is celebrating its 95th birthday this year – and its 95th year as a family-owned business.
Jamie is an advocate for family-owned businesses. He believes it is important for family-owned businesses to share their story with thought leaders and lawmakers, whether that's at the state level or the federal level, to ensure that lawmakers consider the impact that new policies might have on family-owned businesses.Jamie believes that family businesses are unique in a number of ways.
“They are very distinctive… because a lot of the the businesses that are known for treating their team members well… tend to be family businesses.”Being family-owned gives them the freedom and flexibility to make good decisions for the long haul.
Family-owned businesses are less likely to get caught up in what Jamie calls “the sudden tug” in an emergency.“We feel it gives us an anchor and we call it the base of all metaphysics here in Castle Land.”
Jamie is also a great networker, which comes down to being a great friend. Jamie approaches community engagement and networking events as opportunities to make new friends, and that opens him up to connect and start helping them more easily.Jamie engages with local communities, professional communities and charitable communities because it opens him up to a more diverse network of friends from different industries, different backgrounds, different worldviews and different perspectives. When you start to listen to people and genuinely appreciate them, then networking can begin to unlock some doors.
“The greatest part of networking is about friendships, and part of that friendship is being a good listener.”Since 2008, Jamie has seen bigger barriers to entry in the foodservice industry, and more restaurants are going out of business. These barriers are put in place by regulators at the local, state and federal level – often with good intentions – and it puts a strain on an industry that already operates with compressed margins.
The impact of regulation is real. The struggle to remain profitable is only made more difficult by the fact that these threats are often more external than they are the result of a foodservice company’s own decisions.“We think it's our responsibility to focus on being good citizens and let them know what the real world looks like.”
I appreciate Jamie for taking the time to talk to me. He’s a great person and a great friend, and that has taken him a long way in his career.  Resources:
Get in touch with Jamie on LinkedIn  Production&Development for Improv Is No Joke by Podcast Masters
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