Paul Kreth
Restaurant and hospitality P&L business leader and consultant with consistent success driving startup, transformation, growth and talent retention initiatives
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About
Apply expertise in short- and long-term business planning, turnarounds, training, and revenue development. Bring strategic leadership across talent acquisition, finance, Operations and marketing. Motivate teams to embrace and promote a culture of customer service and personal accountability.
Implement innovative technology to enhance market position and optimize productivity. Research to identify market opportunities, serve consumer needs and create the "wow" factor. Approach problems as opportunities with passion to identify and implement positive outcomes.
Negotiate global supply contracts, identifying ambiguities and risks.
Experience
Franchisor, Consultant - Shorty Small's of Beebe, AR - Beebe, AR
(2025-02)
Launched Shorty Small's Food Truck in October 2024
Chief Growth and Transformation Officer - Branson Internet Ventures LLC - Branson, MO
(2022-05 - 2023-06)
One-year contract
- Created and drove hospitality and food-and-beverage (F&B) growth strategy to provide world-class service, quality and value and ensure outstanding guest experience.
- Designed and led implementation of F&B strategy for hotel acquisition.
- Created, developed and opened restaurant concept, Jack Henry's, in less than 90 days.
- Partnered with founder/CEO and HR manager to develop HR talent acquisition and culture change strategy for 400+ employees.
- Developed and promoted employee enthusiasm for learning and growth.
- Implemented mybites.io™ training platform supporting just-in-time microlearning approach.
- Applied MBTI™ and Enneagram™ talent assessments to build engaged teams and align talent to jobs.
- Implemented Talroo™ job advertising platform for profile-driven programmatic candidate sourcing.
- Introduced and facilitated entrepreneurial operating system (EOS) company-wide.
- Integrated Acquire™ with ADP for payroll management.
Founder, President and CEO - Let's Eat LLC - Little Rock, AR; Branson, MO; Oklahoma City, OK
(2011-11 - 2022-05)
- Launched and grew 175-employee operation generating $65 million in revenue over ten years.
- Increased profitability 35% through creation of "shorty bucks," a customer retention and growth program.
- Created employee rewards that increased retention and reduced employee turnover to 39%.
- Led eight strategic business pivots during Covid-19 pandemic and served as public relations expert for the Arkansas Restaurant Association.
- Wrote grants to support successful funding applications for Arkansas Ready for Business, Restaurant Revitalization Fund, Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Payroll Protection Program.
Legendary Service Consultants, Inc. - Little Rock, AR
(1987-01 - 2017-12)
Founder and CEO - Shorty Small's, Inc. - Oklahoma City, OK
(2002-03 - 2011-11)
- Created fast-casual concept and opened four restaurant locations.
- Developed strategic business plan through West Coast Capital for growth funding.
- Installed executive management team including CFO, COO, CMO and operations director.
- Negotiated terms of business leases, site locations and banking relationships.
- Served as project manager for design and construction of restaurant locations.
- Led roll-up strategy combining 11 legal entities into one holding company.
- Raised more than $25 million for mergers, acquisitions and site development.
- Reorganized company into Let's Eat LLC in 2011.
Founder and CEO - Specialty Restaurant, Inc. - Oklahoma City, OK
(1989-01 - 2002-03)
- Operated 19 unique businesses that employed more than 500 team members and included an (in-house advertising agency, centralized accounting, hotels, catering, commissaries) and 36 casual- and formal-dining restaurants, generating $1.15 million in monthly revenue.
- Created human resource center overseeing recruiting, payroll, benefits and training programs based on 12 points of effective service, net promoter scores (NPS®) and legendary service.
- Pioneered marketing strategies with tourism and timeshare leadership in Branson, MO.
- Produced menu layout design, scripts, voiceover for radio/TV, media copy and branded merchandise.
- Managed subsidiary concepts and trademark company, Shorty Small's Designs, which obtained multiple trademarks including Create A Story™, an innovative training gamification platform that enhanced employee and customer satisfaction.
- Formed Shorty Small's, Inc. and transitioned businesses into one holding company in 2002.
Education
BS - Hotel and Restaurant Administration - Oklahoma State University
