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The darkest moment of Josh Kopel’s profession was also the brightest.
“For me, the lowest moment of my career was also the highest moment – when I took a $50,000 advance that came with no personal guarantee that it would turn my business around.” podcast host and shares of Michelin-rated restaurateurs. “I didn’t feel like giving anymore. I just didn’t care anymore.”
We often mark our lives with achievements. But sometimes we need to pay attention to those moments when everything seems really bad in order to grow.
When times are tough, a leader must dig deeper into the situation and find a solution. This is how you get to the next level, and that’s what prompted Kopel to improve his situation. “For most of my career, I was motivated almost exclusively by fear,” he admits.
Although Kopel was once driven by fear – fear of failure, fear of letting his family down, fear of losing every part – he is now driven by a different, more enriching feeling: vulnerability.
Going through difficult times might help people understand each other higher. “If I become a better trainer, consultant or better media personality, for me it will be rooted in empathy as well as sensitivity,” he says Shawn Walchef on Restaurant influencers podcast series.
I currently host the popular Yelp for Restaurants podcast FULL COMPThanks to the global reach of digital media, Kopel had the opportunity to be defenseless in front of tens of millions of people. In over 400 episodes, he asked tough questions and shared his battle scars.
His goal, as all the time, is to elevate the restaurant industry.
Restaurants and media
Kopel has spent over two many years in the restaurant industry, managing properties ranging from bars to high-quality dining venues.
Some became quick successes, like his New Orleans-inspired bar Five0Four. The place, which he called “an anecdote of loneliness,” made $1.4 million in its first yr in a 900-square-foot space.
Not all of his concepts went as easily as this one.
Despite outward signs of success, Kopel often felt isolated and overwhelmed by the pressures of ownership. He realized that he was not as alone as he thought. Other restaurant owners faced equally serious problems.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, he sold his last restaurant. “It’s not like I lost my job,” he says. “It was like it was out of the industry.”
The fork in the road has come. And just in time, an unexpected opportunity appeared.
A longtime contact, a Yelp executive, suggested Kopel consider media production. In just a few weeks FULL COMP the podcast was born. The series has develop into not only a platform for sharing stories, but a tool for personal development and industry transformation.
“The podcast gives context,” Kopel says. “It’s about building relationships and learning from others.”
The basis of his success was Kopel’s willingness to accept his sensitivity. During his keynote speech for Yelp at the National Restaurant Association show, he shared raw, personal stories about his struggles. He has claimed his success by showing that, as he says, it was “born out of failure.”
This approach also shaped his podcast interviews. Like any good leader, Kopel leads without hiding his own scars. Its transparency creates a space where guests feel comfortable sharing deeper insights.
“Trust is built through vulnerability,” he explains. He uses this strategy in his coaching work, and honesty and empathy drive his relationships with clients.
He knows that restaurants of all sorts struggle with the same issues, akin to profitability, labor and money flow. He believes that restaurateurs can solve them by simplifying and improving only those interface elements that bring the most revenue.
Revenue, awareness, and customer visit frequency depend on the same thing that creates the best coaching interactions and podcast interviews: one-on-one relationships. Then it’s just a matter of scale.
Kopel’s love for restaurants has grown as his influence has grown through his podcast and other media. He is consistent and persistent in creating significant change in this industry. Through his podcasts and coaching programs, he empowers restaurateurs to simplify, prioritize and thrive.
“Convenience is boring,” he says. “Magic happens when you get uncomfortable and move forward.”
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