Ten Reasons To Choose Us - A Message From Donald Mason
Donald Mason Consulting is NOT a corporate owned and operated business employing dozens, if not hundreds of people; we are a small firm, so you will always receive personalized service from the same person (Donald Mason).
With over forty years of experience in the food and beverage industry, when you ask me to work with you, you are getting "1 ON 1" personalized service from a seasoned restaurateur, leader, and veteran, who retired after twenty-one years of service who embodies the ideology of "integrity", "devotion", "duty", "loyalty", and "ethics", just to name a few.
I am old school, so my word is my bond and a handshake actually means something to me; If I say I can help, I CAN HELP!.
I consider myself to be blue collar with an education, meaning I am a people person who likes to get his hands dirty, but was lucky enough to have been able to attend college, and eventually earn a Master’s in Business Administration.
As a former restaurant owner I understand the difficulties to not only opening a restaurant but also successfully operating one through a combination of: creative marketing, planning, the development of quality staff, the development of strong leadership and management, sound financial decisions, great food, well designed menus, standard operating procedures, and proper training.
Throughout my entire life, both in and around my military service I have worked in the food and beverage industry. I have extensive experience in fast food, delivery, banquet, catering, Sunday brunches, and dine in (ranging from casual to formal; and includes corporate, franchise, and privately owned units); so there has not been a restaurant concept that I have not successfully managed. Some of those operations include: The Buck Hotel (Trevose, PA), Arby’s (PA), Olga's Kitchens (PA), Roy Rogers (PA), Chi-Chi's Mexican Restaurant (N.J.), The Holiday Inn (Trenton, N.J.), Domenic’s Italian Ristorante (Poway, CA), Hungry Hunter (CA), Applebee's (CA), The Scotch & Sirloin Restaurant (Ventura, CA), the 94th Aero Squadron (San Diego, CA), Acapulco Mexican Restaurant (CA), Burger King (CA), Jack in the Box (CA), Domino’s Pizza (CA), Pizza Hut (CA), and many others. The cuisine I am familiar with includes fast food, Italian, Mexican, traditional American, and steakhouse.
I am a former restaurant owner I am knowledgable with design planning (kitchen and dinning rooms), establishing flows, business plans, branding, fresh build-outs, equipment leasing, advertising and marketing, the inspection process, and all other facets involved in the opening a restaurant.
As a Senior Enlisted Leader who has led hundreds of soldiers on complex missions, I have the leadership skills that benefit any organization I workwith. I also know how to plan, strategize, coordinate, implement, and execute a myriad of tasks. But more importantly, I know how to build a team that feels as much a part of the process and organization as they would if they were owners.
As a university professor for the Forbes School of Business I have taught hundreds of students for almost a decade the concepts and strategies to become successful and competetive business owners. These concepts include but are not limited to "Branding", "Stakeholder Equity", and "Ownership".
Lastly, there is a pride associated with being successful, and I have never liked failing even though I have failed in my younger years; and this is important because without failure there is nothing learned. Given the fact that I have failed I have also worked hard not to fail nor repeat my mistakes. Given this, as it relates to the food and beverage industry, I can honestly say that there is almost nothing I do not know as it relates to this business, ranging from the front of the house to the back of the house, and from marketing to building successful teams. To sum it up, when you hire Donald Mason you get someone who provides personal service, has over four decades in the food and beverage industry, who has extensive knowledge, is a proven leader, and whose handshake means something.