Niall Campbell is the Owner & Executive Chef of Firefly Grill. Niall is a thought leader, influencer, visionary, and successful entrepreneur. Niall provides the leadership and energy that has inspired the creation of Firefly Grill . Niall joins other leading CEOs and Founders taking part in our Leader Roundtable Interview Series. The DotCom Magazine editorial team has recently awarded Firefly Grill with our Impact Company of 2019 award. We are delighted to have Niall Campbell join us for our Leader Roundtable Interview, and our popular “speed round” as well.
Niall, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy day for this interview about your company, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
1. What is the “elevator pitch” for Firefly Grill?
Firefly grill is modern farm & table roadhouse. Our approach to food is simple—source the best ingredients possible and stay out of their way. We like to know our food intimately—where and how it is grown, raised, foraged, fished or harvested. The fewer fingerprints and carbon footprints the better. That’s why we have our very own on-site farm and buy locally whenever we can.
Our menu is a showcase of our philosophy with an ever-changing selection of creations from Chef Niall. Firefly offers indoor/outdoor seating on the water, lounge seating by the fire, dog friendly seating in the warmer months, several private event spaces, fish feeding, a mindful children’s menu and other activities for the kids to enjoy.
We’re so glad you’re here!
2. What is the key to your company’s success?
The love between my wife and I, our love for our team, our clients, our community and our work.
3. Many of our readers are just starting to build a company. What advice can you give entrepreneurs just starting out with a new venture?
Dramamine, it’s a wild ride. More seriously, there is no need to reinvent the wheel, particularly at the beginning. Find people and companies to emulate, reach out and connect with them. Many entrepreneurs are like my wife Kristie and I, we will make time to mentor.
4. For other entrepreneurs seeking to build a business as successful as yours, what advice can you give them when times get a little challenging?
Read Eckhart Tolle’s story about the duck and always remember to be the duck.
If you are married, have a safety word for when you need a break from talking about your start-up. It’s all consuming at the beginning and breaks are important.
5. How important is the commitment to client satisfaction at Firefly Grill , and how do you make sure your customers will become raving fans of your company?
We care profoundly about our clients experience. We are fanatical nurturers, it’s one of our core values, we live and breath it and our clients feel it.
6. In today’s fast changing business environment, how do you stay abreast of things?
Pay attention, eyes wide open all the time. You never know what conversation will gift you an incredible opportunity. We network constantly.
7. What is your “Why”? Why do you get up in the morning, and how do you keep yourself at peak performance to lead Firefly Grill?
Our purpose is to nourish. That statement encapsulates a lot from actually food to nourishing our community by sharing our time and resources, nourishing our guests by knowing who they are and what they care about, nourishing our planet by working a sustainable farm free from damaging chemicals to nourishing our team by giving them the best tools available.
8. Can you recommend a book that has had an influence in your career? How did it influence you?
Traction by Gino Wickman. We run firefly on EOS – the Entrepreneurial Operating System. It seems simple, yet very few companies do it consistently.
9. When communicating with your staff, can you tell us the most important thing you do so that they are able to carry out the objectives that you set forth at Firefly Grill?
Connect before you correct. When people have their fight or flight triggered, they can’t hear anything, they are unable to process your request, it’s powerful shift to calm this instinct before asking for something.
10. Can you explain what leadership means to you?
Leadership means service period. Our job is to make other people’s jobs better, more satisfying and meaningful.
We would like to have some fun and do a “speed round” with you! We will ask you ten more questions that we want you to answer in just one to three words only.
Here you go!
1. In three words or less, what makes a successful CEO?
Gratitude, willingness, courage
2. Describe your business in one word?
Nourishing
3. Describe your customers in one word?
Brilliant
4. What one attribute do you look for when hiring an employee?
A firm handshake
5. What is the one word you want your customers to say about your company?
Surprising
6. In three words or less, describe your passion?
To nourish
7. In three words or less, describe what it takes to be successful?
Gratitude, willingness, courage
8. In three words or less, describe your first year in business at Firefly Grill?
A shit show
9. In three words or less, describe how running a successful company has changed you?
Made me humble
10. What is the one word that you believe has the most power in the English language?
Love
Niall Campbell, thank you so much for sitting down with us for our DotCom Magazine Leader Roundtable Interview Series. We very much appreciate the time you spent helping our readers learn more about what it takes to be a leader. We wish you, your family, and of course Firefly Grill, nothing but the best.
Thanks again!
