What an Unprepped Chicken Taught Me About Leadership

I graduated from culinary school with a vision—to one day become a head chef and own my own restaurant. Early in my career, I quickly moved up the ranks to line cook, sauté, and then kitchen manager. I was driven, passionate, and determined to make a name for myself, with dreams of eventually leading in one of the top restaurants in the Houston area.

At just 21, I found myself leading a team of individuals who didn’t all share my passion. Still, I was committed to building something great. I often gave instructions in advance for what needed to be prepped for the next day’s rush, trusting my team would handle things as planned.

One morning, I walked into the kitchen and instantly felt something was off. The chicken—the centerpiece of our next lunch rush—hadn’t been prepped. I was met with silence, stares, and then a call to the office.

Sitting across from my manager, tears welled in my eyes as she asked how something so critical had been missed. I had allowed two team members to switch duties the night before, not realizing the impact of the shift. I also didn’t double-check the prep list—something I used to do religiously but had slowly stopped. I thought I knew it all. I got comfortable. I ignored the very tool that was created to keep us on track: the nightly closing checklist. That moment was humbling, and it stuck with me for years.

Not long after, I stepped away from the food industry and into a role in corporate oil and gas, starting in the filing department. Over the years, I worked my way up, but I never forgot that day in the kitchen. I made a vow to never again underestimate the importance of clear systems, accountability, and structure.

That lesson became the foundation of everything I do now.

Today, I’m the founder of LOKK Designs, where I help businesses and organizations build the structure, clarity, and operational systems they need to grow and thrive. I work alongside leaders, managers, and teams to eliminate confusion, reduce turnover, and create scalable systems that empower people at every level.

From strategic planning to process development, team and employee management, change management, and work instruction design—my focus is on building businesses that run well, not just work hard. I’ve developed frameworks like The LOKK Method and the CORE Framework, and I host offsite retreats and now summits to help teams realign and lead with purpose.

That experience in the kitchen wasn’t a failure—it was a defining moment. It taught me that even the most passionate people need clear expectations, systems they can trust, and leaders who ensure the tools aren’t just in place—but actually used.

I never became a head chef. But today, I help leaders become the chefs of their own business kitchens—where everyone knows their role, the systems support the mission, and no one’s scrambling when the chicken isn’t prepped.

Because when clarity meets execution, businesses—and people—thrive.