General Session / Tuesday / October 10, 2023 / 9:00 AM

Executive Perspectives: Inspiration for Today’s Restaurant Leaders
In this session, you will hear four short, thought-provoking talks that will leave you challenged and inspired.
- Creating a Hiring Experience That Encourages Long-Term Employee Engagement | Desmond Lim
- How To Be a Hot Concept Without Fizzling Out| Mike Speck
PRESENTERS




Lauren Coulter | Director of Franchise Sales & Development | Biscuit Belly

Desmond Lim | Co-Founder & CEO | Workstream
Desmond Lim is co-founder and CEO of Workstream, a mobile-first hiring and onboarding platform for the hourly workforce. He is a Harvard University and MIT Media Lab graduate, a former Product Manager at WeChat, and an investor at Dorm Room Fund. He contributes to Entrepreneur.com, Workstream Blog, and Huffington Post. He splits his time between San Francisco and Utah, and represented the Singapore National Team in basketball.

Mike Speck | CEO & Partner | FUSIAN
Mike Speck has significant experience in Operations, Training, HR, Business Acquisitions and Senior Level Leadership, in both corporate and franchise national high growth casual dining and fast casual service restaurant companies. He is the Chief Executive Officer & Partner of Fusian and CEO, Co-Founder of Paceline Restaurant Partners (FUSIAN development arm) with full responsibility for building the organizational, operational and financial businesses of FUSIAN, and emerging brands; The Wizard of Za and Hunny Bee’s Crispy Fried. In addition, he is also an active Board Member, former CEO with Asian Box. Immediately prior was Chief Operating Officer of The Halal Guys, the New York City most iconic brand.” Other experience with unique brands of Qdoba, Red Robin and Steak and Ale proudly credit a life long good fortune of mentorships. Mike is also a professional mentor at the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business and has been a past chairman for the National Restaurant Association HR Executive Group.
