On this episode of the Encourage Mindset Podcast, host Ethan Van De Hey sits down with Greg Davis — a third-generation restaurant industry veteran who made a dramatic career pivot into technology after a life-changing experience with workplace safety. Greg’s journey from busting tables in high school and running restaurants at 18 to leading in the tech industry is a powerful story about adaptability, focus, and the leadership lessons that come from working your way up from the bottom.
Watch the Full Episode with Greg Davis
Three Generations in the Restaurant Business
Greg Davis grew up in the restaurant business. His grandfather was in it. His father was in it. And from a young age, Greg was right there with them. He tells Ethan that as a kid, he was into cooking — and still is to this day. His career started in high school busting tables, then moved to washing dishes, working in kitchens, waiting tables, and eventually running restaurants. By the time he was 18, he was managing restaurant operations.
The restaurant industry gave Greg a foundation in leadership, customer service, and people management that most young professionals never get. Running a restaurant at 18 forced him to deal with employees, customers, logistics, and the unpredictability of a fast-paced service environment — all skills that would serve him well in his next chapter.
A Turning Point That Changed Everything
Between 1995 and 1997, Greg had an experience related to workplace safety that fundamentally changed his perspective. He tells Ethan that this moment shifted how he thinks about safety in the workplace — not just physical violence prevention, but the broader concept of creating environments where people feel safe to express their ideas and work together productively. That experience also made him realize he could not continue in the restaurant business.
The pivotal moment pushed Greg into an entirely new direction: technology. He had never planned to work outside the service industry and had not prepared himself academically for anything else. But life had other plans, and Greg leaned into the transition with the same adaptability and work ethic that had made him successful in restaurants.
Fix Your Focus Before You Try to Lead
The central message of this episode is captured in its title: if you want to lead like a pro, you have to fix your focus first. Greg explains to Ethan that effective leadership starts with knowing where to direct your attention. In the tech industry, where things change constantly, the ability to maintain focus on what matters while adapting to new circumstances is not just valuable — it is essential.
Greg describes himself as someone who is not an academic but deals with the challenges right in front of him based on the environment around him. His management principles are grounded in real experience: be adaptable, be flexible, and be willing to adjust on the fly. But none of that works if your focus is scattered. Focus is the foundation that makes everything else possible.
Creating Safe Environments for People to Thrive
One of the most nuanced parts of this conversation is Greg’s discussion of workplace safety — not in the narrow sense of physical security, but in the broader sense of psychological safety. Greg believes that great leadership is about creating spaces where people feel safe to share ideas, take risks, and express themselves without fear. This perspective was born from his formative experiences in the restaurant industry and the pivotal events of the mid-1990s.
Ethan connects this to the broader Encourage Mindset themes of motivation and encouragement. When people feel safe, they are more creative, more productive, and more willing to push beyond their comfort zones. Greg’s leadership philosophy is that safety and high performance are not in tension — they fuel each other.
Balancing Growth with Stability
Greg and Ethan discuss the practical challenges of growing a business while maintaining quality and managing employees. Greg’s advice is rooted in his diverse experience: understand that adaptability is the single most important management skill you can develop. Things will change. Markets shift, teams evolve, and the challenges you face today will look nothing like the challenges you face next year. The leaders who thrive are the ones who fix their focus on what matters most and remain flexible in how they get there.
Connect with the Encourage Mindset Podcast
The Encourage Mindset Podcast is hosted by Ethan Van De Hey and brings together leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-performers who share their real stories and strategies for growth. Subscribe on YouTube to catch every new episode.
Related Episodes You Might Enjoy
If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these related episodes from the Encourage Mindset Podcast:
- Andrew Wolfram: Innovation and Forward Thinking
- John Preston: Purpose-Driven Leadership
- Aaron Mikulsky: Leadership and Business Growth
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