Obsessed with the success of independent hospitality brands.
Imagine transforming your hospitality business into a seamlessly efficient operation with happier staff and loyal customers, all through the power of AI and automation.
Kinetic Management Systems, or KMS, is an integrated solution specifically designed for hospitality operators looking to scale their businesses.
Jason Littrell, a hospitality management consultant has over a decade of real world experience helping bars and restaurants increase their profitability and streamline their operations.
We've seen firsthand how these challenges can limit the success of even the most passionate operators. We care about helping you achieve your full potential because we believe in the impact a well-run hospitality business can have on its community and its employees.
By leveraging KMS, you have the opportunity to boost your revenue by up to 30% within just three months, while reducing operational headaches and enhancing guest satisfaction.
To get started, visit our website and sign up for a free demo. Our team will walk you through the system and show you how KMS can be tailored to meet your unique needs.
We're not just offering a set of tools; we're providing a path to a more profitable and enjoyable business. This is a movement towards smarter, more efficient hospitality management, and we want you to be a part of it. Whether you join us now or later, the shift towards automation and AI is happening. We'd love to have you with us from the start.
Core Values
1. Innovation:
We continuously seek and implement cutting-edge technology to provide independent restaurants and spirits brands with the most effective tools for success.
2. Integrity:
We operate with honesty and transparency, ensuring our clients receive genuine value and trustworthy support.
3. Collaboration:
We believe in the power of teamwork, both within our organization and with our clients, to achieve shared goals and create a supportive community.
4. Excellence:
We are committed to delivering the highest quality services and support, striving for excellence in everything we do to elevate our clients' businesses.
5. Client-Centric:
Our clients' needs and success are at the heart of our business. We tailor our solutions to meet their specific challenges and objectives, ensuring personalized and impactful results. Solving the problem will always be the direction of our products and services.
6. Adaptability:
We embrace change and are agile in our approach, ready to adapt to the evolving needs of the hospitality and spirits industries.
7. Sustainability:
We promote sustainable business practices that benefit not only our clients but also the broader community and environment, supporting long-term success and responsible growth.
8. Continuous Improvement:
We are dedicated to learning and growing, constantly enhancing our coaching, strategy, systems, and support to better serve independent restaurants and spirits brands.
9. Empowerment:
We aim to empower our clients with the knowledge, tools, and support they need to independently drive their businesses forward, fostering a culture of self-reliance and innovation.
10. Strategic Guidance:
We provide insightful and actionable strategies to help our clients navigate their business challenges and achieve their goals effectively.
11. Comprehensive Support:
Our commitment to ongoing support ensures that our clients always have the assistance they need to implement and sustain our solutions successfully.
How Cordelia Became Cleveland’s Best Place to Work
Welcome to the Hospitality Strategy Lab Podcast! In this episode, host Jason Littrell sits down with Andrew Watts and Vinnie Cimino, the powerhouse duo behind Cordelia in Cleveland—named the “Best Place to Work” just two months after opening their doors.
Together, they share a candid look into building a restaurant culture defined by radical hospitality, staff empowerment, and community-first values.
You’ll hear how Andrew Watts and Vinnie Cimino prioritize their team’s wellbeing with industry-leading benefits and an unwavering commitment to personal growth and mental health. They discuss how lessons learned from previous workplaces—especially the challenges exposed during the pandemic—sparked a drive to do things differently, making people the centerpiece of their business.
The conversation covers everything from why Cordelia celebrates every staff member, to how trusting employees to make mistakes and grow has created a truly magnetic workplace. Plus, the team reveals their approach to hiring, onboarding, and maintaining a culture where kindness is the norm and retention is a point of pride. Of course, they also offer real talk about the challenges and missteps along the way—and why putting staff first sometimes means making tough decisions.
Get ready for actionable insights and some Midwest hospitality wisdom that’ll inspire anyone in the business of keeping both guests and teams happy. Whether you’re opening your first concept or scaling up to a second location, this episode is packed with the strategies and mindset that turn restaurants into workplaces people never want to leave.
00:00 "Learning Through Adversity"
05:35 "Core of Cordelia: People First"
07:10 "Empowering Growth Through Positivity"
12:14 Employee Retention and Connections
15:53 Building Team Culture Effectively
18:52 Prioritizing Team Culture Decisions
20:41 Celebrating Guests Through Generosity
25:52 "Learning, Improving, and Collaboration"
26:50 Celebrate People, Product, Process
Hospitality Leadership: "You take care of them, they take care of everybody else. Right."
— Andrew Watts [00:00:23 → 00:00:25]
Workplace Benefits: "Medical, dental, vision, 401k, employer match, like robust vacation. We're about to roll out PTO for everybody."
— Andrew Watts [00:09:13 → 00:09:20]
The Power of Team Support in Hospitality: "You take care of them, they take care of everybody else. Right. I mean, not only is it the right thing to do, but it's just good Hospitality and common sense."
— Andrew Watts [00:09:28 → 00:09:35]
Cleveland’s Food Scene Expansion: "the next restaurant, the new restaurant is an extension of taking care of our folks, giving more opportunity for growth and progression and, you know, mobility and, yeah, learning, you know, that's the motivation for. For doing that."
— Andrew Watts [00:10:59 → 00:11:14]
Employee Loyalty and Career Growth: "One of our opening team members, actually, she got her, like, job that she was looking for out of college and then worked with us for a year and now still comes back and works with us every Friday. So, you know, she's still in the consulting Lab pretty often."
— Andrew Watts [00:12:14 → 00:12:15]
Viral Topic: Putting the Team First in Hospitality
"We'll always, always and always have sided with our team first and foremost, you know, the guests can be in the wrong a lot of times."
— Andrew Watts [00:17:43 → 00:18:20]
hospitality, staff retention, Cordelia Cleveland, company culture, employee benefits, mental health care, 401k employer match, paid time off (PTO), hiring and training, team recognition, workplace awards, Midwest cuisine, culinary innovation, Greenhouse Tavern, pandemic lessons, community engagement, nonprofit initiatives, restaurant onboarding, guest experience, customer reviews, business growth, second location, staff empowerment, leadership, work-life balance, performance metrics, guest comps, labor cost, restaurant operations, personal development
About KMS
Jason Littrell - Management Consultant & Industry Innovator
With over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, Jason Littrell has established himself as a leading consultant and strategist, specializing in helping bars and restaurants maximize their efficiency and profitability. His expertise spans a wide range of essential areas, including operational management, staff training, customer experience, and technology integration.
Jason is the founder of Kinetic Management Systems, a cutting-edge suite of tools designed to automate and optimize the day-to-day operations of hospitality businesses. Through his systems, Jason offers solutions for everything from staff recruitment and onboarding to customer retention and feedback management. His approach combines innovative technology with proven strategies to deliver results that are both measurable and scalable.
A passionate educator and speaker, Jason regularly hosts workshops and seminars, sharing his knowledge on how to leverage AI and automation to thrive in a competitive market. His insights are rooted in practical experience, having worked on the ground in various capacities within the industry—from bartender to manager, and now, consultant.
Jason also manages a vibrant online community, "Bar Teams," where he fosters discussions and collaboration among hospitality professionals. Here, members gain access to exclusive content, including training sessions, industry news, and peer support.
His commitment to excellence and innovation in hospitality has not only transformed the operations of numerous establishments but has also inspired many to pursue and achieve greater success. Jason's work is driven by a core belief: that the right mix of people, processes, and technology can turn any hospitality business into a thriving, profitable enterprise.
