OCTOBER 20259When I first entered pricing in 2018, it was a straightforward function. I didn't have direct pricing experience, but I understood costs, profit margin and overall business goals well enough to ramp up quickly. At that time, pric-ing was mainly about setting a target, tracking inputs like costs and labor and executing against the plan. Few roles were fully dedicated to it.Fast forward to today and many organizations now have full pricing teams -- even entire departments. To be successful now, you need a clear strate-gy to anchor to. Then, when unexpected challenges pop up, you can respond in ways that don't contradict the overar-ching goals. That balancing act is the hard part.It always starts with listening. Every team brings something different to the table, and often the groups impacted by pricing are ones you wouldn't even expect. Pricing can feel intimidating or overly complex to people, so I put a lot of focus on education. Once people understand the "why" behind what we're doing -- and where they fit into the bigger picture -- it's much easier to build alignment and buy-in.Innovation Through Agility and Operational InsightThere's so much potential in the restaurant industry, but I'd say the biggest area of opportunity is the guest experience. Competition is fierce, and the lines between QSR, fast casual and even casual dining are blurring. In that environment, it's critical to know your customers and truly understand what they want.Since 2020, the industry has shifted dramatically -- you can order alcohol to-go through the drive-thru, casual din-ing chains are pushing value deals, and there are endless innovations popping up. The challenge is figuring out which of those truly add value to the guest experience.When it comes to pricing and oper-ations, the skill that sets people apart is decision-making in the face of all of the data. My years in operations taught me to be agile, pivot quickly, think outside the box and make sound decisions without always having perfect clarity. That kind of hands-on experience is more valuable than any textbook list of pricing strategies.Artificial Intelligence is likely going to have the greatest impact over the coming years. The question is how. Will it show up as suggestive selling, deeper data analytics or automated operations? Or will it be something completely unexpected that changes the game altogether?Honestly, I think the bigger chal-lenge will be the sheer number of new technologies coming at us and trying to decide which ones to prioritize. At some point, too much data and too many tools can work against you. That may sound odd coming from someone in pricing, but it's true.Learning by Doing and Embracing Continuous GrowthFor me, my priority comes down to authentic leadership. Build trust by listening, be straightforward and stand by your decisions. Face challenges and mistakes head-on. If you gain respect and buy-in across the organization and keep the larger goals front and center -- you're less likely to get bogged down in the details.Get hands-on experience in opera-tions -- retail, food service, anything that puts you close to the day-to-day challenges. If that ship has already sailed in your career, then spend time with colleagues who are in those roles and learn what they're dealing with.Pricing requires strategy and finan-cial acumen, but it also takes strong soft skills. Sometimes you must trust your gut and that's what makes the field both challenging and fun. Data will never give you all the answers. And one last thing: read a lot. Constant learning is key. When it comes to pricing and operations, the skill that sets people apart is decision-making in the face of all the data. My years in operations taught me to be agile, pivot quickly, think outside the box and make sound decisions without always having perfect clarity.
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