Elliot Nelson is the Founder and CEO of McNellie's Restaurant Group, a restaurant and hospitality company with ten unique brands across twenty locations, four cities, and two states. In his role, he oversees strategy, finances, community relations, and daily decisions. After studying abroad in Dublin, Ireland, Elliot built James E. McNellie's Pub to recreate the atmosphere, hospitality, and authenticity of classic Dublin pubs. Since then, he has opened 23 restaurants and entertainment venues with over 900 employees.
Restaurants promote economic vitality and entrepreneurial opportunities within cities. Designing restaurant concepts in isolated communities can encourage transformation but may be a risky investment that sabotages potential business. How can you break into a new market to rebuild communities while sustaining a profit?
Successful restaurateur Elliot Nelson is not driven by his bottom line. Instead, his passion for craft beer allowed him to fulfill an absence in a desolate area of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and transform the city into a thriving community with diverse dining options. He says to evaluate demographic trends and industrialization in your target market to develop a restaurant concept that addresses a communal need. To scale and profit from your ideas, Elliot recommends owning rather than renting restaurant properties to acquire assets and increase net equity.
In this episode of The Same Day Podcast, Mat Zalk is joined by Elliot Nelson, the Founder and CEO of McNellie's Restaurant Group, to discuss how he conceptualized and scaled multiple restaurants and entertainment venues. Elliot talks about the unique challenges and opportunities of building a business in Tulsa, how he innovates by assessing demographic, growth, and restaurant concept trends, and his vision for transforming downtown Tulsa.
