QSR and FSR magazines‘ Women in Restaurant Leadership (WiRL) platform was built on the belief that every woman, regardless of title, has a story worth telling. These stories transcend simple advice columns, serving as bridges that support our mission to elevate, educate, and empower the restaurant industry.
From the C-suite to operations, franchising to marketing, from tacos to Italian ice to barbecue and Italian sausage, and from double- to triple-digit unit counts, these eight executives sat down for exclusive interviews with QSR during the annual National Restaurant Association Show to answer some of the WiRL community’s most pressing questions.
Kim Lewis — Chief Marketing Officer, Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop
What’s the most pivotal leadership lesson you’ve learned in your career—and how did you learn it?
The most pivotal moment in my career was when I decided to leave my first corporate job. I started in retail, actually—I worked for Sally Beauty Supply, a huge, multi-million-dollar corporation. People who worked there at the time often stayed for their entire careers. I realized I either needed to work there forever or I needed to leave.
It wasn’t that the job didn’t align with me; it was that I wanted an opportunity to do, see, and experience more. I took a real leap of faith. I was in a role I was comfortable with, surrounded by people I was close to, but I moved to a new city and took a new job in a different environment, just trusting in myself that I would land where I needed to be.
That first leap led to the next role, then to another, and eventually into the restaurant industry. I look back and see how each piece of that journey set me up to be where I am now.
How do you lead through uncertainty or change—especially in an industry that never stops evolving?
I have to remind myself to trust my gut and trust my instincts—because they’re very rarely wrong. When you know something isn’t right, or you see a chance you want to take, that inner voice is usually right.
Especially as women, we’re sometimes conditioned to doubt ourselves, like we’re overreacting, so we shut off our instincts. But I very rarely regret the chances I took or the times I rolled the dice. That doesn’t mean things always worked out perfectly, but I don’t regret them.
The only things I regret are the chances I didn’t take—when I didn’t act because I didn’t believe in myself enough to put myself out there without a guarantee of success.
What’s one piece of leadership or career advice that sounded right at first—but turned out to be completely wrong for you?
We’ve all been told that “Good things come to those who wait,” but I don’t entirely agree. Yes, it’s important to work hard, pay your dues, and stay grounded. But simply keeping your head down and hoping someone hands you an opportunity isn’t realistic.
In my experience, fortune favors the bold. You have to take chances and create your momentum. I rarely regret the moments when I took decisive action—only the times I hesitated, second-guessed myself, or waited too long for the ‘perfect’ moment to arrive.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders in the restaurant space?
Women need to help other women. Early in my career, I found that women leaders were often stepping on other women because it felt like leadership spots were scarce—you had to beat someone else to get one. So instead of lifting each other, we were pushing each other down.
Meanwhile, you’d look over and see men pulling each other up. That always stuck with me. So I think it’s really important that as we rise in the ranks and become leaders, we challenge that scarcity mindset.
We didn’t create the system, but we don’t have to operate within it. Let’s pull other women up with us. Let’s be not just mentors, but sponsors.
Heather Neary — Chief Executive Officer, Taco John’s
What’s the most pivotal leadership lesson you’ve learned in your career—and how did you learn it?
Earlier in my career, I was at Auntie Anne’s as the CMO. I told the CEO at the time, “I want to be president.” I’d been CMO for a while and was also running home operations. And he said, “Yeah, you should be president—but it’ll never be at Auntie Anne’s.”
I was like, “What is that supposed to mean?” And he said, “You’ve just been here too long. You know too much. You need to go somewhere fresh and start over.”
Transparently, I told him, “No—I will be president here.” And I did become president. I didn’t understand what he meant at the time—I thought he was perhaps doubting me—but I realized he was pushing me to think harder about what I was doing, and how I showed up in the world. Looking back, it was great advice.
How do you lead through uncertainty or change—especially in an industry that never stops evolving?
From my perspective, leading with vulnerability is important. It’s okay as a leader to not know all the answers. It’s okay to say to your team, “Hey, I don’t know all the answers, but we’re going to work through this together.”
It’s also a good idea to ask for help and advice. There are so many people in this industry who are willing to share ideas and want to help. That’s one of the beauties of this space—people want to uplift each other.
What’s one piece of leadership or career advice that sounded right at first—but turned out to be completely wrong for you?
Not taking risks. That’s the advice that turned out to be wrong. You’ve got to take risks. You’ve got to put yourself out there—whether it’s a small risk or a big one. Taking leaps in my career, trying new things—those are the moments that mattered. Being comfortable isn’t always a good thing.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders in the restaurant space?
I think it’s really important to map out your plan, but don’t be so beholden to that plan that you become paralyzed by it.
I’ve had ideas of what I wanted to do next, and things I planned along the way. And then something happens, and things go sideways. It throws you off completely. You have to be flexible. You have to be ready to pivot. You have to be able to say yes—and figure it out later.
Annica Conrad — Chief Brand Officer, City Barbeque
What’s the most pivotal leadership lesson you’ve learned in your career—and how did you learn it?
I was working for McAlister’s Deli doing field marketing work, and I wanted to do more. I went to the CEO at the time and said, “I can do more. I have an MBA in economics. This isn’t the end of the road for me.” From that point on, he gave me more opportunities—and let me take them.
That moment taught me a huge lesson: No one is going to come to you and ask, “How do you want to grow?” You have to advocate for yourself. You have to put it out there. That’s how you move forward.
How do you lead through uncertainty or change—especially in an industry that never stops evolving?
The thing about uncertainty—maybe it’s not a great thing—but it’s constant in this business. One thing we know for sure is that tomorrow will be different. The dynamics always change in the restaurant industry.
So, it’s something we’ve learned to navigate every day. For me personally, and something I also teach my children, is: Control the controllable. We can control our brand. We can control our product. We focus on being the absolute best at the things we can control—and we can’t let the rest keep us up at night.
What’s one piece of leadership or career advice that sounded right at first—but turned out to be completely wrong for you?
“Stay in your lane.” That advice just doesn’t work, especially in this industry. You can’t be afraid of tasks or ideas that fall outside your job description. We have to be collaborative to succeed. Everyone has ownership in our success. So, instead of staying in your lane, find ways to collaborate across departments in a positive, productive way.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders in the restaurant space?
Cultivate a strong personal network within the industry. My network means everything to me—people I’ve met over the years who support me, who I go to for advice, who I simply love spending time with.
Make sure you deserve a seat at the table—but also pull out the chair for others. Surround yourself with people who elevate and support you. And some of those people might not be women—there are many great male allies out there, too. Take the time to build your own personal board of directors.
Lynnette McKee — Senior VP of Franchising, Potbelly Sandwich Works
What’s the most pivotal leadership lesson you’ve learned in your career—and how did you learn it?
I’ve been in the industry a long time, back when there weren’t many women in leadership. When I walked into a room in a suit, people assumed I was an attorney. And if I were the only woman in the room, they’d often ask me to get the coffee.
When I moved into an executive role for the first time, that’s when people started to take me more seriously. I remember working a trade show and someone from another booth said, “Won’t it be nice when you can come in late like your male peers?” I told him, “The two guys who are late report to me—I told them to come in late.” He walked away and never spoke to me again. That was a moment that stuck with me.
How do you lead through uncertainty or change—especially in an industry that never stops evolving?
No matter how long you’ve been in this business, you’re always going to face people trying to take control or shake things up. Early in my career, that really stressed me out. But I’ve learned: Some things are out of your control, and you have to let them go.
Control what you can. Don’t lose sleep over what you can’t fix. It sounds simple, but I still remind myself of this all the time.
What’s one piece of leadership or career advice that sounded right at first—but turned out to be completely wrong for you?
“That you can make it work even when you’re not aligned.”
Sometimes the politics are just too much. You may not be able to change the situation—or the people in it. Someone once asked me how she could change the attitude of her company’s president. I said, “You’re not going to change him. You have to decide if you can accept it—or if it’s time to move on.”
You can’t lose sleep over trying to change people if you’re not aligned.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders in the restaurant space?
Learn how to manage up. Step up and put yourself in the right environment. Sometimes we get stuck in a rut, but it’s important to keep an open mind and reevaluate our path when needed.
Julie Wade — Head of Marketing, Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe
What’s the most pivotal leadership lesson you’ve learned in your career—and how did you learn it?
I had a degree in advertising and landed a fantastic job right out of college. But then I had kids, and I couldn’t figure out how to balance both. I considered going part-time, but in the late ’90s, that wasn’t an option. So I stayed home with my kids.
When they reached middle school, I decided to go back to work. And it was like going from a full-time mom to a full-time career overnight. Those pivots, though, were what shaped my career and helped me land where I am now.
How do you lead through uncertainty or change—especially in an industry that never stops evolving?
You can’t worry about all the outside noise—government shifts, the stock market, things you can’t control.
Focus on what you can control: your team, your organization, and your daily impact. Have the best people around you. And don’t let the noise distract you. It ties back to the “let them” mindset—let them do what they’re going to do; you stay focused.
What’s one piece of leadership or career advice that sounded right at first—but turned out to be completely wrong for you?
When people say to “Follow your heart.”
Yes, it matters—but reality doesn’t always follow your heart. You need to have a plan and flexibility, too.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders in the restaurant space?
Have a go-to icebreaker or conversation starter. It immediately helps people drop their guard and makes you memorable.
For me, that was learning to play golf—a male-dominated space, especially in business. I was never afraid to show up in those spaces, and it opened doors I wouldn’t have expected.
Shauna Smith — Chief Executive Officer, Savory Fund
What’s the most pivotal leadership lesson you’ve learned in your career—and how did you learn it?
Early in my career, I had a very specific idea of what leadership looked like—overconfident, assertive, maybe even a little egotistical. I didn’t see myself in that mold. When I was appointed CEO, my first reaction was hesitation. I didn’t crave the spotlight, and I didn’t fit the traditional image. But I quickly learned that authenticity and kindness were my superpowers. I could be an effective leader without changing who I was, and that lesson shaped everything that followed.
How do you lead through uncertainty or change—especially in an industry that never stops evolving?
Selflessness comes first. It’s not about what I need—it’s about how I can show up for the team. Leadership during change is really about consistency: show up, stay calm, and make the best decisions you can, one day at a time.
What’s one piece of leadership or career advice that sounded right at first—but turned out to be completely wrong for you?
The idea that you must treat every situation exactly the same to be fair. Policies are important, but people are individuals. I’ve learned to lead with fairness, not sameness. Within the boundaries of policy, there’s room to show compassion and flexibility—and often, that’s what creates the best outcomes.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders in the restaurant space?
Think like an owner. Deliver consistent results. Build trust—don’t gossip, don’t undermine. Your impact earns you a seat at the table. And yes, play the political game. You don’t have to like it, but you need to understand it. Be strategic, be savvy, and be excellent at navigating the room you’re in.
Kacie Dancy — VP of Operations, Pop’s Beef
What’s the most pivotal leadership lesson you’ve learned in your career—and how did you learn it?
Pop’s has been in my family for 45 years, and I grew up in the restaurant. I’ve learned that staying grounded—staying connected to the store, to employees, and to customers—is key. When you’re in operations, it’s tempting to manage from afar, but true leadership happens on the floor.
How do you lead through uncertainty or change—especially in an industry that never stops evolving?
It starts with building a strong foundation through your team, your product, and your connection to the community. If you’re consistently delivering quality and staying involved in your neighborhood, customers will choose you even when times are tough. Community loyalty is everything.
What’s one piece of leadership or career advice that sounded right at first—but turned out to be completely wrong for you?
That people-first leadership and results can’t coexist. That’s just not true. When you put your team first, results follow. My dad never focused on numbers—he focused on service and quality. And it worked. People-first cultures can drive long-term success.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders in the restaurant space?
Stay humble. Learn every role. Make the food, clean the store, and talk to customers. Women are incredible multitaskers and intuitive leaders—lean into that. Get your hands dirty, stay close to the work, and never lose sight of what makes your business matter.
Carmela Hughley — Senior VP of Marketing Insights and Innovation, Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard
What’s the most pivotal leadership lesson you’ve learned in your career—and how did you learn it?
I’ve been fortunate to have strong female leaders early in my career—women who saw potential in me before I did. They practiced tough love, and at the time, it felt intense. But I learned they were hard on me because they wanted me to succeed. Their belief in me helped shape my own confidence.
How do you lead through uncertainty or change—especially in an industry that never stops evolving?
You have to stay fluid. Fear isn’t always a bad thing—it can push you to ask better questions, to grow. Not everything will be a win, and that’s okay. Reflect, learn, and try again. We’re human, not machines. Leadership is as much about grace with yourself as it is with others.
What’s one piece of leadership or career advice that sounded right at first—but turned out to be completely wrong for you?
“Do as I say, not as I do.” That never sat right with me. What you permit, you promote. Whether in business or life, if you allow something to persist, you’re endorsing it. As a leader, you set the tone, and your actions matter as much as your words.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders in the restaurant space?
Listen and learn from the history around you. Brands like Rita’s have decades of legacy behind them. Honor that, but don’t be afraid to evolve it. Be thoughtful, be informed, and lead with intention.
