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#22 Craig Carlson - Building Breakfast in America in the Heart of Paris
Manage episode 498674915 series 3553872
Join me on The Randall Osché Podcast as I sit down with Craig Carlson, the founder of Breakfast in America. From a small town in Connecticut to film school at USC, and ultimately to creating Paris's first American diner, Craig’s journey is one of risk-taking, resilience, and reinvention.
What you’ll Learn:
- Creating Paris’s First American Diner: How Craig turned a craving for pancakes into Breakfast in America, a thriving restaurant concept.
- Raising Capital Abroad: The real story behind securing $100,000 in seed funding and a French bank loan as a foreign entrepreneur.
- Navigating French Business Culture: The challenges of hiring, firing, and adapting to strict labor laws in France.
- Quality of Life Lessons: Why Craig believes Europe offers a better balance between work, leisure, and personal fulfillment.
- Resilience Without a Safety Net: How resourcefulness and community support kept the dream alive through major setbacks.
Don’t miss this inspiring episode about following your dream, redefining success, and creating the life you truly want.
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About The Randall Osché Podcast:
Every episode is a conversation with remarkable people who share their unique stories, challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned. Through honest and insightful dialogue, we explore what shapes us, what moves us, and what we learn from the experiences along the way.
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Chapters
1. Introduction: Challenges of Running a Business in France (00:00:00)
2. Welcome to the Randall Osché Podcast (00:01:14)
3. Meet Craig Carlson: From Connecticut to Paris (00:01:30)
4. The Birth of Breakfast in America (00:02:10)
5. Falling in Love with French Culture (00:02:47)
6. The French Connection: A Life-Changing Exchange Program (00:03:44)
7. Quality of Life: Comparing France and the USA (00:06:19)
8. The American Dream in Paris (00:13:35)
9. Raising Capital and Overcoming Challenges (00:17:01)
10. From Owner-Operator to Consultant (00:25:16)
11. Reflections on Upward Mobility and Quality of Life (00:33:33)
12. The Importance of Taking Time Off (00:37:13)
13. Personal Experiences with Vacation (00:38:31)
14. Writing 'Pancakes in Paris' (00:41:19)
15. Challenges of Running a Business in France (00:41:39)
16. Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs (00:46:25)
17. The Journey of Success and Failure (00:50:51)
18. The Value of Travel and Exploration (01:02:07)
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