“How do you successfully transition
to an entirely different company
and industry?”
“Quickly bridge the gap in industry and company-specific knowledge.”
A few years ago, I moved from a company with a technology focus to a company
in the restaurant business. Fortunately, my new company, Potbelly Sandwich Works,
was also my favorite restaurant, where I typically stopped in for lunch six to eight
times a month. Although I arrived without prior restaurant industry expertise as a
general counsel, I was brimming with my experiences as a consumer and a passion
for the food.
My goal was to bridge the gap in my industry-specific and company-specific
knowledge as quickly as possible. The Potbelly culture—including a highly interactive,
open and communicative senior management team—made this transition both efficient
and fun. We thrive on feedback—from each other and especially from our customers.
What did I do to accelerate the process? Little things, really, but they added up.
I quickly became a member of every relevant industry and trade association and
became involved in public affairs initiatives. I got to know the general counsels of other
restaurants, and shared understandings of legal regulations in various jurisdictions and
emerging industry issues.
Perhaps most importantly, I sharpened my internal focus by attending as many meetings
as possible across the spectrum of company functions. Whether it was purchasing,
marketing, real estate or construction, I wanted to understand the business and develop
the confidence of my colleagues in these functions. They are focused, hard-working
people, and they appreciate seeing those traits in their lawyers.
Matt Revord
Senior Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary
Potbelly Sandwich Works, LLC
Chicago, Illinois
Finally, as lawyers, the easy way out is often simply to say “no” to our clients. Easy is
not necessarily right, however, and I work closely with my clients at Potbelly to achieve
their most imaginative business goals in legally compliant ways. I owe them no less.
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