We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Joe Powers a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Joe, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear your thoughts about family businesses.

Family business can be a wonderful thing when everyone shares the same values and vision. One of the greatest benefits is being able to pass the business on to the next generation. The challenge, of course, is navigating the inevitable tensions. It’s important to separate family life from business life and not let one spill too heavily into the other.

Through the succession program at St. Thomas University, I’ve learned a lot by connecting with other families in business. It was eye-opening to see how differently each business is structured and operated, and it gave me perspective on how to approach our own.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I began working in a restaurant kitchen as a teenager and instantly fell in love with the industry—it was clear this would be my career. By the age of 21, I opened my first restaurant, and today that venture has grown into six hospitality facilities, including restaurants, event venues with on-site catering, and an offsite catering operation.

What I’m most proud of is the team I get to work with every day. Their passion—not just for exceptional customer service, but also for the quality of the food we serve—is truly inspiring.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

At the start of my journey, we often worked 12- to 14-hour days, every day until we truly needed a break. That dedication helped us build consistency and master our craft. When you’re passionate and motivated, it’s crucial to stay committed early on—continuing to develop your brand and ensuring the quality of what you offer sets the foundation for long-term success.

Any advice for managing a team?

When managing a team, it’s important to work alongside your colleagues. Respect comes when your team sees that you’re willing to do the same work they do and that you’re truly part of the group.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://powersventuresmn.com/