Welcome back to The Leadership Lens with Taylor Robinson.
In this episode, Taylor sits down with Levi Martin, Chief Financial Officer and Strategy Officer at Bartaco. From time at the White House to behavioral health leadership to hospitality strategy, Levi’s journey is anything but traditional.
They dive into what leadership really means, why titles don’t matter, how culture drives results, and why the best executives stay close to the front lines.
If you’re a leader, entrepreneur, hiring manager, or aspiring executive — this conversation is packed with real-world insight.
00:00 – Welcome to The Leadership Lens
00:56 – What Does a CFO Actually Do?
02:46 – Why Levi Works Restaurant Shifts
04:02 – Staying Close to the Guest Experience
07:13 – Building a Culture That Supports Operations
09:02 – The Restaurant Industry After COVID
12:15 – Margin Pressure & The “Value Proposition”
13:17 – Health Trends, GLP-1 & Changing Consumer Behavior
15:44 – From the White House to Hospitality
17:00 – Lessons from Government & Philanthropy
20:05 – Why Levi Chose the Restaurant Industry
22:24 – Switching Industries: What Actually Matters
25:23 – The #1 Trait Levi Recruits For: Grit
27:42 – How to Really Vet a Candidate
29:25 – Why Fit Beats Skill
31:14 – Hiring, Managing & Getting the “Off Script” Version
33:47 – Culture, Authenticity & Leadership Philosophy
35:12 – Final Thoughts
