We understand the unique challenges that come with running a restaurant.
Together we can overcome your obstacles.
Running an independent restaurant is one of the toughest businesses In the world. You’re competing against chains with unlimited resources. You’re wearing every hat – owner, manager, marketer, HR director, accountant. You’re working longer hours than you ever imagined, often for less money than you deserve.
And the worst part? Most business advice comes from people who’ve never worked a dinner rush, never struggled to make payroll, never laid awake at night wondering If they can keep the doors open another month.
That is exactly why we created The Independent Restaurant Association.
We’re restaurant owners who’ve been where you are. We’e spent decades in them trenches – managing staff, controlling costs, filling seats, and building profitable businesses. We didn’t learn from textbooks. We learned by doing, by failing, by figuring out what actually works.
As we built our own successful restaurants, we realized something critical: independent operators were being left behind. The chains had massive advantages – proven systems, expert teams, economies of scale. Meanwhile, independent owners were struggling alone, reinventing the wheel, making costly mistakes that could have been avoided.
So we created The Independent Restaurant Association to level the playing field. To give you access to proven systems, expert guidance, and a network of owners who truly understand your challenges. This is your unfair advantage. This is the support system you’ve been missing.
"We build this because I wish it had existed when I was in your shoes."
Michael Thibault is a restaurateur with over 24 years of experience owning and operating restaurants. His concepts ranged from a tropical Hawaiian themed restaurant to an upscale California cuisine and wine bar. He was also one of the owners of one of
the largest catering companies in the state of Michigan — a business he helped grow over more than three decades.
Michael knows the restaurant industry from the inside out. He’s lived the long hours, the razor-thin margins, and the relentless pressure to stand out in a crowded market. And he’s figured out how to win.
In 2008, he sold his restaurants and catering business and founded a marketing company with a single focus: helping independent restaurant owners compete with — and beat — large corporate chains. Because he saw firsthand how badly independents
needed real tools. Not recycled chain strategies handed down by people who’ve never owned a restaurant. Real, proven systems built specifically for operators like you.
Michael founded the IRA because he believes the future of this industry belongs to independents. He’s committed every day to helping independent owners build better businesses and better lives — through marketing, education, coaching, and community.
Michael founded the IRA alongside fellow restaurant operators and industry veterans who share one belief: independent owners deserve better.
Together our team brings:
Every resource, tool, and system inside the IRA has been developed by people who have actually run restaurants. We’ve made the mistakes so you don’t have to. We’ve
discovered what works so you can implement it faster.
We’re operators, not consultants. And that makes all the difference.
You didn’t open your restaurant to work 80-hour weeks, struggle with razor-thin margins, and watch chain restaurants steal your customers. You opened because you had a vision – a dream of creating something special where great food, genuine hospitality, and community come together. But somewhere between the dream and reality, things got hard. Really hard. Running an independent restaurant feels like fighting and uphill battle – alone. The chains have massive marketing budgets, streamlined systems, and teams of experts. You’re doing everything yourself, working harder than ever, yet barely staying afloat.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Join the Independent Restaurant Association and get everything the big chains have – without losing what makes you special. Get instant access to proven sales and marketing tools that fill seats and boost revenue, operational systems that slash costs and eliminate chaos, staffing solutions that help you hire and keep great people, expert coaching from owners who’ve built thriving restaurants, and a supportive community that understands your struggles and celebrates your wins.
You’ve worked too hard to keep struggling. You’ve poured your heart, soul, and savings into your restaurant. You deserve more than stress and chaos. You deserve a restaurant that rewards your dedication with consistent income, manageable hours, and the freedom to enjoy your life. Join us today and start building the restaurant – and the life – you’ve always dreamed of.
Whether you are running a neighborhood bistro, a family-owned diner, or a chef-driven concept – you belong here. Inside this community, you’ll find owners who celebrate your wins, understand your struggles, and share the strategies that are working in their restuarants right now. No competition. No judgement. Just real support from people who get it.
We’re operators, not consultants. We’ve made the mistakes so you don’t have to. We’ve discovered what works so you can implement it faster. Everything we teach has been tested in actual restaurants and refined over decades.
Ready to stop fighting alone? The restaurant you’ve always dreamed of owning is within reach. Let’s build it together.