Meet Anthony Lambatos

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

Anthony, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

My family and I loved watching the summer Olympics this year and it got me thinking about how to be the best in the world is a remarkable feat. And while we get to see these athletes in their moment of glory, what we don’t see is what it took to get there. Yes, they all have natural talents that allow them to compete at the highest level, but the Olympics are not a place for talent alone. Behind each athlete is a story of commitment, dedication, and sacrifice. Years of training that culminates with the largest assembly of athletic competitions and puts them on center stage for the world once every four years. While we may not perform our jobs in front of thousands of viewers, we can take something from these incredible competitors and apply it to our own careers and endeavors.

There are a lot of people that want to be successful, or they want to make more money, or they want to be a better leader, parent, or partner – but their actions tell a different story. They say the right things, maybe go through the motions, but they are not truly invested in the outcome they desire. They watch others surpass them and then try to blame their circumstances, point to the good fortunate of others, or make excuses for why they didn’t get there. But at the end of the day, the truth is that they didn’t want it badly enough to go all in on commitment, dedication and making the necessary sacrifices to get there. Dare I say, “Leadership isn’t for everyone”? We all have opportunities to succeed, but only some are driven to make it a reality.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

We have built the organizational structure at Footers Catering around the ability to execute the largest and most logistically complex events in Colorado. We have built an incredible team of Coordination, Culinary, Hospitality and Operation leaders who collaborate to problem solve for unique event factors and ensure that their team is prepared to provide exceptional service, regardless of guest count, location, or other event challenges. From luxury weddings in fields, to black-tie galas in airplane hangers in Avon, to 1200 Broncos VIPs in the parking lot of Empower Field, our team has the passion, innovation, and expertise to make any event seamless.

In 2021 we relocated to new headquarters in Arvada, and opened the doors to our event venue, Social Capitol. This move created growth opportunities for our team following the challenging pandemic, and it has been so rewarding to watch our team welcome guests into an incredible venue experience alongside our award-winning menu and service.

We have been very intentional the culture we have here at Footers Catering. When I purchased the business from my father with my wife April in 2010, our primary goal was to create a great place to work. A place where team members could come together to do meaningful work, where they utilize their strengths, are appreciated for the work they do and do it with people they love and respect. It wasn’t always that way and this emphasis on company culture has been a driver for the growth of the company as a whole, increased top and bottom line performance, significantly reduced turnover and led to us being recognized as a best place to work. In 2017 we founded a heart-led leadership consulting company called MIBE, which is an acronym for Footers’ core value to Make It Better Everyday (www.themibe.com). We are excited to host our third MIBE Summit in January where we welcome 300 hospitality professionals from around the nation to be inspired by heart leadership.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Optimism – While optimism may come easier for some people, I believe it is a trait that can be fostered and enhanced with practice. I don’t think we can ever be reminded enough that we can always choose to be optimistic. No matter how difficult the situation is, there is always something we can be grateful for or that we can look forward to. Shifting our mindset gets us out of a narrow focus on negative circumstances and broadens our perspective. It takes discipline to reframe a situation, and when we do it makes the ride of life that much more enjoyable.

Innovation – At its core, innovation is about connecting things that are seemingly disconnected. It’s is not something that magically occurs. Like a muscle that is strengthened through weightlifting, it is a skill that takes practice. And those who are intentional about practicing innovation, get better at it. Creative activities help us connect the dots between things that would otherwise not be considered when the stakes get higher, and we encounter bigger challenges at work.

Curiosity – Leaning into curiosity drives us into unknown territory and closes the gap between what we know and what we potentially need to know. But it can be difficult, because in order to be curious, we have to be willing to admit we don’t know something. We must second guess our initial thoughts and ask questions. We have to be vulnerable enough to set our ego aside in pursuit of growth.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

We talk about having meaningful growth at Footers. Historically we have a measured approach to growing our business; not just growing for growth’s sake. We want to make sure to pursue opportunities that align with our mission and that we believe are sustainable. Growth also is significant for us in terms of how we help our people grow. Not just in their jobs, but as leaders for their teams, families and communities.

Success for us comes down to our statement of “Why we exist”, which is: To create memorable experiences for our team, our clients and their guests in the planning and execution of life’s celebrations – specifically large and logistically complex events which are inherently vulnerable to average and sub-par experiences. We want to leave everyone involved in these events feeling a sense of joy and an experience they will look back on fondly for the rest of their lives.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://socialcapitolevents.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/social_capitol_events/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Footerscatering/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonylambatos/
• Other: https://themibe.com/
  https://footerscatering.com

Image Credits

Ali & Garrett Photography
Scott Colby Photography
Catersource Conference
All Digital
Elevate Photography