<p>When Princeton-educated attorney Erin Wade left law to open a restaurant, she didn't just create award-winning comfort food—she engineered a revolutionary workplace culture. This conversation reveals how she transformed an Oakland mac and cheese restaurant into a laboratory for modern management principles.</p>
<p>Wade shares her groundbreaking 'color code of conduct' system (now adopted globally) and her radical approach to open-book management. A masterclass in building culture, solving industry-wide challenges, and leading with precision rather than convention.</p>
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<p>(00:00) Intro</p>
<p>(02:30) Wade's surfing obsession</p>
<p>(04:42) Defeating overthinking</p>
<p>(05:00) Wade's background in food</p>
<p>(06:40) Wade's law detour</p>
<p>(10:20) On being fired</p>
<p>(12:40) Early mistakes and freedom</p>
<p>(20:00) Employee-centric companies</p>
<p>(32:30) Homeroom Hard Times</p>
<p>(34:40) How Wade's law background helped (and hurt)</p>
<p>(42:40) The Color Code of Conduct</p>
<p>(49:30) Why Wade sold Homeroom (and how she felt)</p>
<p>(55:58) Impact vs. Intent</p>
<p>(59:00) Why titles are important</p>
<p>(01:04:00) On success</p>
