Advisory

I've built it. Now I'll help you build yours.
Advisory and mentorship for founders and small-business owners — from someone who left the corporate world, opened his own doors, and still runs the line and the books every day.

Who This Is For

• Operators ready to stop building someone else's dream and start their own
• First-time founders who want a guide who's actually done it — not a coach working from a textbook
• Owners stuck between surviving and scaling, who need systems without losing their soul
• Hospitality and restaurant people especially — I speak your language, because I lived it for 20+ years

What I Offer

Founder Mentorship (1:1) — Straight talk from someone in the arena. We work through what's actually keeping you up at night — cash, people, growth, the leap — and build a path you can run without burning out.

Operations & Brand Advisory — For existing businesses that need real structure: operations, systems, brand, sustainable growth. Corporate discipline, applied to your independent business.

Hospitality & Concept Consulting — Opening or reworking a restaurant, café, or food concept? Menu, ops, launch, team. I've built profitable independent food brands from the ground up, and I'll help you skip the expensive mistakes.

Why Me (Not Another Coach)
Most advisors sell theory. I run the businesses I talk about — an award-winning café, a heritage retail brand, and a wellness line, all under CNJ Ventures. Every piece of advice I give, I've tested with my own money, my own team, and my own name on the door.

And here's what I learned the hard way: chasing success will cost you your health, your relationships, and your peace if you let it. So we build the business and protect the person building it. That's not a soft add-on — it's the whole point.

Partnership & Investment
When the fit is right, I don't just advise — I build alongside you. Through CNJ Ventures, I take equity or partnership stakes in businesses I believe in, bringing capital, operational muscle, and skin in the game. That means my success is tied to yours: same table, same risk, same win.

This isn't for everyone, and I'm selective. But if you've got a concept worth backing and you want a partner who's already run the marathon — not a spectator — let's talk about building it together.

All partnership and investment discussions are subject to separate agreements and due diligence.

FAQ
Do you only work with restaurants? No. Restaurants are my roots, but I build brands across industries — the principles travel.
What's the first step? A conversation. Reach out and we'll figure out if I'm the right fit. No pressure, no pitch.

Let's build something that lasts. → Work With Craig

That's the full page. One open item still worth closing before it goes live: the attorney review on how the Partnership & Investment language reads publicly — it's the single spot on this project where a