The Mac and Cheese Empire | Erin Wade

The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish

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.

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.

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(00:00) Intro

(02:30) Wade's surfing obsession

(04:42) Defeating overthinking

(05:00) Wade's background in food

(06:40) Wade's law detour

(10:20) On being fired

(12:40) Early mistakes and freedom

(20:00) Employee-centric companies

(32:30) Homeroom Hard Times

(34:40) How Wade's law background helped (and hurt)

(42:40) The Color Code of Conduct

(49:30) Why Wade sold Homeroom (and how she felt)

(55:58) Impact vs. Intent

(59:00) Why titles are important

(01:04:00) On success