·FSR Magazine
Catching Up With FSR Cover Stars: Caroline Skinner's Second Act
From crisis to career pivot, the former Tupelo Honey COO shares lessons in leadership, resilience, and reinvention.
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Restaurant Operations Executive
Your Restaurant Deserves a Leader Who's Been in the Trenches
16+ years of progressive restaurant leadership. Now I help restaurant brands scale with clarity, build stronger teams, and operate with excellence.
Multi-Unit Operations
Executive Coaching
Fractional C-Suite
Caroline Skinner
16+ Years · Restaurant Leadership
2 → 25
Locations Scaled
$4M
Avg Unit Volume
$700K+
Employee Relief Fund
75%
Promotion Rate
6 yr
Avg GM Tenure
100%
Opening Costs Cut
Scroll
“Success is where vision and strategy meet execution.”
About
Operations Expertise,
Built From the Inside Out
I'm Caroline Skinner — a proven C-suite executive with 16+ years of progressive leadership experience in the restaurant industry. I specialize in driving unit expansion, operational transformation, and strategic planning across multi-disciplinary teams.
Most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer at Tupelo Honey, I built a track record of unit-level expansion, integrating people-first technology, building P&L accountability, driving customer loyalty, and creating high-performance cultures that deliver measurable results.
As a fractional leader through The C Society, I bring financial acumen, operational rigor, and customer-focused strategy to founders, executive teams, and investment-backed portfolios. I'm well-versed in navigating high-stakes moments — leadership transitions, organizational restructures, and critical transformation.
B.A., University of North Carolina Asheville · M.S. Business & Human Resources, Western Carolina University
Connect on LinkedInI've Lived It
I haven't just consulted from the sidelines — I've run the shifts, managed the teams, and navigated the chaos of multi-unit restaurant operations firsthand.
I Think Like an Operator
Every recommendation I make is grounded in operational reality. I understand the margins, the pace, and the pressure because I've worked within them for over 16 years.
I Lead with People
Restaurants run on people. I build systems that empower teams, develop leaders from within, and create cultures where people want to stay and grow.
Community & Leadership
Inaugural Council Member
FSR NextGen Casual Council
Jan 2023 – Sep 2023
Board of Directors – Workforce Readiness
Western North Carolina Human Resources Association
Jan 2016 – Jan 2017
Non-profit HR Consultant
Homeward Bound Asheville, NC
During WCU Graduate Studies
Services
How I Help Restaurant Brands Win
Three ways to work together — each tailored to where you are and where you're headed.
Consulting
Operational clarity for growing restaurant brands
I partner with restaurant brands to solve their most pressing operational challenges — from systemizing for scale to fixing what's broken.
- Operational audits & efficiency reviews
- Multi-unit expansion strategy
- Training program design & implementation
- Back-of-house & front-of-house systems
- P&L analysis & cost optimization
- Brand standards & quality assurance
Executive Coaching
Elevate the leaders who run your restaurants
I coach restaurant executives and emerging leaders to think bigger, lead better, and build teams that thrive under pressure.
- Leadership style assessment & development
- Communication & conflict resolution
- Strategic thinking & decision-making
- Time management & operational focus
- Building high-performance teams
Fractional C-Suite
Delivered through The C Society — hospitality's fractional collective
For brands that need senior operational leadership but aren't ready for a full-time hire, I step in as a fractional COO or VP of Operations — backed by The C Society's network of proven hospitality executives.
- Brands in rapid growth mode
- Companies navigating leadership transitions
- Operators preparing for investor readiness
- Organizations needing turnaround expertise
- Investment-backed portfolio oversight
Career
A Career Built on Operational Excellence
From managing single locations to overseeing multi-state operations — every role has deepened my ability to help restaurant brands thrive.
Feb 2013 – Feb 2015
Sr. Director of Human Resources
Tupelo Honey
Joined Tupelo Honey to build the people infrastructure needed for multi-market expansion. Designed hiring systems, onboarding programs, and culture frameworks as the brand grew beyond Asheville.
Feb 2015 – Dec 2017
Vice President of Human Resources
Tupelo Honey
Led the people strategy across all locations during a period of aggressive national growth. Launched the Fair Start Wage and began building the Honeypot employee benefits platform.
Jan 2018 – Oct 2019
Senior Vice President of Human Resources
Tupelo Honey
Scaled workforce programs enterprise-wide, created the Biscuits for a Cause employee relief fund, and built the leadership pipeline that would support national expansion to 25+ locations.
Oct 2019 – 2026
Chief Operating Officer
Tupelo Honey
Led the organization through pandemic recovery, operational restructuring, and national expansion to 25 restaurants across 14 states. Drove initiatives around efficiency, culture, and guest experience excellence.
2026 – Present
Fractional C-Suite Executive & Strategic Advisor
Caroline Skinner Consulting · The C Society
Advising restaurant brands on operational excellence, coaching executives, and providing fractional C-suite leadership for growth-stage, turnaround, and investment-backed portfolios.
Tupelo Honey Cafe
Where it all started — Asheville, NC
16+
Years in Restaurants
25
Restaurants Across 14 States
1000+
Team Members Led
Multi-State
Expansion Experience
16+
Years in Restaurants
25
Restaurants Across 14 States
1000+
Team Members Led
Multi-State
Expansion Experience
Proven Impact
Programs That Changed the Industry
Initiatives I created and led at Tupelo Honey — now part of my consulting playbook for restaurant brands ready to invest in their people.
One Guest Program
An innovative guest loyalty program empowering general managers to personally identify frequent guests and invite them into an exclusive experience. Each selected guest receives a honeybee coin unlocking special benefits — building personal connections while driving repeat visits and brand advocacy.
Honeypot Benefits
A comprehensive benefits platform including health insurance, mental health resources, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement, and emergency financial assistance — designed for the real lives of restaurant workers.
Biscuits for a Cause
Converted Tupelo Honey's signature biscuit into a fundraising engine, directing all biscuit profits to an employee relief fund. Raised over $700,000 for team members facing unexpected hardships.
Project ASPIRE
A year-long mentorship and development program for underrepresented employees, producing a 75% promotion rate and building a more diverse leadership pipeline across the organization.
Who I Work With
Built for Operators Who Are Ready to Level Up
I partner with restaurant brands at critical inflection points — whether you're scaling, stabilizing, or transforming.
Independent Restaurant Owners
You built something special and you're ready to grow — but you need operational systems and strategy to do it right.
Emerging Multi-Unit Brands
You're scaling from 3 to 30 locations and need someone who's navigated that growth before to help you avoid costly mistakes.
Restaurant Leadership Teams
Your GMs and directors are talented but need executive coaching to become the leaders your brand needs at the next level.
Investor-Backed Restaurant Groups
You need fractional executive leadership to drive operational performance, prepare for growth, or navigate a turnaround.
“I don't just tell you what to fix — I help you build the operational muscle to sustain it.”
— Caroline Skinner
Recognition
Awards & Speaking Engagements
Industry recognition for advancing restaurant leadership, operational excellence, and people-first culture.
2016
LEARN ROI Award
Most Engaging Training Content
LEARN
2020
Best Places to Work
Business Intelligence Group
2022
Best Places to Work
Business Intelligence Group
Speaking & Panels
NextGen Restaurant Summit · 2022, 2023, 2025
Building Brand Resilience — Strategies for Navigating Economic Shifts
QSR Evolution Conference · 2023, 2024
Speaker & Panelist
Olo Webinar Panel · 2025
Emerging Restaurant Trends for 2025
Branded Hospitality Media · 2023
Industry Panel Discussions
FSR NextGen Casual Council · 2023
Inaugural Council Member
Latest Insights
Perspectives on Restaurant Leadership
Articles, press features, and insights on operations, people-first culture, and scaling hospitality brands.
Ready to Transform Your Restaurant Operations?
Whether you need an operational audit, leadership coaching, or a seasoned COO on your team — let's find the right path forward together.
Contact
Let's Start a Conversation
Whether you have a specific challenge in mind or just want to explore how we might work together, I'd love to hear from you. Fill out the form and I'll be in touch within 24 hours.
Based in Asheville, NC
Working with brands nationwide
Response Time
Within 24 business hours
Get in Touch
Use the form to start a conversation