Elaina Morris, founder and CEO of Ascend Hospitality Group. Photo courtesy of Ascend Hospitality Group.
What do telecommunications, children's playgrounds and upscale restaurants have in common?
Elaina Morris, for one.
The founder and CEO of Ascend Hospitality Group has worked in all three industries. And despite their differences, there's something she's enjoyed about every one of them.
"I love building teams," she says. "I love people."
Morris spent the early part of her career in telecommunications and technology, developing systems and leading teams. Then came Wiggleworks Kids, an indoor playground business she launched in the Seattle area.
The first location was a hit. Expanding to a second proved more challenging. It was a tough lesson in entrepreneurship, but one Morris credits with preparing her for the restaurant business.
She entered hospitality in 2015, eventually acquiring Famous Dave's franchises and opening Bellevue's Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi in 2018.
Things grew quickly. At one point, Ascend operated restaurants in four states. Bigger didn't mean better. The company wasn't profitable.
Today, following the pandemic and a restructuring, Ascend operates five restaurant locations in Washington, Oregon and Utah. Morris says the business is now profitable, and she's looking ahead. She's scouting locations for a second Ascend Prime and more Stanford's restaurants. Ascend acquired the longtime Northwest brand out of bankruptcy.
Still, ask Morris what gets her excited about the future, and she doesn't start with expansion plans or revenue projections. She talks about people.
"Coaching, mentoring, training. That's my jam," she says. "I love, love, love it."
For Morris, hospitality is a chance to help employees build careers and maybe even start businesses of their own. She's exploring an ownership model that could give restaurant managers a stake in the businesses they help run.
"I want to make more entrepreneurs," she says.
And that may be the most interesting thing about a woman who's already worked in three industries. She's thinking about who gets to build the next one.